Whether you are engaged in sensitive web browsing, trying to access geo-restricted video streaming services, or looking to maintain privacy for your business activities, consider the benefits of using SOCKS5 proxy servers. The best SOCKS5 proxies offer a blend of versatility and performance, making them desirable for a myriad of online tasks, from P2P file sharing to competitive intelligence.
Quick Benefits List
Here’s a deeper look at why SOCKS5 proxy servers are indispensable for a secure and unrestricted online experience:
- Hide your IP address: This can be crucial for businesses that rely on confidentiality and wish to keep their activities under the radar.
- Use streaming websites blocked in your location: If you’re facing geo-restrictions, SOCKS5 proxy servers facilitate access to content that may otherwise be inaccessible, enabling uninterrupted video streaming.
- Download torrents without fear of repercussions: SOCKS5 supports enhanced privacy measures, making it ideal for safely transferring files while minimizing the risk of detection.
- Bypass firewalls: Whether it’s restrictive networks or government-imposed blocks, these proxies offer a way to access content freely.
- Bypass IP blacklisting: They provide fresh IPs that can navigate around the limitations and enhance your web browsing experience or maintain customer retention by ensuring reliable access.
- Use both the TCP and UDP protocols. SOCKS5 supports both TCP connections for reliable transmission and UDP connections for faster streams, giving you the versatility to adapt to different network requirements.
- Improved performance and fewer errors come at the cost of a little privacy (the SOCKS5 servers do not rewrite data packet headers, which contain your personal information)
- Faster download speeds. This speed benefit becomes especially noticeable in activities like video streaming and P2P sharing, where a fast connection is crucial for a smooth experience.
While SOCKS5 proxies don’t encrypt connections like VPNs, they offer faster internet speeds and are generally more cost-effective. So, using a proxy is still a step in the right direction.
Understanding the distinctions between SOCKS5 and HTTP proxies is important. While HTTP is tailored for web browsing, SOCKS5 is more versatile, supporting not just HTTP but also FTP, SMTP, and more. However, most of the top-notch proxies today are based on SOCKS5 due to its broader application compatibility and efficiency.
With this in mind, I’ll give you a list of the 5 best overall proxies (all 5 support both SOCKS5 and HTTP) to guide you to a more private online experience!
5. SOAX
SOAX provides residential and mobile SOCKS5 proxies in over 100 countries, with ISP proxies only available in the US.
All of their plans include API access, unlimited concurrent sessions, sticky sessions, automatic proxy potation, and flexible rotation settings.
Their prices start at $99 for a Residential 15 plan (15GB traffic, $6.6 per GB of traffic) and go up to $10,999 for a Residential 5,000 plan (5,000GB traffic, $2.2 per GB of traffic).
SOAX offers 24/7 live-chat customer support and a 3-day trial for $1.99, so you can try it out without too much of an initial investment.
Pros:
- 3-day trial available at $1.99
- Custom rotation settings (from 90s to 600s)
- Medium-sized pool of over 100 countries for residential and mobile addresses
- Limited API access
- Easy-to-use and user-friendly interface
Cons:
- Limited number of ports
- No option to pay flexibly
- Pretty expensive
- Obligatory whitelisting on all its products
One of the best things about SOAX is that its proxies are very flexible and come with all the necessary features, regardless of the package you buy.
However, it does have several downsides that most privacy aficionados might not enjoy, such as the obligatory IP whitelisting and the limited number of ports.
The lack of a pay-as-you-go pricing plan is also a significant downside for most individual clients.
The 3-day trial at $1.99 is a welcome addition in case you want to test the waters and see if SOAX is for you.
4. Bright Data
Bright Data has one of the largest proxy pools in the industry, offering residential, mobile, datacenter, and ISP proxies with SOCKS5 options across all plans.
Their services have a good success rate and response time, and all proxies come with multiple features and customization options that might interest you.
The pricing is highly flexible, too, with residential micro-packages starting at $6.30/GB and no-commitment pay-as-you-go packages starting at $10.50/GB.
They also offer API access, a browser extension, a proxy manager, and 24/7 customer support through live chat and tickets.
Pros:
- 7-day free trial for businesses, with a 3-day refund for individuals
- Very flexible pricing, with pay-as-you-go options
- CCPA and GDPR compliance
- More than 350 million residential proxy IPs
- Proxy manager and a browser extension
- Extensive documentation
Cons:
- Very expensive
- Best suited for businesses
- Strict KYC procedure in place
Bright Data is one of the better SOCKS5 proxies on the market, but it’s prohibitively expensive for individuals.
While it does provide an ample range of features and the second-largest proxy pool on the market, many people might simply not be able to afford it.
Businesses, on the other hand, should find Bright Data to be a great SOCKS5 proxy service!
It’s great that it does offer a 7-day free trial with a 3-day refund for individuals, so you can test it comprehensively before making a decision.
Flexible pricing packages with pay-as-you-go options are also a step in the right direction in terms of accessibility and affordability.
3. Oxylabs
Oxylabs is one of the best SOCKS5 proxies on the market, with dedicated ISP and data center proxies that work flawlessly.
The company also provides an API for proxy management, a browser extension, and 24/7 top-tier customer support via live chat or email.
While their proxies don’t rotate by default, you will be able to use their proprietary tool to set up the rotation options to your liking.
Pros:
- Dedicated ISP and data center proxies
- 7-day free trial for businesses, with a 3-day refund for individuals
- 24/7 live chat or email support, with a dedicated account manager
- 188 locations around the world
- Over 100,000 ISP proxy addresses across Western Europe and the US
- Pay-as-you-go pricing options start at $10
Cons:
- One of the most expensive SOCKS5 proxy services
- Proxies don’t rotate by default
- Most suitable for businesses due to its pricing
- No self-service
Oxylabs is one of the few premium SOCKS5 proxies, but this comes with a harsh reality: its prices are more than a little spicy.
Datacenter proxies start at $180 for 100 IPs, while ISP proxies start at $340 for 20GB ($17/GB). Clearly, Oxylabs is mainly focused on its enterprise clients, who can stomach the pricing just fine.
They do provide a 3-day refund for individuals, a browser extension, top-tier customer support, and a dedicated account manager.
Oxylabs proxies are also very fast, performant, and easily scalable. This allows the company to constantly improve its services.
All in all, Oxylabs is more than worth it for companies that need more privacy online, and its proxies have one of the best success rates in the industry!
2. Webshare
Webshare has one of the largest proxy pools spread across 195 countries, and, even though it’s a newcomer in the proxy market, it has impressed its users.
It offers some of the most robust data center and ISP proxies, with great-quality residential proxies and customized rotation options.
Webshare also lets you personalize almost every aspect of your plan, from the number of proxies to their location, network priority, traffic load, and more.
Each of these features comes with a pricing tag attached, though, so you’ll have to think things through before making a decision.
Pros:
- Free-plan with 10 shared addresses
- Shared and dedicated datacenter and residential proxies
- Accessible pricing starting at $7 for 1GB on residential plans and $1/IP for datacenter plans)
- Highly customizable experience
- Strong proxy infrastructure
Cons:
- No live chat customer support
- Customer support is not available on weekends
- Most extra features come with a price attached
Webshare is the second-best SOCKS5 proxy on this list, and it’s clear to see why. With 195 countries to choose from, shared and dedicated proxies, and all that customization, it’s a great privacy option.
It’s also the only proxy on this list that offers a free plan, which is a great benefit for people who can’t afford the paid plans.
Its customer support is inferior to most other proxies, though, and it’s quite expensive as well. A tough choice!
1. KocerRoxy
KocerRoxy is the best SOCKS5 proxy you can find, both for enterprise and individual use. Their servers have 99.99% uptime, they’re very affordable, and their customer support is premium by any industry standard.
Main Features:
- Unlimited bandwidth for datacenters
- Rotation for each request
- Over 15,000 proxies that support HTTP and SOCKS5
- Over 11 million IPs for residential proxies
- Residential plans start at $5/GB and datacenter plans start at $4 per day
- Instant setup
- IP authorization
- Interactive dashboard for more convenience
- 24/7 live-chat customer service
- Affordable pricing
KocerRoxy provides best-in-class SOCKS5 proxies, quick and effective customer support, and the most flexible privacy features on the market.
This customer-centric approach has earned them much trust among their clients, both enterprises and individuals, putting KocerRoxy in the spotlight as one of the best SOCKS5 proxies in the world.
IP authentication and rotation for every request provide you with unmatched privacy, while the unlimited bandwidth will ensure top performance and reliability for long-term use.
The pricing plans are straightforward, but you can customize your own plans depending on the number of threads or bandwidth you need and the subscription period.
FAQs
1. What are real IP address examples?
Real IP addresses are unique numerical labels assigned to devices connected to a network, allowing them to communicate with each other over the internet. Here are examples of real IP addresses:
- IPv4 Address: An IPv4 address consists of four sets of numbers separated by periods. Each set can range from 0 to 255. For example:
- 192.168.1.1
- 172.16.254.1
- 10.0.0.1
- IPv6 Address: An IPv6 address is longer and uses hexadecimal digits and colons to separate segments. It consists of eight groups of four hexadecimal digits. For example:
- 2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:0370:7334
- 2001:db8::1
- fe80::1
2. What does a socks proxy do?
A SOCKS proxy acts as an intermediary server that facilitates communication between a client device, such as a computer or smartphone, and the internet. Here’s what a SOCKS proxy does:
- Anonymizes Your Internet Traffic: When you connect to the internet through a SOCKS proxy, the proxy server acts as a middleman between you and the websites or services you’re accessing. It masks your real IP address, replacing it with the IP address of the proxy server. This helps to anonymize your internet traffic and enhances your online privacy.
- Bypasses Geographic Restrictions: SOCKS proxies can be located in different geographic locations. By connecting through a SOCKS proxy server located in a different region, you can bypass geographic restrictions imposed by websites or services. This allows you to access content that may be restricted or blocked in your current location.
- Enhances Security: SOCKS proxies can provide an additional layer of security for your internet connection. It can help prevent hackers or other malicious actors from intercepting your data by routing your traffic through a proxy server, especially when using public Wi-Fi networks.
- Supports Various Internet Protocols: Unlike HTTP proxies, which are primarily designed for web browsing, SOCKS proxies are more versatile and support a wide range of internet protocols, including TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) and UDP (User Datagram Protocol). This makes SOCKS proxies suitable for various online activities, including web browsing, file sharing, and online gaming.
- Improves Performance: In some cases, using a SOCKS proxy can improve internet performance, especially when accessing content or services that may be geographically distant from your location. By connecting through a proxy server closer to the target server, you can reduce latency and improve download speeds.
3. Is SOCKS better than VPN?
Whether SOCKS or VPN is better depends on your specific needs and preferences, as each has its advantages and limitations. Here’s a comparison:
- Anonymity and Privacy: VPNs generally offer stronger encryption and tunneling protocols, which provide a higher level of anonymity and privacy compared to SOCKS proxies. VPNs encrypt all your internet traffic, whereas SOCKS proxies only encrypt the data packets that are transmitted through them.
- Versatility: SOCKS proxies are more versatile than VPNs in terms of supported protocols. SOCKS proxies can handle various internet protocols, including TCP, UDP, and others, making them suitable for a wide range of online activities beyond web browsing. VPNs, while versatile, are primarily designed for encrypting internet traffic.
- Ease of Use: VPNs are often easier to set up and use compared to SOCKS proxies, which may require manual configuration in some cases. VPNs typically offer user-friendly apps for various devices, while SOCKS proxies may require configuring proxy settings at the application level.
- Speed: In general, SOCKS proxies tend to offer faster speeds compared to VPNs, especially when it comes to activities like online gaming or streaming media. Since SOCKS proxies don’t encrypt all internet traffic like VPNs do, they may have lower latency and faster connection speeds.
- Security: VPNs provide a higher level of security compared to SOCKS proxies, thanks to their encryption and tunneling protocols. VPNs encrypt all your internet traffic, protecting it from interception by hackers or surveillance by ISPs. SOCKS proxies, while they can enhance security, don’t provide the same level of encryption for all internet traffic.
Get KocerRoxy Now!
For those seeking to maximize their online privacy and performance, considering a service like KocerRoxy might be beneficial. With a promise of “Fast, Cheap, and Reliable,” KocerRoxy offers SOCKS5 proxy servers that are suited for both enterprise and individual use. Their pools of over 11 million IPs ensure high availability and diversity for all your browsing needs.
Remember that, while free proxies are available, they often come with significant risks and limitations. Investing in reputable proxy services like those above provides a safer and more reliable solution for businesses and individuals who prioritize privacy and want to avoid the potential fallbacks of unsecured connections.
Kocerroxy’s competitive price packages, flexible features, and customizable plans speak volumes about the quality of their SOCKS5 proxy services.
With 99.99% uptime, the US-EU servers will serve both enterprise and individual customers perfectly.
For uninterrupted connections and expert guidance on authentication methods, internet protocols, and proxy types, trust KocerRoxy, your gateway to enhanced online privacy and performance.
Online privacy is no longer impossible to achieve once you get KocerRoxy, one of the best SOCKS5 proxies on the market!
