Smartproxy VS BrightData: Decoding the Right Choice for You

Bright Data has been around since 2014 and is considered to be a big name in the industry. Meanwhile, Smartproxy opened its business in 2018, and has managed to acquire a sizable consumer base in quite a short time.

Now we come to the main question: Bright Data vs Smartproxy – which one should you choose? To save you some time, here’s a quick overview: Bright data provides greater customization and choices at premium rates. On the other hand, Smartproxy meets the demands of a wider array of customers at convenient rates. We’ll dive into all the important details to help you make the choice easier.

9 Key Elements to Shape Your Proxy Provider Decision

Selecting a provider is no small feat. Here are some important considerations when making your selection: 

• Number of proxy IPs and geographical locations
• Price
• Other tools (such as web scrapers and data insights)
• Uptimes and response times
• How technically minded you are (do you need simple interfaces or are you advanced?)
• Do you need mobile proxies?
• How much do you rely on customer support?
• Do they have pay as you go or month to month tiers?
• How much data do you think you’ll need?

All of these are essential points to know in advance, so consider gathering this data before making your proxy provider selection.

How the Top Features of Both Platforms Stack Up

Before getting into each individual feature of these platforms, we’ve put together a quick comparison table for anyone wanting a quick rundown. 

Next, we’ll cover the biggest features and services one by one, comparing Bright Data vs Smartproxy so you can decide which provider best meets your needs. Overall, both platforms have plenty of similar benefits and functions, so your final decision may just come down to the little things. 

A Head–to–Head Comparison of These Top Residential Proxies

A good residential proxy is essential if you want adequate privacy, anonymity, and added online freedom to get around geolocation blocks and other content restrictions. Some of the features that help these two providers stand out from the crowd, include:

Smartproxy:

• 99% uptime
• Unlimited threads and concurrent sessions
• Response time is <0.5s
• HTTP(S) and SOCKS5
• Live statistics
• Targeting by country, state, city, ZIP and ASN
• 55M+ residential proxy IPs and 195+ global locations

Bright Data: 

• Sticky and rotating sessions
• 99.95% rate of success
• HTTP(S) and SOCKS5
• Free Geo-location targeting and precise targeting options
• 0.7 response time
• 72M+ residential IPs in 195 countries

In short, there are numerous similarities between these two options. They both have high uptimes, precise parameters for targeting, the same number of global locations, and other similar factors. The most significant differences to take note of is the fact that Bright Data has substantially more residential IPs, whereas Smartproxy has slightly faster response times. 

How the Datacenter Proxies Compare in Speed and Scale

Of course, these leading providers also shine when it comes to large-scale datacenter proxies. Some key details to consider can be summarized as follows:

Smartproxy: 

• 500K+ proxies
• 99.99% uptime
• Average speed is <0.3s
• Rotating and static IPs
• High download speed retention
• Unlimited connections and threads
• Shared and dedicated datacenter proxies

Bright Data: 

• Datacenter proxy network of 770,000 IPs
• Both shared and dedicated IPs
• Response time of 0.24s
• Free geolocation targeting
• 99.99% uptime
• Can pay per IP or bandwidth usage

Bright Data and Smartproxy, have their own dedicated or shared data center proxies. Bright Data has more than 770,000 data center IPs as compared to Smartproxy, with more than 500,000 IPs and 400 subnets spread out across the globe. Other than that, both come with HTTP(S) and SOCKS5 IP types, with unlimited concurrent sessions and threads. Although these providers look similar at first glance, there are subtle differences that help to distinguish them beneath the surface.  Bright Data is certainly the pricier option. However, with that being said, this premium price affords you the opportunity to have more control over your settings even if you are dealing with a large, complex business. Smartproxy on the other hand, is ideal for small and medium businesses that are not quite as complex and have tighter budgets.

Scraping APIs and Tools: Who Does It Better?

For quicker comparison, let’s look at the services offered by both Smartproxy and Bright Data:

• Both the providers come with a website unblocker, and SERP Scraping API.
• Both offer social media, and web scraping API. 
• Both come with a free proxy extension for Chrome.
• Both come with a dedicated e-commerce scraping API

Smartproxy comes with a No-Code Scraper API for its users. Bright Data, on the other hand, has a web scraper IDE tool that comes with 73+ ready-made javascript functions. Smartproxy also offers its own X Browser with each subscription plan, outside of its extension for Firefox.                                                                                                          

A Quick Rundown of the Pricing and Plans

The plans for each service differ depending on the kind of proxies you need. If you choose monthly versus annual fees, if you need enterprise solutions, or any kind of specialized functions and advanced features, this will impact the pricing. Rather than inundate you with every possible pricing tier available, here’s a basic rundown of ranges and tiers for Smartproxy vs Bright Data. 

Smartproxy: 

• Residential proxies range from $7.00 USD monthly to $700 USD monthly. The more GB you want, the more expensive the monthly fees. 
• Static residential proxies range from $35 USD monthly for 10 IPs to $700 USD monthly. There are also lots of price variations if you pick to pay per IP or GB, so do a bit of research before you decide what fits you best.
• Mobile proxies range from $8.00 USD per month to $400.
• Datacenter proxies range from $30 USD per month to $600 per month. You can also pay per IP, GB, or dedicated options.
• Site unblocker plans range from $28 USD per month to $700. You can also choose to pay per request instead.

Overall, the pricing options have wide and somewhat confusing variations. The web scraping tools, enterprise tiers, and other features have their own pricing plans too. Also, there are often significant introductory discounts and deals. However, be aware that renewal pricing will be substantially more, so try to plan for that in advance so you’re not surprised when the time comes. If you only plan to use the service for a limited time, ask about cancellation and auto-renewal dates, if applicable. Pay as you go tiers can be a helpful solution if you want added flexibility. 

Bright Data: 

• Residential proxies range from a pay-as-you-go option of $8.4 per GB all the way up to $1999 per month. Mobile proxies have the same prices.
• Datacenter proxies range from $14 USD per month to 900.
• ISP proxies range from $18 USD per month to $1300.

The general structure of this pricing model seems to be a bit simpler than Smartproxy, but there are plenty of other plans available, which can make it difficult to pick just one. Overall, Smartproxy is less expensive, but it depends on what plan you want, how many GB or IPs you need, and other variables. 

Understanding the UX Differences Across These Two Providers

If you don’t have much time, or if you would rather not get into details, then Smartproxy might be the right solution for you. With Smartproxy, you get a simpler design with less customization options. This, in turn, gives you a more user-friendly experience. For instance, opening the residential proxy tab, reveals separate sub-tabs for every detail – such as pricing, traffic usage, subscription management, and more. You also get access to a dedicated screen for general information, giving you all the information you require, all neatly organized in one place.

Meanwhile, Bright Data provides greater customization, with a somewhat complicated user interface. It will definitely need any user to invest more time and effort to learn about its different functions and areas of service. As an example, users need to download the proxy manager software to control the different proxies, and might need prior programming knowledge to get the best out of its different APIs.

User experience is one area where these two providers differ quite radically. Smartproxy is more suited to general use, and can be great for people who have no or limited knowledge of programming. Meanwhile, we recommend looking at Bright Data if you require more control over the small details.

Comparing Performance Metrics Like Speed, Reliability, and Reach

On paper, both Smartproxy and Bright Data offer industry-standard speeds. However, in this section, we dive deeper by comparing these proxy service providers based on their pool size, response time, locations, and IP rotations.

Bright Data has 72 million IPs in its residential proxy pool. Meanwhile, Smartproxy has 55 million residential IPs. There is only a small difference in the number of unique IP addresses they offer, which means the speed of processing your requests will almost be the same.

Smartproxy has a slight edge in the speeds offered for residential proxies, but Bright Data is ever so slightly faster with their datacenter proxies. Either way, both are fast and responsive. They are both some of the fastest providers on the market, so it’s difficult to go wrong with either one.

In terms of reach, both Smartproxy and Bright Data mark their presence in 195 countries. You can filter the location by city, state, country, and ASN. As for session stickiness, Smartproxy datacenter sessions can last up to 30 minutes or residential proxy sessions can go for up to 24 hours. Bright Data doesn’t have a time limit for sessions, instead they can have configurable autorotation per request, or per session. In the end, the choice will really depend on your unique needs. 

Customer Support: Which Provider Has Your Back?

Smartproxy offers 24/7 customer support via live chat on their website, which is tended to by their executives. Bright Data only offers this to their premium members. You can also refer to the well-illustrated FAQs section, as well as the guidelines. What’s more is that Smartproxy provides video instructions, making it easier for users to follow.

For more elaborate support, you can use their email ticketing service and wait for the executives to get back to you. You will also find great pre-sale support, and they even have a Telegram channel dedicated to helping new customers. Bright Data has a similar approach to their customer service. They have Telegram and WhatsApp channels, to enable live chat support for their customers. Bright Data also has an email ticketing system for support.

Overall, we can say that both Smartproxy and Bright Data have prompt customer support. However (as per customer reviews on Trustpilot) Smartproxy has better pre-sale support. They also have more easily accessible support that you can initiate much faster, giving this provider a clear head start in this department.

Smartproxy vs. Bright Data: What Really Makes the Difference?

After looking at both proxy services, it’s time for a final verdict on Smartproxy vs Bright data.

In general, Smartproxy wins the race when it comes to general use. While it might have fewer customization settings, Smartproxy compensates for this with a user-friendly interface. Plus, you get a dependable proxy service and excellent customer service at a rather reasonable price. That said, prepare yourself for a bit of research when selecting your tier and plan. It can get complicated quickly, especially if you add extras like web scraper tools.

On the flip side, Smartproxy has a smaller IP pool of residential proxies, which some might find limiting. Further, as mentioned earlier, Smartproxy has limited customization options. If you prefer fine-tuning every minute detail to your liking, you should consider getting Bright Data instead. They have a lot more granular and controllable options. They also have a more simplified pricing structure. Ultimately, the best choice comes down to your specific needs and requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a residential IP? 

A residential IP address (internet protocol address) is basically an IP that is linked with an actual device, such as a computer, a smartphone, etc. These addresses are registered in public databases and are assigned by actual ISPs (Internet Service Providers), which allows websites to determine the location and ISP network of the device. Proxy services provide their customers with use of these types of IP addresses, allowing them to use this alternate IP instead of their real one.

What is a residential proxy?

A residential proxy is basically a server that mediates between websites and users. They utilize actual IP addresses that have been assigned to actual people by their ISP. By using this valid but alternate IP address, you can protect your true IP identity and location, increasing your privacy. Because you’re using a genuine IP, anti-bot solutions will have more difficulty detecting you too, as you’ll be indistinguishable from a regular web user. They also have geo-targeting capabilities, which means you can select a specific region, city, country, and even zip code, depending on your needs. The more IPs the service has, the more options for you as a user. Furthermore, the more locations the service has, the more options you have in terms of choosing where your traffic appears to be coming from. 

What is a datacenter proxy?

Datacenter proxies work similarly to residential proxies. However, these IP addresses are not actually affiliated to ISPs. Instead, these proxies are usually purchased in bulk, and they often come from cloud service providers. They may also be used by a multitude of users at the same time. 

Each time you connect online you’ll have a new and unique IP, so your online identity is frequently changing, keeping your web traffic private. Some pros to datacenter proxies are that they are typically cheaper, faster, and more accessible. Cons are that they can be flagged as not being legitimate because they don’t have an affiliated real ISP. This means they are easier to detect by anti-bot technology and may be banned more frequently than residential proxies. 

What is a mobile proxy provider? 

This is when a service provides access to mobile proxy servers. It can function through a mobile proxy network, so that web traffic can be directed through it. This traffic is routed through mobile networks that can be spread all over the globe. This makes it look like your web traffic is coming from a different region or country. Because these proxies have to come from actual mobile devices, sourcing them is a bit trickier for providers. Because of this, they tend to be more expensive than residential proxies. 

What is web scraping?

Web scraping is a way to get large quantities of data from a website. Typically, this data is collected in unstructured HTML form and is later converted into its structured form. This lets users extract data from sites without having to manually copy it, saving time and energy. Converting this data into its structured form can be a bit time-consuming.  

One way to make this process easier is by using an API (Application Programming Interface). This custom service works like a bridge between multiple software or servers, creating connections quickly. It’s basically a set of tools and rules that allows different types of software to easily communicate with each other. API scraper tools are ideal, as they work similarly to regular web scrapers, but are quicker and simpler to use. They can pull structured data from a site that is already organized into a cleaner format for review.

Many proxy services, like Bright Data and Smartproxy, have specialized API or web scraping tools. They can have optimizations for data scraping for: 

• Social media
• SERP (search engine results page)
• e-Commerce
• Web and browsing scraping

If you need to perform web scraping frequently, look into the specific tools that your proxy provider can offer. This can help you choose the most fitting platform for your data extracting needs.