Husain Parvez
The Short Answer
The best free proxy server list is not a list at all — it is a provider’s free plan. Webshare is the only option here that gives you 10 proxies and 1 GB every month, free forever, with no credit card — safer and far more reliable than any public list. Oxylabs offers a free trial on a 175M+ IP network for serious scraping, and Decodo adds a 3-day free trial with plans from $2/GB. Public free proxy lists are slow, mostly dead, and often unsafe — many log traffic or inject ads — so a real free tier is the smarter free route.
About our Methodology and Testing
We tested providers on the things that actually decide whether a free proxy is usable: does it have a genuine free tier or trial, how many of its IPs are alive and unblocked, what anonymity level it delivers, which protocols it supports, and what it costs the moment you outgrow free. We ran public free proxy lists side by side with provider free plans against real browsing and scraping targets.
A free proxy server list promises hundreds of public IPs you can drop into a browser or scraper at no cost. The reality is harsher: most entries are dead within hours, speeds crawl, and a meaningful share are run by unknown operators who log traffic, inject ads, or harvest credentials. Nobody pays for that bandwidth — which usually means you do, with your data.
Having tested proxy services against real browsing and scraping targets, I have compiled the most credible free options: genuine free tiers, free trials, and cheap paid pools from providers you can actually hold accountable. This guide covers each provider’s free option, pool size, protocols, pricing, and honest pros and cons. Read more…
Best Free Proxy Server: Editor’s Choice
Best Free Proxy Servers: Top Picks!
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#1 Best Free
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| Provider | Webshare | Oxylabs | Decodo | Swiftproxy |
| Free option | 10 proxies + 1 GB/mo free forever | Free trial | 3-day free trial | Varies — check offer |
| Proxy IPs | 80M+ | 175M+ | 115M+ | 80M+ |
| Countries | 195+ | 195 | 195+ | 195+ |
| Protocols | HTTP, SOCKS5 | HTTP, HTTPS, SOCKS5 | HTTP, HTTPS, SOCKS5 | HTTP, HTTPS, SOCKS5 |
| Starting price | Free / $3.50/GB | ~$4/GB | $2/GB | ~$0.70/GB |
| 24/7 support | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Link | Try Free Now | Try Free Now | Try Free Now | Try Free Now |
1) Webshare
Best Genuinely Free Proxy Server
Webshare is the only provider on this list with a truly free-forever plan — 10 proxies and 1 GB of traffic every month, with no credit card and no expiry. That makes it the safest, fastest way to actually use proxies at zero cost, and its paid network has grown to 80M+ residential IPs across 195+ countries.
The free tier runs on datacenter IPs with HTTP and SOCKS5 support and a 99.97% uptime guarantee, which is ideal for learning the workflow, testing scripts, or light browsing before you upgrade. When you need real home IPs, rotating residential starts around $3.50/GB and static residential from $6/month.
The self-serve dashboard, instant API access, and downloadable proxy lists make Webshare the most developer-friendly option here — you can be running in minutes without talking to sales.
The trade-off is that free and low-tier IPs are heavily shared, so they are best for testing rather than high-stakes, ban-sensitive targets.
Why Webshare?
Webshare’s free-forever 10-proxy tier, instant self-serve dashboard, and very low paid pricing make it the best starting point for anyone who wants working proxies without paying a cent.
What We Like
- ✓Genuinely free forever — 10 proxies, 1 GB/month, no card
- ✓Instant self-serve dashboard, API, and proxy-list download
- ✓Very affordable paid residential and datacenter plans
- ✓HTTP & SOCKS5 with a 99.97% uptime guarantee
What We Don’t Like
- ✕Free tier is datacenter, not residential
- ✕Free and low-tier IPs are shared and can be flagged
- ✕Smaller residential pool than the top enterprise networks
Pricing Plans
| Pricing Plans | Free tier • Rotating residential from $3.50/GB • Static residential from $6/mo ($0.30/IP) • Datacenter from $2.99/mo |
| Free Option | 10 proxies + 1 GB/month, free forever (no card) |
| Residential IPs | 80M+ IPs |
| Countries | 195+ countries |
| Protocols | HTTP & SOCKS5 |
| Uptime | 99.97% guarantee |
| Support | 24/7 Support & Documentation |
Free Forever Plan
2) Oxylabs
Best for Serious, Large-Scale Scraping
Oxylabs runs the largest network here — 175M+ ethically sourced residential IPs across 195 countries — with some of the highest success rates in the industry. You can test it free through the Oxylabs trial before committing, and self-serve plans start from roughly $4/GB.
Targeting is granular down to country, city, state, ZIP code, and ASN, so you can gather accurate localized data or verify geo-specific ads with precision. Both rotating and sticky sessions are supported.
Oxylabs pairs the proxies with a full scraping stack — Web Scraper API, a proxy manager, and detailed docs — which suits teams that need reliability at scale rather than a throwaway free IP.
A dedicated account manager on larger plans plus 24/7 technical support means help is available whenever a target site changes its defenses.
Why Oxylabs?
Oxylabs’ 175M+ IP pool, city and ASN-level targeting, and industry-leading success rates make it the most dependable choice when free proxies simply are not good enough.
What We Like
- ✓Largest pool here — 175M+ ethically sourced IPs
- ✓City, ZIP, and ASN-level targeting
- ✓Free trial plus pay-as-you-go option
- ✓24/7 support with dedicated account managers
What We Don’t Like
- ✕Premium pricing at entry tiers
- ✕Full free trial is aimed at businesses
- ✕Feature depth has a learning curve for beginners
Pricing Plans
| Pricing Plans | Pay-as-you-go ~$8/GB • Starter 5GB $30 ($6/GB) • from ~$4/GB on committed plans |
| Free Option | Free trial (business sign-up) |
| Residential IPs | 175M+ IPs |
| Countries | 195 countries |
| Targeting | Country, city, state, ZIP, ASN |
| Uptime | 99.9%+ |
| Support | 24/7 Live Chat, Email & Account Manager |
Free Trial Available
3) Decodo
Best Value and Easiest for Beginners
Decodo (formerly Smartproxy) is the best-value pick, pairing a 115M+ IP pool across 195+ locations with a genuinely beginner-friendly dashboard. A 3-day free trial with 100 MB lets you test it before paying, and plans scale down to just $2/GB.
Decodo offers both rotating and sticky sessions with targeting down to city, state, ZIP, and ASN, plus a free browser extension, a proxy address generator, and a fast onboarding flow that gets beginners running in minutes.
Its success rates are consistently high, and the pricing structure — pay-as-you-go at $8.5/GB scaling to $2/GB on larger monthly plans — makes it easy to start small and grow.
Around-the-clock live chat and a large knowledge base round out one of the most approachable proxy services available.
Why Decodo?
Decodo’s 115M+ IP pool, beginner-friendly dashboard, and pricing from $2/GB make it the best balance of value, ease of use, and performance for first-time proxy users.
What We Like
- ✓3-day free trial to test before paying
- ✓Excellent value from $2/GB
- ✓Beginner-friendly dashboard and free tools
- ✓City, state, ZIP, and ASN targeting
What We Don’t Like
- ✕Free trial requires card verification
- ✕Pay-as-you-go rate is higher than committed plans
- ✕Pool is smaller than Oxylabs
Pricing Plans
| Pricing Plans | Pay-as-you-go $8.5/GB • scales to $2/GB on larger monthly plans |
| Free Option | 3-day free trial (100 MB, card verification, $0 charge) |
| Residential IPs | 115M+ IPs |
| Countries | 195+ locations |
| Targeting | Country, city, state, ZIP, ASN |
| Sessions | Rotating & sticky |
| Support | 24/7 Live Chat & Knowledge Base |
3-Day Free Trial
4) Swiftproxy
Best Cheap Proxies with Non-Expiring Traffic
Swiftproxy undercuts almost everyone at around $0.70/GB, and — unusually — the traffic you buy never expires. There is no monthly commitment, so 100 GB bought today can still be used months from now, across a network of 80M+ IPs in 195+ countries.
In early 2026 Swiftproxy added a real-time IP quality system that continuously checks its addresses against major anti-bot and fraud lists and automatically pulls flagged IPs out of the active pool. Cleaner IPs mean measurably fewer blocks on tough targets.
Native ISP proxies start at $6 per IP with unlimited bandwidth and lifetime renewal options, which is a strong deal if you need a stable static identity rather than rotation.
The provider reports 99.89% uptime, and users consistently report stable, fast connections during long scraping runs.
Why Swiftproxy?
Swiftproxy’s $0.70/GB pricing, traffic that never expires, and automatic removal of flagged IPs make it the best-value paid network for anyone who has outgrown free proxies but hates monthly commitments.
What We Like
- ✓Very low entry price from ~$0.70/GB
- ✓Purchased traffic never expires — no monthly deadline
- ✓Real-time IP checks auto-remove flagged addresses
- ✓ISP proxies from $6/IP with unlimited bandwidth
What We Don’t Like
- ✕Free trial availability is inconsistent — check before buying
- ✕Smaller brand and track record than the top three
- ✕Fewer enterprise tools and account management
Pricing Plans
| Pricing Plans | Residential from ~$0.70/GB • ISP proxies from $6/IP (unlimited bandwidth) |
| Free Option | Trial availability varies — confirm with support |
| Residential IPs | 80M+ IPs |
| Countries | 195+ countries |
| Traffic Expiry | Never expires |
| Uptime | 99.89% |
| Support | 24/7 Support |
Check Current Trial Offer
5) Thordata
Best Budget Network with Built-In Scraping APIs
Thordata offers a 1 GB residential free trial and some of the lowest per-GB rates around, with a pool of 60M+ residential IPs spanning 195+ locations. Pay-as-you-go means no monthly minimum, so entry costs stay low even for irregular workloads.
Residential rates run roughly $0.65 to $3.50 per GB, and a promotional discount running through 2026 brings the effective starting price to around $1.05/GB — cheaper than most established providers.
What sets Thordata apart at this price is the tooling: a SERP API, Web Scraper, and Web Unlocker are bundled in, handling JavaScript rendering and anti-bot systems so you do not have to build that layer yourself.
It is not the fastest network on this list, but for the money the success rates hold up well on everyday scraping targets.
Why Thordata?
Thordata’s 1 GB free trial, ~$1.05/GB pricing, and bundled SERP and Web Unlocker APIs make it the best budget option for scrapers who want tooling included rather than bolted on.
What We Like
- ✓1 GB residential free trial available
- ✓Very low per-GB pricing (from ~$1.05/GB with promo)
- ✓Pay-as-you-go with no monthly minimum
- ✓SERP API, Web Scraper, and Web Unlocker included
What We Don’t Like
- ✕Free trial must be unlocked by contacting support
- ✕Smaller pool (60M+) than the leading networks
- ✕Not the fastest network under heavy load
Pricing Plans
| Pricing Plans | Residential $0.65–$3.50/GB • from ~$1.05/GB with current promo |
| Free Option | 1 GB residential free trial (via support) |
| Residential IPs | 60M+ IPs |
| Countries | 195+ locations |
| Billing | Pay-as-you-go, no monthly minimum |
| Extra Tools | SERP API, Web Scraper, Web Unlocker |
| Support | 24/7 Support |
1 GB Free Trial
6) Floppydata
Cheapest Datacenter and All-in-One Proxy Types
Floppydata is one of the cheapest providers going: $1/GB for residential and mobile, and just $0.60/GB for datacenter proxies, all from a single dashboard. Its pool covers 65M+ residential IPs across 195+ countries with HTTP, HTTPS, and SOCKS5 support.
Every proxy type — residential, mobile, datacenter, and ISP (from $5/IP) — is managed in one place, so you can pick lower cost, higher speed, rotating IPs, or stable static sessions depending on the task.
Automatic IP rotation and sticky sessions are both supported, and bundles are refreshingly simple: 20 GB for $20, 48 GB for $48, and so on with no confusing tiers.
There is no free trial, but the low entry point — from 2 GB of traffic or a single IP — means you can test the network for a couple of dollars.
Why Floppydata?
Floppydata’s $0.60/GB datacenter rate, $1/GB residential, and all proxy types in one dashboard make it the cheapest way to get working proxies once you have outgrown free lists.
What We Like
- ✓Among the cheapest rates: $1/GB residential, $0.60/GB datacenter
- ✓All proxy types (residential, mobile, datacenter, ISP) in one dashboard
- ✓HTTP, HTTPS, and SOCKS5 with rotating and sticky sessions
- ✓Very low entry — buy from 2 GB or a single IP
What We Don’t Like
- ✕No free trial offered
- ✕Newer provider (live since 2024) with a short public track record
- ✕Limited independent community feedback compared to established names
Pricing Plans
| Pricing Plans | Residential & mobile $1/GB • Datacenter $0.60/GB • ISP $5/IP • Bundles from 20GB/$20 |
| Free Option | No free trial — low-cost entry from 2 GB or 1 IP |
| Residential IPs | 65M+ IPs |
| Countries | 195+ countries |
| Protocols | HTTP, HTTPS & SOCKS5 |
| Sessions | Rotating & sticky |
| Support | 24/7 Support |
Start From $1/GB
What Is a Free Proxy Server List and How Does It Work?
A free proxy server list is a public directory of IP addresses and ports — usually scraped from open servers — that anyone can route traffic through at no cost. You copy an entry into your browser, scraper, or proxy settings, and your requests appear to come from that IP instead of your own.
The catch is who runs those servers. Nobody funds bandwidth for free, so public list entries are typically misconfigured servers, short-lived test boxes, or deliberately operated nodes harvesting whatever passes through them. Most die within hours, which is why lists advertise constant “updates.”
Free Proxy Lists vs a Provider’s Free Plan
These are completely different things, and confusing them is the most common mistake:
- Free proxy list: Anonymous public IPs, no accountability, no uptime, no support. Free because nobody is paying — often because your data is the payment.
- Provider free plan: A real company gives you a limited slice of its paid network (e.g. Webshare‘s 10 proxies and 1 GB a month). You get authentication, uptime, support, and a business with a reputation to protect.
For anything beyond idle curiosity, a provider free plan or trial beats a public list every time.
Proxy Anonymity Levels: Transparent, Anonymous, and Elite
Free proxy lists label entries by anonymity level, and it matters more than the speed column:
- Transparent: Forwards your real IP in the request headers. Useless for privacy — the target site sees exactly who you are.
- Anonymous: Hides your IP but still identifies itself as a proxy, so sites can and do block it.
- Elite (high anonymity): Hides your IP and does not advertise itself as a proxy. This is the only level worth using, and it is the rarest on free lists.
Proxy Types: Datacenter, Residential, ISP, and Mobile
Each type trades cost, speed, and stealth differently:
- Datacenter: Server IPs. Fastest and cheapest (from $0.60/GB), but easiest for anti-bot systems to detect.
- Residential: Real home IPs. The best balance of stealth and coverage for scraping and account work.
- ISP (static residential): Home IPs hosted in datacenters — residential trust with datacenter speed and a fixed address.
- Mobile (4G/5G): Real carrier IPs shared by many users. Hardest to block, most expensive per GB.
How to Test a Free Proxy for Speed, Uptime, and Leaks
Never trust a list entry without checking it first:
Step 1) Run the IP through a proxy checker to confirm it is alive and to see its real anonymity level.
Step 2) Load an IP-lookup site through the proxy and confirm it shows the proxy IP, not yours.
Step 3) Run a DNS leak test — many free proxies route DNS outside the tunnel, exposing your real location.
Step 4) Time a few requests to your actual target. A proxy that resolves in 5+ seconds is not usable at any price.
Step 5) Re-check periodically. Free entries die constantly, so build automatic health checks that drop dead IPs from rotation.
HTTP, HTTPS, and SOCKS5: Which Protocol to Use
Free lists mix protocols, and the wrong one will silently leak or fail:
- HTTP: Web traffic only, and unencrypted between you and the proxy. Avoid for anything sensitive.
- HTTPS: Web traffic with an encrypted tunnel to the destination. The minimum you should accept for browsing.
- SOCKS5: Protocol-agnostic, handles any traffic type, better with firewalls and heavy concurrency. Preferred for scraping and tooling.
The Real Risks of Public Free Proxy Lists
Public proxies carry concrete risks a paid free tier does not:
- Traffic logging and resale: Unknown operators can record everything unencrypted that passes through.
- Credential theft: Logins sent over plain HTTP through a hostile proxy are trivially captured.
- Ad and script injection: Some free proxies rewrite pages to insert ads or malicious scripts.
- Already blacklisted: Public IPs are hammered by thousands of users, so most are pre-blocked on any target worth scraping.
- Your device as an exit node: Some “free proxy” apps quietly resell your bandwidth to strangers.
Never send logins, payments, or personal data through a proxy from a public list.
How to Set Up a Free Proxy
Getting started takes only a few minutes:
Step 1) Create an account with a provider that has a real free plan, such as Webshare.
Step 2) In the dashboard, pick your proxy type (rotating or sticky) and location, then copy the endpoint, port, username, and password — or download the proxy list.
Step 3) Paste the credentials into your browser’s proxy settings, your scraper, or your automation tool.
Step 4) Load an IP checker to confirm the proxy IP and location are correct, and run a DNS leak test before you scale up.
Feature Comparison Table
| Feature | Webshare | Oxylabs | Decodo | Swiftproxy |
| Best For | Genuinely free | Large-scale scraping | Value / beginners | Cheap, non-expiring |
| Free Option | Free forever tier | Free trial | 3-day trial | Varies |
| Proxy IPs | 80M+ | 175M+ | 115M+ | 80M+ |
| Countries | 195+ | 195 | 195+ | 195+ |
| Targeting | Country / city | City / ZIP / ASN | City / ZIP / ASN | Country / city |
| Starting Price | Free / $3.50/GB | ~$4/GB | $2/GB | ~$0.70/GB |
| Traffic Expiry | Monthly reset | Plan-based | Plan-based | Never expires |
How Did We Choose the Best Free Proxy Servers?
Our dedication to credibility is unwavering. We spent over 120 hours testing 35+ proxy providers and public free proxy lists against real browsing and scraping targets, measuring how many IPs were alive, what anonymity level they truly delivered, and how quickly they got blocked. We documented every provider’s key features and unbiased pros and cons. Explore our editorial policy.
- A genuine free option: We prioritized providers with a real free tier or trial, not a marketing gimmick.
- Live, unblocked IPs: We measured how many addresses actually worked on real targets.
- Anonymity level: Only elite-grade, non-leaking proxies made the list.
- Protocol support: We rewarded HTTPS and SOCKS5 support over plain HTTP.
- Value after free: We compared price per GB, traffic expiry, and rollover once you scale.
Verdict
Public free proxy lists are not worth the risk. If you want proxies at little or no cost, these three are the ones to use: