Note (September 2026): This comparison has been updated. Smartproxy is now called Decodo, the Geonode section wrongly described an unrelated mapping platform, Shifter no longer lists datacenter proxies, and several prices, pool sizes and refund terms had changed.
The best datacenter proxy services as of September 2026 include Decodo (formerly Smartproxy), Bright Data, Geonode and Ghostealth. Decodo and Bright Data offer the largest datacenter pools and pay-per-GB plans from about $0.45 to $0.60 per GB; Geonode sells datacenter IPs from $0.50 each; Ghostealth starts at $20. Shifter now focuses on residential proxies.
Key Takeaways
- Smartproxy is now Decodo: the company rebranded on April 22, 2025, and advertises 500,000+ datacenter IPs with a 14-day money-back guarantee.
- Bright Data lists datacenter traffic at $0.60 per GB pay-as-you-go and shared datacenter IPs from $0.90 to $1.40 per IP, as of September 2026.
- Geonode is a proxy seller (datacenter IPs from $0.50 each), not the GeoNode open-source mapping platform.
- Shifter no longer lists shared or dedicated datacenter proxies; it now sells residential and ISP proxies priced per GB.
- Datacenter proxies are the fastest and cheapest proxy type but the easiest for websites to identify, so match the proxy type to the target site.
If you’re experienced with web data harvesting or website performance testing, you already know how critical it is to have a solid proxy service when performing these tasks. However, you do not have to work in the internet realm to use a proxy service.
Many individuals use proxies to conceal their identity when surfing the internet or accessing the content that is generally restricted in their country. These are only a few apparent uses for proxies; there are many more.
Smartproxy
Smartproxy is one of the better-known proxy providers. The company renamed itself Decodo on April 22, 2025, and smartproxy.com now redirects to decodo.com, so its datacenter proxies are sold under the Decodo name. Reviewers generally describe the service as reliable, although no proxy network is truly undetectable.
As of September 2026, Decodo advertises more than 500,000 datacenter IPs worldwide, including 100,000+ rotating and static shared IPs, with HTTP(S) and SOCKS5 support. Unlimited threads & connections, easy proxy management, and 99.99% uptime ensure that your eCommerce research will run seamlessly, meaning that you always get the data you need.
Smartproxy also offered X Browser, a free multi-profile anti-detection browser for running several browser profiles at the same time; its availability under the Decodo brand could not be confirmed as of September 2026. This app, and many more (like Chrome and Firefox extensions), were offered free of charge.
Pricing is competitive: as of September 2026, Decodo’s pay-per-GB datacenter plans run from $0.60 per GB on a 10 GB plan down to $0.45 per GB on a 1,000 GB plan, with pay-per-IP and dedicated-IP plans priced separately. Therefore, it is quite natural for Smartproxy to be one of the leading proxy networks on the market.
With their sticky sessions you will be able to select the length of time you would like to have an identical IP address. When this article was first published, that meant keeping the same IP for anywhere from 1 minute up to 30 minutes before a new one was assigned automatically; check Decodo’s current documentation for today’s session limits.
Smartproxy offered no free plan or free trial when this article was first published in 2022, although you’d be safeguarded by a cash back guarantee of 3 days at the time (as of September 2026, Decodo lists a free trial and a 14-day money-back guarantee). Under the current Decodo terms, a customer who is not satisfied can request a refund within 14 days, subject to Decodo’s refund conditions.
Key features.
- Competitive per-GB and per-IP pricing.
- Up to 30 minutes sticky sessions.
- 100K+ shared rotating and static IPs within a 500K+ datacenter pool.
- Locations across the Americas, Europe and Asia-Pacific (as of September 2026).
- Simple to use.
- Easy integration to any software.
- Outstanding scraping performance.
Smartproxy members could use X-Browser for free. Smartproxy has a solid reputation among proxy providers.
Geonode
Geonode is a proxy provider that sells residential, ISP and datacenter proxies. It should not be confused with GeoNode, the unrelated open-source platform for sharing geospatial data and maps. A proxy server acts as an intermediary between client applications (such as web browsers or scrapers) and the websites they request. Its primary purpose is to improve security, enhance performance, and enable access to restricted resources. As of September 2026, Geonode lists datacenter proxies from $0.50 per IP, ISP proxies from $1.25 per IP and residential proxies from $0.27 per GB, and says its network covers more than 150 countries.
Ghostealth
Even though Ghostealth’s datacenter proxies have reportedly been on sale since 2017 (a date that could not be independently verified as of September 2026), Ghostealth remains far smaller than market leaders such as Bright Data and Decodo. Earlier reviews credited it with more than 5,000 customers; a current customer figure could not be verified.
When this article was first published, Ghostealth advertised a datacenter pool of more than 50,000 proxies updated daily; as of September 2026 its website advertises a global IP pool of more than 50 million without breaking the figure down by proxy type. The unique aspect here is that these proxy servers rotate.
Hence, you receive a new IP address with each request, ensuring that you can move fully anonymously on the Internet.
The pricing model is flexible and absolutely transparent. As of September 2026, Ghostealth lists datacenter proxies from $20 and residential proxies from $10; check its website for current tiers.
Ghostealth has advertised unlimited bandwidth on its datacenter proxies, which set it apart from per-GB providers; confirm the current bandwidth terms before buying.
Main qualities.
- New IP with each request.
- Uptime of 99.9%.
- Free Trial available.
- 50.000 Datacenter Proxy Pool.
- Advertised latency under 100ms (as of September 2026).
- Unlimited Bandwidth.
Bright Data
Bright Data is considered to be one of the market leaders in the present proxy market. As of September 2026, Bright Data states that its network includes more than 400 million proxy IPs from 195 countries, and its pricing page advertises more than 1.3 million datacenter proxies.
Bright Data’s proxies are marketed as secure, ethically sourced, reliable, and effective. Bright Data says more than 50,000 customers worldwide use its platform. Common uses of Bright Data include web crawling and scraping, brand protection, SEO auditing, plus ads verification.
Bright Data prices each proxy type separately; when this article was first published, it listed four types of IP addresses – residential, datacenter, mobile, and static residential. As of September 2026, Bright Data lists datacenter pay-as-you-go traffic at $0.60 per GB, and shared datacenter IPs from $1.40 per IP on a 10-IP plan down to $0.90 per IP on a 1,000-IP plan; dedicated datacenter IPs cost more. You will get IP and traffic at a better price by going for a monthly payment option.
As of September 2026, Bright Data offers free trials on its proxy products (no credit card required, according to its website) and matches a new customer’s first deposit dollar for dollar up to $500; review its refund terms before paying.
Key features.
- Reliable and strong proxy connections.
- A large pool of proxies.
- Around-the-clock customer support.
- Robust proxy controls.
- Free trial available.
- Unlimited concurrent sessions.
Shifter
When this article was first published, Shifter sold shared and dedicated proxies as well as rotating or backconnect Residential Proxies that happen to be amongst the best types of proxies on the web. Besides offering superior IP masking and minimizing the threat of online theft, one can also use them for accessing geo-locked content.
As of September 2026, Shifter’s website lists residential proxies, ISP proxies (static residential IPs hosted in data centers), a Web Scraping API and a SERP API, and no longer lists traditional shared or dedicated datacenter proxies. Its former shared and dedicated proxies were located only in Buffalo, New York. Shifter now advertises more than 205 million residential IPs across 195+ countries, up from the 26 million to 31 million quoted when this article was first published.
The prices of this company are quite competitive without any doubt whatsoever. When this article was first published, Shifter’s proxies were unmetered, unlike most competitors. This implies that you will not be charged any extra fees after you have exhausted the bandwidth allotted to you.
Under that older model, customers were charged per gateway/port which implies that you will not be exempted from their service even after the consumption of all your bandwidth. Buying more gateways allowed heavier loads. As of September 2026, however, Shifter prices its residential plans by bandwidth: monthly plans start at $50 for 50 GB, with rates from $0.10 per GB (non-geo-targeted) to $0.75 per GB (city and ASN targeting).
As of September 2026, Shifter’s website offers a free trial, so buyers can test proxy quality before paying. Earlier reviews described a 3-day refund policy; the current refund terms could not be confirmed on Shifter’s website, so check them before buying. If the service does not fit your requirements, contact Shifter support promptly and check the refund window stated in its current terms.
Key features.
- Bandwidth-based residential plans (older port-based packages were unmetered).
- More than 205 million residential IPs advertised (as of September 2026).
- Outstanding scraping performance with satisfactory proxy connection speeds.
What Is a Datacenter Proxy?
A datacenter proxy is a proxy server whose IP address belongs to a hosting or cloud provider rather than to a home internet service provider (ISP). When a request passes through a datacenter proxy, the target website sees the data center’s IP address instead of the user’s own address.
Datacenter proxies are popular for web scraping, price monitoring, SEO rank tracking, ad verification and load testing because they are fast, stable and inexpensive. The trade-off is detectability: a website can look up the network (ASN) an IP belongs to and recognize that it comes from a hosting company, so strict sites block datacenter traffic more often than residential traffic.
Shared vs. dedicated datacenter proxies
Shared datacenter proxies are used by several customers at once, which keeps prices low but means another customer’s behavior can get an IP blocked. Dedicated datacenter proxies are assigned to a single customer, cost more per IP and give more predictable performance. Decodo and Bright Data both sell shared and dedicated options.
Rotating vs. static datacenter proxies
Rotating proxies assign a new IP address per request or per session, which spreads traffic across the pool. Static proxies keep the same IP, which suits logins and account-based work. The article on rotating datacenter proxies vs. static proxies explains when each approach works better.
Datacenter vs. Residential vs. ISP Proxies
Datacenter, residential and ISP proxies differ mainly in where the IP address comes from, which drives speed, cost and block rates.
| Proxy type | IP source | Speed | Typical pricing | Block risk | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Datacenter | Hosting and cloud providers | Fastest | Lowest (per IP or per GB) | Highest on strict sites | Bulk scraping of tolerant sites, SEO tools, testing |
| Residential | Real household devices and home ISPs | Slower, variable | Higher, usually per GB | Lowest | Heavily protected sites, geo-specific content |
| ISP (static residential) | ISP-registered IPs hosted in data centers | Fast | Mid to high, usually per IP | Low | Account management, long sessions |
For a deeper look at the residential option, see this guide to residential proxies and their benefits.
Datacenter Proxy Providers Compared
The table below summarizes each provider covered in this article, based on the providers’ own websites as of September 2026. Prices change often, so confirm them before buying.
| Provider | Datacenter proxies offered? | Advertised pool | Starting price | Trial or guarantee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Decodo (formerly Smartproxy) | Yes: shared, per-IP and dedicated | 500K+ datacenter IPs | $0.45-$0.60 per GB | Free trial; 14-day money-back guarantee |
| Bright Data | Yes: shared and dedicated | 1.3M+ datacenter proxies; 400M+ IPs overall | $0.60 per GB pay-as-you-go; shared IPs from $0.90 each | Free trial; first deposit matched up to $500 |
| Geonode | Yes | 150+ countries (network-wide) | $0.50 per IP | Free API request allowance |
| Ghostealth | Yes | 50M+ IPs (network-wide, not broken down) | From $20 | Free trial, no credit card |
| Shifter | No longer listed (residential and ISP only) | 205M+ residential IPs | $50 per month for 50 GB (residential) | Free trial |
How Do You Choose a Datacenter Proxy Service?
The right datacenter proxy service depends on the target websites, the volume of requests and the budget. Check these points before committing:
- Pricing model: per-GB plans suit scrapers that send many requests to few IPs; per-IP plans suit steady, long-running tasks. Work out which is cheaper for the expected traffic.
- Bandwidth terms: “unlimited” plans can still cap threads or speed. This guide on why bandwidth matters when choosing a datacenter proxy covers what to look for.
- Locations: confirm the provider has IPs in the countries or cities needed.
- Protocols and integration: HTTP(S) and SOCKS5 support, authentication by username/password or IP whitelist, and documentation for tools such as Selenium, Puppeteer and Playwright.
- Trial and refund terms: test on the real target sites during a free trial, and read the refund conditions, which often limit how much traffic can be used.
- Sourcing and compliance: choose a provider that explains where its IPs come from and publishes an acceptable-use policy.
More general criteria are covered in how to choose the best proxy provider for your needs, and this NetNut review looks at another provider that sells datacenter and residential proxies.
Common Mistakes When Buying Datacenter Proxies
- Using datacenter IPs on heavily protected sites: sites with strong bot protection often block hosting-provider IPs; residential or ISP proxies may be needed instead.
- Ignoring request rates: sending too many requests per IP gets addresses banned quickly, even on a large pool. Throttle requests and rotate IPs.
- Trusting old price lists: proxy prices and product lines change often, as the changes at Smartproxy and Shifter show.
- Skipping the terms of service: both the proxy provider’s rules and the target website’s terms apply to how the proxies are used.
Is Using Datacenter Proxies Legal?
Using a datacenter proxy is legal in most countries; what matters is how it is used. Scraping publicly available data has been upheld in some US cases: according to Wikipedia’s summary of the litigation, a federal judge ruled in January 2024 that Bright Data did not breach Meta’s terms of use, and in May 2024 a federal judge dismissed X Corp’s lawsuit over Bright Data’s scraping of publicly accessible data. These rulings do not make every scraping project lawful. Collecting personal data can trigger privacy laws such as the EU’s GDPR, and bypassing logins or paywalls raises separate legal risks, so businesses should take legal advice for their specific use case.
Used responsibly, proxies support legitimate web scraping automation such as price comparison, market research and brand monitoring.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best datacenter proxy service?
No single datacenter proxy service is best for every task. As of September 2026, Decodo (formerly Smartproxy) and Bright Data offer the largest datacenter pools and flexible per-GB and per-IP plans, while Geonode and Ghostealth offer lower entry prices for smaller projects.
Is Smartproxy the same as Decodo?
Yes. Smartproxy renamed itself Decodo on April 22, 2025, and smartproxy.com now redirects to decodo.com. The company continues to sell datacenter, residential and other proxy products under the Decodo name.
How much do datacenter proxies cost?
Datacenter proxies are the cheapest proxy type. As of September 2026, Decodo charges $0.45 to $0.60 per GB, Bright Data charges $0.60 per GB pay-as-you-go or from $0.90 per shared IP, and Geonode lists datacenter IPs from $0.50 each. Dedicated IPs cost more.
Are datacenter proxies better than residential proxies?
Datacenter proxies are faster and cheaper than residential proxies, but websites detect and block them more easily because their IPs belong to hosting companies. Residential proxies cost more and are slower but are blocked less often on strict sites.
Can websites detect datacenter proxies?
Yes. Websites can check which network an IP address belongs to and flag addresses registered to hosting and cloud providers. Rotating IPs, limiting request rates and using realistic browser headers reduce blocks but do not eliminate them.
Are free datacenter proxies safe to use?
Free public proxies are risky: their operators can log or alter traffic, and the IPs are often already blocked. A paid provider with a free trial is a safer way to test datacenter proxies.
