What Is a Proxy? How Proxies Work and What They're Used For

A proxy (proxy server) is a computer that sits between your device and the websites you visit. Your request goes to the proxy first, the proxy sends it on, and the website sees the proxy's IP address instead of yours. The answer comes back the same way.

How a proxy works

Every connection on the internet comes from an IP address, and that address tells a website roughly where you are and which network you use. When you set a proxy in your browser, app or script, the connection to the website is made from the proxy's IP. You usually sign in to the proxy with a username and password, or allow your own IP address in its whitelist, so only you can use it.

What proxies are used for

• Seeing a website from another country: local prices, search results, ads and content as people there see them.
• Collecting public data at scale, such as prices or listings, by spreading requests over many IP addresses.
• Managing several accounts, each from its own fixed IP address, often together with an antidetect browser.
• Testing websites, apps and ads from different countries and networks.

The main types of proxies

• Residential proxies use IP addresses of home internet connections and usually rotate. On IPronix they are billed by traffic, from $1.27 per GB, in 42 countries.
• Static ISP proxies are dedicated addresses registered to internet service providers that stay the same for the whole rental. On IPronix they cost from $7.00 per IP per month with unlimited bandwidth, in 70+ countries.
• Mobile proxies use IP addresses of 4G/5G mobile networks. On IPronix they are billed by traffic, from $9.69 per GB, in 42 countries.
• Datacenter proxies use addresses of hosting providers. They are fast and cheap, but websites can tell they come from a data center.

HTTP and SOCKS5 proxies

HTTP proxies work with browsers and most tools that make web requests. SOCKS5 proxies pass any kind of TCP traffic and can resolve website names on the proxy side. Most software supports both; pick the one your tool asks for.

Proxy or VPN: what's the difference?

A VPN usually sends all the traffic of your device through one tunnel. A proxy is set per browser, app or script, so you can give each profile or task its own IP address and country, and use many addresses at the same time.

Is it legal to use a proxy?

In most countries using a proxy is legal; what matters is what you do with it. Follow the law and the rules of the websites you use. IPronix's Acceptable Use Policy lists what our proxies may not be used for.

How to start

Decide whether you need one IP that never changes (static ISP) or many changing IPs (residential or mobile), then choose the country. The smallest order on IPronix is 5 GB datacenter package, from $5.95, and proxies are usually ready within seconds after payment.