Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced proxy user, you may wonder how ISP and residential proxies compare. Even though they both hide your original IP address, there have quite a few differences you need to be aware of.
Before we discuss their strengths, weaknesses, and usages, let’s get one thing straight - ISP proxies are also known as static residential proxies because of their static nature. So no matter what name you prefer, they are the same type of proxy.
Without further ado, here are the most important things you should know about ISP and residential proxies so you can decide which of them is a better option for your needs.
Making a Difference Between ISP Proxies and Residential Proxies
To be able to make a difference between these two types of proxies, you first need to know what each of them is, how it works, and what you can use them for. By understanding ISP proxies and residential proxies separately, you can compare them and understand when to choose one over another.
So, let’s start with ISP proxies.
What Are ISP Proxies?
Static residential or ISP proxies come from internet service providers, which host them on servers in data centers. We consider them a combination of residential and datacenter proxies , where developers have taken the qualities of both types of proxies to create a new superior one.
More precisely, ISP proxies are a datacenter IP address with an ASN number connected to internet service providers. Although datacenter server host them instead of real people’s devices, target servers still “see” them as authentic residential proxies.
In other words, think of them as disguised datacenter proxies that provide the speeds of datacenter IPs and the anonymity of residential ones.
Advantages and Disadvantages of ISP Proxies
Let’s start by discussing the qualities of ISP proxies. Since internet service providers assign these proxies, they offer higher anonymity and more legitimacy than other types of proxies. They usually come with unlimited bandwidth, bulk IPs, and excellent rotation options, although it depends on the provider and the pricing model you choose.
ISP proxies tend to be stable, fast, and available on demand because they don’t depend on unreliable end-user connections.
However, these proxies are not without weaknesses. They usually have limited location coverage as they rely on data centers, so don’t expect ISP proxies in smaller countries or regions. Also, ISP proxies usually have low subnet diversity and small internet service providers on board, so it’s easy to blacklist them if not refreshed.
Use Cases of ISP Proxies
Due to their static nature, ISP proxies are ideal for activities that require a consistent identity. They are also great for traffic-intensive online tasks because they usually come with unlimited bandwidth.
The most common use cases for these proxies include large-scale scraping projects that are prone to scraper blocking and IP bans, bypassing geo-restrictions, ad verification, social media monitoring, SEO monitoring, large purchases of limited-edition items, etc.
What Are Residential Proxies?
Residential proxies are proxy servers that use rotating IP addresses from real residential internet users supplied by internet service providers. The IPs are tied to their real, physical devices, whether desktop computers, laptops, tablets, or mobile phones on Wi-Fi. They rotate for each request you make or allow you to make sticky sessions, giving you extra protection from blocks and bans as you constantly change your IP.
In other words, they work by routing your requests through multiple real, local user devices. Although this makes them look authentic and nearly impossible to detect and block, it also means slower data retrieval times.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Residential Proxies
The most important advantage of using a residential proxy is that it helps you to mask yourself as a regular local internet user. This makes it highly anonymous and extremely difficult to block.
Most residential proxy providers have large networks consisting of thousands or millions of residential IP addresses. They usually cover locations worldwide, so you’ll hardly get the same IP address twice. Since these IPs rarely share the same subnet , you don’t have to worry about your target blocking a bunch of IPs at once.
Like any other proxy type, residential proxies have specific weaknesses you need to be aware of. They can have slow speeds and unstable connections as they rely on the internet quality of end users, who can disconnect whenever they want.
Use Cases of Residential Proxies
Most providers cover more geo-locations with their residential proxies than other proxy types, so they are great for location-sensitive tasks like ad verification. They will help you bypass geo-restrictions and view localized content from anywhere.
The IP diversity makes them perfect for collecting large amounts of data or identity-sensitive public data without triggering any security alarms. If you’re a business user, residential proxies can help you perform web scraping tasks safely and efficiently. Analyzing the market can offer valuable insights for product development, marketing optimization, brand protection, and more.
You can use them for any website with strict protection measures. These include sneaker stores, social media networks, pricing aggregators, etc.
Comparing ISP Proxies With Residential Proxies
ISP proxies are static residential proxies, whereas residential proxies are rotating. This is why ISP proxies are ideal for websites that require strict control over the IPs or consistent identity. On the other hand, residential proxies work significantly better for activities that require high IP diversity.
ISP proxies are sourced from servers in data centers , while residential ones come from real people’s devices. This makes residential proxies more anonymous than ISP proxies.
Residential proxies cover more locations than ISP proxies, so they are great for use cases that need precise location targeting. In terms of stability and speed, ISP proxies are the clear winner. That’s because they are hosted on servers at data centers and don’t rely on end-users’ connections.
When it comes to pricing, both types of proxies are expensive, but residential ones are usually the more affordable option.
Final Words
Both ISP proxies and residential proxies hide your IP address, but they have different strengths, weaknesses, and use cases. That’s why they provide a different degree of anonymity, stability, security, and speed. After figuring out which is a better option for you, the next step is finding a reliable provider.
Choosing a good proxy provider that offers reliable ISP or residential proxies can make or break your proxy experience. IPRoyal is a premium proxy provider with its own global pool of ethically-sourced residential IPs and ISP proxies. We offer premium services at great prices and bulk discounts. On top of that, our support is available 24/7 and always ready to help. All this makes us the number one choice for many proxy users worldwide!
