The Real Costs of Free Proxies

We all love free stuff. It’s tempting to use free proxies when you want to complete a quick task. But they can end up costing you time and put your security in danger. Let’s dive into the five risks you face with free proxies.

Free proxies at first glance

Undoubtedly, a free proxy is the money-saving choice. They complete the basic functions you would expect from a proxy, meaning your IP address is masked with another. The proxy will be that middleman between you and the internet when you want to be (somewhat) anonymous.

Free proxy lists are easy to find and available to just about anyone. They’re convenient for simple tasks like accessing certain content for a short period.

What are the real costs of free proxies?

1. Blocks galore. Don’t be fooled by the long list of free IP addresses, most of these are dead or blocked. It can get time-consuming and frustrating to sift through them all, only to find a small percentage that works.
2. Slow speeds. When you’re on a crowded server, speed isn’t on your side. The advertisements that pop up only inhibit its connection.
3. Not encrypted enough. Prevent a data breach by opting out from free proxies. It’s just not worth risking a suspicious third party stealing your sensitive information. And stay away from free proxies when you’re doing work for your business.
4. Crashes waiting to happen. If you need to meet a deadline for a project, free proxies are not the ones to count on. They easily crash due to the multitude of people and the subnet bans that come with it.
5. No team to have your back. When you use free proxies, you’re sharing with strangers without the trust of a provider. If you stumble upon malicious activity or any sorts of issues, a customer support team isn’t there to help.

How paid proxies compare

When you pay a little extra for proxies, you’re ultimately paying for its quality service. You’re no longer restricted by IPs that just don’t work. They are perfect for scaling your business, collecting data, unblocking content, protecting your brand, and more. A trusty provider like Proxyverse makes it easy for you to stay anonymous without the hassles of a free proxy.

Paid proxies address the issues you face with free proxies like:

1. A pool of working IPs. If you use rotating proxies, the IP address changes for all your concurrent requests. You don’t have to worry if the IP address works and spend less time perusing through a proxy list. Even if you pay for a static proxy, it will still be more reliable than a free proxy.
2. Faster bandwidth. When you don’t have to deal with an overloaded server, you don’t have to deal with downtime either. You can complete more projects in less time without all the pop-ups!
3. Sense of security. Paid proxies place higher security measures to prevent malware, data leaks, and any outside threats. The IP addresses are selected carefully for both business and personal use. In fact, many companies use proxies to protect their brand and means of communication.
4. Tried and true. A reliable proxy server has the infrastructure to handle multiple users while maintaining 99 percent uptime. And when you pay for residential proxies, you’re using IPs that link to real devices. It instantly makes it more dependable as you appear as an authentic online user. You become nearly impossible to find and block.
5. Supportive team. Whether you have a question, run into technical issues, or just new to using proxies, reliable proxy providers have a team to help you 24/7. And who doesn’t like an extra hand from time to time?

How much are proxies?

At Proxyverse (and many other providers), packages depend on the number of gigabytes (GB) you purchase. Plus, the more GB you buy, the more you save. For example, 5 GB cost $10 per GB while 250 GB cost $5 per GB. You can choose 5 to 250 GB and everything in between.

If you’re ready to level up your proxy game, feel free to reach us at contact@proxyverse.io or message us on our Proxyverse website.

Written by,

Joshika Andersson
Proxyverse.io