Should I use a rotating residential proxy or a free proxy list? You have probably asked yourself this question when needing to change your IP address.
The internet is an ever-evolving entity, constantly adapting and growing in complexity. With this evolution comes a myriad of challenges, particularly in the realm of geo-restrictions, privacy, and security.
Both ordinary users and businesses face the daunting task of protecting their online presence from malicious actors, data breaches, and privacy invasions. At the same time, you may need to overcome some online issues imposed by the strict policies of different platforms and websites. The simplest example is that you cannot create and stay logged in to multiple accounts on popular social media websites. You cannot access Netflix when outside the US, etc.
On a deeper level, you will undoubtedly encounter more severe problems in the long term. Raw data and statistics about the dangers online speak about it. For example, 115 cybersecurity statistics + trends to know in 2024. We came across this article by Clare Stouffer and have looked at it occasionally ever since. It collected a bundle of statistics, some old and some new, but some data was quite astounding:
More Than Half of Consumers Have Experienced Cybercrime, With Around 1 in 3 Falling Victim in the Past 12 Months Alone. The most common problems are malicious software and unauthorized access to e-mail and social media accounts (Norton Cyber Safety Insights Report Global Results).
Around 1 in 5 Consumers Fell Victim to a Scam in the Past 12 Months (Norton Cyber Safety Insights Report Global Results).
In this dynamic landscape, the use of proxies, especially rotating residential proxies, has become a topic of discussion.
What Are Rotating Residential Proxies and the Concept of IP Rotation?
Rotating residential proxies are intermediary services that provide you with an IP address issued by an internet service provider (ISP). These types of proxies differ from data center ones (generated from data centers) and excel in reliability. Residential proxies are tied to a physical location and offer higher legitimacy and trust. This is very beneficial when you are performing tasks that require a non-static IP address.
IP rotation refers to changing the user’s IP address at regular intervals, thereby reducing the risk of detection, and banning by websites that track user activity. Using IP rotation, you can send many requests and mimic the behavior of real users. Thus, you can bypass anti-scraping measures and get the data you need.
Pros and Cons of Rotating Residential Proxies
There are numerous advantages to using rotating residential proxies. Residential proxies:
- Provide a high level of anonymity
- Reduce the likelihood of IP blacklisting
- Allow for the scraping of data without raising red flags.
- Mimic organic user behavior more accurately and a human-like interaction pattern.
On the other hand, there are also downsides to consider:
- Rotating residential proxies can be more expensive than their static counterparts due to the infrastructure required to maintain a pool of residential IPs.
- Rotating residential proxies may also present ethical concerns, as some proxy providers may acquire IPs without the consent of the IP owners.
Everyday Use Cases of Residential Proxies
Residential proxies are commonly used in scenarios where trust and legitimacy are paramount. This includes web scraping for data analysis, managing multiple social media accounts without triggering fraud detection algorithms, and conducting ad verification to ensure that ads appear as intended across different regions.
The abovementioned are a few possible scenarios in which you could apply this tool.
The Alternative: Free proxy lists
Of course, you can try out a service you do not have to pay any fees for. However, be cautious. You should know you will probably encounter one or more of the below issues:
Security Risks: As they can be set up by practically everyone, including malicious actors, you risk injecting malware into your system a lot.
Unreliable Performance: On most occasions, free proxies are “congested,” i.e., overused. This results in slow connection speed and inconsistent connection.
Limited Availability: Again, frequent connection failures and disruptions will be your companions during your browsing experience with free proxy lists.
Lack of Support: There is no need for further explanation here.
No Privacy Guarantee: you and an indefinitely large number of users might be using the same proxy, so be ready to share your personal information with them.
Legal issues: The issue here is not of moral or ethical standards but of a legal nature, as some free proxies may be hosted in countries with lax or non-existent privacy laws.
Overall Assessment of Rotating Residential Proxies
Rotating residential proxies are still very valuable in the internet environment. They answer some of the most urgent problems: geo-restrictions, bans, online security, and anonymity. They are more expensive, but their dependability and credibility make them superior to other proxies.
Suppose you strive to maintain your competitive edge in the digital realm. In that case, rotating residential proxies remain a valuable investment due to their ability to offer safe, authentic, and lively online interactions. Choose your residential proxy supplier wisely and guarantee your optimal online performance.
