Residential proxies and ISP proxies are similar. So much so that people get confused, and some refer to ISP proxies as static residential proxies. The latter claim isn’t 100% accurate and only serves to cause more confusion. Not to worry, though. In this article, we will explain both proxy types, compare them to dispel any myths and seek to convince you that you should get both from Proxy Cheap. Read on and thank us later. 

What are ISP Proxies?

ISP (Internet Service Provider) proxies are a proxy type that combines features of datacenter proxies with those of residential proxies. Specifically, they use IP addresses assigned by internet service providers. However, these IP addresses are hosted by high-performance servers similar to that of server farms and data centers. As a result, they possess the high anonymity of residential proxies but with the speed and reliability of a datacenter proxy. In some ways, they are datacenter proxies masquerading as residential proxies.

Pros

• High anonymity. ISP proxies utilize IP addresses assigned by Internet service providers, thus helping them appear legitimate to websites. Their ISP origin makes websites see them as belonging to actual users in residential areas even if they do not.
• Speed and Performance. Traditional residential proxies have inconsistent speeds and performance due to variations in congestion and the quality of ISPs. However, ISP proxies don’t have the same problem due to their servers. 
• Reliability. Just like with speed, ISP proxies are also very reliable. Their efficient setup means their users suffer limited interruptions and downtimes.
• Relatively lower detection rates. The major problem with datacenter proxies is the ease with which they can be detected. This is so because of the association of blocks of IP addresses with data centers. ISP proxies don’t have the same issue because their IP addresses come from internet service providers but are only hosted from data centers.
• Versatility. Thanks to their combination of features from both residential and datacenter proxies, they are more versatile than either proxy type.

Cons

• • Limited availability. The unique setup of ISP proxies means there are not many available. Ironically, this seemingly limited availability is also due to proxy vendors classifying ISP proxies as residential proxies because they are more reputable and sometimes more expensive. 

• Cost. Though ISP proxies are not always more expensive than residential proxies, they are significantly more expensive than datacenter proxies. Given that they are disguised datacenter proxies, the jump in cost is too steep for many.

• Potential regulatory issues. Depending on location, there might be compliance issues when ISP proxies are used in business or sensitive tasks.

Will be Ideal for:

Give details about who/what type of companies might need this.

1. E-commerce businesses, including online retailers and stores will benefit from the anonymity of residential proxies and the real-time speed and consistency of a data center setup.
2. Digital marketing agencies and professionals who appreciate the reach and anonymity of residential proxies in creating and managing multiple social media accounts where necessary.
3. Cybersecurity firms and experts who require datacenter proxies for their consistency and speed when conducting tests and assessments, also need to hide their identity during said exercises.
4. Media and content providers looking to test their mechanisms of enforcing restrictions or to ensure content delivery occurs without hiccups.
5. Data aggregation firms and researchers who need to collect large amounts of data efficiently cannot risk using datacenter proxies because of IP bans.

Example Use Cases

Accessing otherwise unavailable content and sites

This is an especially important use of proxies in sneaker botting, accessing regional gaming releases, and expanding streaming content available for entertainment. ISP proxies provide the anonymity and speed necessary for those tasks.

Data-intensive scraping

The inconsistency of residential proxies might not make much of a difference when collecting small amounts of data. However, heavy data collection exercises will benefit from the added speed of ISP proxies without sacrificing anonymity.

Social media management

ISP proxies are good for creating and managing multiple social accounts. They are anonymous enough not to call attention to the use of bots by marketers. Additionally, they are consistent and fast enough to facilitate efficient scraping of social media data. 

What are Residential Proxies?

Residential proxies are a proxy type that uses IP addresses obtained from ISPs and assigned to residential areas. These IP addresses are, thus, associated by websites with the physical location of actual users. As a result, they confer more legitimate anonymity than most proxy types and are difficult to detect.

Pros

• High anonymity. Residential proxies provide their users with elite anonymity thanks to the nature of their IP addresses. They make it difficult for websites and web applications to differentiate the user from actual residents connecting from the same area. 
• Legitimacy. A by-product of the nature of their IP address is also legitimacy. Due to this, they run less risk of flagging or banning from websites.
• Geo-targeting. Residential proxies can be sourced ethically from any region, country, or location of the world. Consequently, a vendor with a wide enough reach can offer country, state, and even city-specific targeting and wide coverage.

Cons

• Cost. Residential proxies are generally more expensive than most proxy types because of the difficulty in sourcing for and maintaining them. It doesn’t help that they deliver on the major need for proxies among users: anonymity.
• Speed. Residential proxies are subject to the quality of their ISPs and the level of congestion and usage in the region of their IP addresses. As such, proxies from the same vendor can be fast in one city and slow in another.
• Availability. There is a limited supply of residential proxies because residential areas are not infinite. This contributes to their cost and the continued rise of ISP proxies. 
• Complexity. They are complex to source for on the part of vendors. Furthermore, some proxy users might find them difficult to set up especially when using rotating proxies or using residential proxies for large-scale operations.

Will be Ideal for

1. Digital marketing, where the anonymity required to create and manage multiple accounts with different IPs will make a big difference. Dedicated residential proxies are especially popular for this use.
2. Cybersecurity, where the identity of personnel conducting penetration tests, vulnerability assessments, and investigations needs to remain hidden so as not to spook targets.
3. Market research and international business. Here, residential proxies help researchers obtain local data, conduct surveys remotely, and gather data on trends and sentiments.
4. Travel and hospitality. Companies in this line of business can use residential proxies to localize feed, collect and compare prices, scout locations for bookings, etc, 

Example Use Cases

Web scraping

The elite anonymity of residential proxies is the perfect advantage for data collectors and content aggregators employing bots. Rotating residential proxies is particularly useful in this regard.

SEO research

Residential proxies can allow users to monitor and collect search engine rankings locally and internationally. The latter can help companies obtain localized data remotely.

Social media management

The anonymity of residential proxies makes them perfect for hiding bot use in scheduling posts and engaging users on social media. 

Sneaker botting

Sneaker releases are a competitive affair because resellers, individual buyers, and companies compete for a limited pair of shoes. As such, bots are a popular tool for launching multiple requests and quickening purchases. Residential proxies are useful in protecting bots from detection.

Comparing Residential and ISP Proxies

ISP and residential proxies are similar, yet so different. Using the following factors, we will be comparing the two proxy types to show how they differ slightly.

Anonymity and Legitimacy

These proxies offer better anonymity than datacenter proxies because they use ISP-assigned IP addresses. Websites see them as actual individual users. However, ISP proxies are not what they seem, and some websites may still be able to detect them. Residential proxies are the more anonymous and legitimate of the two, but ISP proxies are not far behind.

Speed and Performance

The anonymity of residential proxies comes at the detriment of their speed. Due to the rerouting of traffic through IP addresses in residential areas, their speeds are subject to the performance of the ISP in the area and the degree of congestion on their networks. ISP proxies are an upgrade in this regard. By hosting the IPs in datacenter-worthy servers, ISP proxies perform better than residential proxies.. 

Detection and Blocking

As an offshoot of the anonymity and legitimacy argument, residential proxies have the edge here. Because they are more anonymous and legitimate than ISP proxies, they are less detectable. Consequently, their users are less susceptible to IP bans or platform suspensions from websites and applications. By extension, residential proxies are also the go-to option for bypassing anti-bot mechanisms, though ISP proxies do a good job of this as well.

Availability and Scalability

Availability is a difficult-to-assess characteristic of both proxies. This is so because many proxy vendors intentionally market ISP proxies as residential proxies. However, theoretically, the number of iSP proxies will depend on how many IPs the ISPs are willing to designate for the purpose. Residential proxies, however, should be more, but it’s difficult to say. Regarding scalability, though, ISP proxies have the advantage due to their relatively lesser cost and suitability for data-intensive tasks requiring speed and consistency.

Cost

As implied earlier, ISP proxies are generally cheaper than residential proxies. However, in terms of value for cost, needs determine perception. For instance, residential proxies are ideal for clients partaking in activities where high success rates matter more than speed or reliability. On the flip side, ISP proxies are more reliable than residential proxies, and their cost may represent better value given the balance between performance and anonymity. 

Ease of Use

Ease of use concerns the ease of setting up or configuring, managing, and using the proxies. Residential proxies, especially rotating residential proxies, can be tricky to set up. They might also require more effort to integrate and combine with other applications and tools. ISP proxies, however, are relatively easier to manage and use. Plus, their consistent and static nature makes them easier to use with other applications and tools. A reliable proxy manager can help ease the burden of using residential proxies, but ISP proxies win here. 

Use Cases

Combining all the above factors means that both types of proxies can arguably carry out the same tasks. However, choosing the right proxy for the right tasks is necessary for optimal results. For instance, residential proxies are perfect for situations that require elite anonymity, such as web scraping, social media management, multi-account creation, and online retail management. ISP proxies will do the same thing, but they are ideal when speed is needed, even to the detriment of some anonymity. Examples of these situations are in data and content aggregation, streaming music and videos, etc. 

Where to Buy?

Proxy Cheap offers a range of proxy types to meet the needs of any client. Residential and ISP proxies are part of that range and they come as HTTP, HTTPS, and SOCKS5 proxies. Additionally, users have the opportunity to opt for the limitedly shared standard proxies or the more private premium proxies. Regardless of the final decision, all our users enjoy the following features of our service:

1. Quality performance. Proxy Cheap proxies are best-in-class, reputable, and high-performing. They boast high-speed connections of up to 100mbps and can facilitate up to 100 concurrent requests without a significant drop in quality.
2. Wide geographical coverage and vast IP pools. Proxy Cheap provides users with an IP pool of over 10 million and coverage in over 100 countries.
3. 24/7 Customer Support. We do our best to help customers get the best out of our proxies. This includes experience-guided onboarding, a dashboard for proxy management, and a proxy manager extension for Chrome. Our ever-available and responsive customer support rounds out the package.
4. Affordable and flexible pricing. Despite top-shelf performance from our proxies, they are pretty affordable. Regardless, Proxy Cheap incorporates flexible pricing to help customers get optimal value for their money. There are also bulk purchase discounts for clients who may need more. 

Frequently asked questions

What’s the main difference between ISP and residential proxies?

The main difference between ISP and residential proxies is the nature of their IP addresses. Both utilize IP addresses assigned by Internet service providers. However, those of residential proxies belong to actual users in residential areas. On the other hand, the IPs of ISP proxies are hosted by data centers specifically for use as proxies. They also differ in the degree of anonymity provided and their speed. Residential proxies are more anonymous but generally slower, while ISP proxies are relatively less anonymous but faster.

When would I choose ISP proxies over residential proxies?

Choose ISP proxies over residential ones in scenarios where speed, anonymity, and reliability are relevant. This is so during large-scale data scraping, streaming, and gaming. ISP proxies are also a good choice when balancing the cost of proxies with their functionality.

Can I use residential proxies for eCommerce account management? 

Yes, you can use residential proxies for e-commerce account management. Firstly, they have the anonymity to allow you to manage multiple accounts without risking bans. Additionally, e-commerce management is not an intensive process that requires consistency and real-time speed in all cases.

How do I decide between ISP and residential proxies based on cost?

When deciding between ISP and residential proxies based on cost, users should consider their task requirements, budget, and the potential need for scalability. Where the task is intensive, ISP proxies are more effective and mostly cheaper. They are also a more scalable alternative to residential proxies.

Augustas Frost

Support Manager

Augustas Frost is a valued contributor at Proxy-Cheap, specializing in proxy-related content. With a knack for simplifying complex topics, he's your go-to source for understanding the world of proxies.
Outside his work, Augustas explores the latest tech gadgets and embarking on hiking adventures.