Top 5 Elite Proxies of 2024: Features, Pricing & Performance

Elite proxies provide the highest level of privacy by masking the user’s IP address and ensuring no personal information is disclosed. This level of anonymity is not guaranteed by all proxy types; some may conceal your real IP address but may still reveal the use of a proxy. Therefore, selecting the appropriate proxy type for your specific needs is crucial.

This article explains what elite proxy servers are, their applications, functionality, and introduces top elite proxy service providers, highlighting their key attributes and pricing structures.

Comparative pricing analysis of top elite proxy providers

The initial package is based on residential proxies and is set by the provider’s smallest monthly offering.

What are elite proxies?

Elite proxies, also known as high-anonymity proxies, are proxy server types that conceal the user’s personally identifiable information. In contrast to transparent and anonymous proxies, elite proxies hide your original IP address and remove proxy-specific headers that allow the destination to detect that you are using a proxy.

There are three main levels of proxy anonymity: elite proxies, anonymous proxies, and transparent proxies. Elite proxies eliminate the proxy-specific details from the request sent to the destination. Not all proxies completely hide the user-specific information such as operating system or browser. For instance, an anonymous proxy server is also a type of high anonymity proxy that hides the user’s IP address. However, they can still add proxy-specific headers that help the target website detect you are using a proxy server.

How elite proxy servers work

Elite proxies act as intermediaries between the user’s computer and destination. When you send a request to a website, elite proxies replace your real IP address with the one from its proxy pool (i.e., datacenter proxies). Many elite proxies utilize SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) encryption to provide complete anonymity.

Elite proxy servers do not include identifying HTTP headers that could reveal that a proxy server is being used to the destination server. HTTP headers include information such as:

• Authorization: Includes credentials required authentication like a username, password or an authentication token.
• From: Includes the email address of the client.
• Proxy-Authorization: Stores authentication credentials specifically intended for proxy servers.
• Via: Information about the proxy software such as protocol and hostname.
• X-Forwarded-For header (XFF): Original IP address of the client.

Levels of proxy anonymity

Proxy server types can be classified into three categories based on their proxy anonymity levels:

1. Transparent proxy: Transparent proxies don’t mask IP addresses in the x forwarded for header, informing the target website that you’re accessing it via a proxy service. They are suitable for use cases like content filtering or caching.
2. Anonymous proxy: Anonymous proxies hide the original IP address of the user from the destination. The target server knows that you are using a proxy solution but cannot see the actual IP address. They can be used for applications such as SEO monitoring or accessing region specific content.
3. Elite proxy: Elite proxies provide high level anonymity, the target server cannot see the original IP address or you are using a proxy. They are used for complete anonymity requirements like web scraping or securing the website against cyber threats.

How you can understand if your proxy servers are elite

To determine whether your proxies are elite proxy server type, you can use IP leak testing to check what information the proxy service you are using reveals. For instance, elite proxies don’t contain HTTP headers that reveal the use of a proxy service, like Via, Forwarded, or X-Forwarded-For.

Are free elite proxies reliable?

Opting for free proxies might seem appealing because they don’t incur any expenses. Yet, the performance of free elite proxies is often compromised by restricted bandwidth and increased latency, as a result of shared usage among numerous individuals. Choosing a reliable elite proxy server provider could be a more prudent decision for safeguarding your online privacy.

Understanding different types of elite proxies

1. Datacenter proxies: Originate IP addresses from data centers, making them distinct from residential IPs that are associated with real ISPs. Since IP addresses come from data centers, datacenter proxies tend to offer high speed. These proxies are more affordable than residential proxy services. However, some websites employ IP bans to block traffic from known data center ranges.
2. Residential proxies: Unlike datacenter proxies, these proxies provide IPs that are associated with real ISP (internet service provider), making them appear as regular users web services. Residential proxies offer a higher level of anonymity compared to datacenter proxies. Residential elite proxies are generally more expensive than other proxy types due to the cost of maintaining real IP addresses.
3. Mobile proxies: Use real IP addresses from mobile data networks or mobile devices, making mobile proxies suitable for tasks like sneaker copping or social media automation.

Top Elite Proxy Sevice Providers of 2024

1. Bright Data

Bright Data is a web data platform, providing a wide array of services including proxies, web scrapers, and datasets tailored for data collection needs. It ranks among the top-tier proxy service providers, offering an extensive proxy pool that includes residential, datacenter, and mobile proxies.

The platform supports a variety of protocols such as HTTP/HTTPS and SOCKS5, and offers advanced targeting options allowing users to choose proxies by city or by specific ASN (Autonomous System Number).

A distinctive feature of Bright Data is its flexible pay-as-you-go pricing structure, which is applied across all its proxy offerings, making it a versatile and scalable option for users ranging from individuals to large enterprises.

2. Smartproxy

Smartproxy is a prominent name in the proxy service market, providing a variety of proxies including shared and dedicated datacenter, as well as mobile, residential, and static residential (ISP) proxies. Its dedicated datacenter proxies are currently limited to the US in terms of location coverage. The service supports both HTTP(s) and SOCKS5 protocols, and offers targeting options at both the country and city level.

Smartproxy’s residential proxy network extends the targeting capability to ZIP code level, offering more granular access. The proxy provider stands out for its combination of affordable entry-level pricing and advanced features, positioning it as an attractive choice for cost-conscious individuals who seek advanced functionality.

Additionally, Smartproxy extends a special offer for those interested in exploring its residential proxy capabilities. Users are invited to select any plan and experience all the available features. Get 100MB free trial credits to explore Smartproxy’s residential proxies.

3. Oxylabs

Oxylabs offers an expansive network that encompasses over 102 million IPs, particularly serving the needs of mid-level and enterprise-scale clients. Its proxy network includes datacenter, residential, mobile, and the innovative next-gen residential proxies.The service provides advanced targeting options, including city, ASN, zip code, and even coordinate-level precision.

A notable feature of Oxylabs’ next-gen residential proxies is their capability to execute JavaScript, which enhances their adaptability to dynamic changes on websites. Additionally, these next-gen proxies are designed with sophisticated functionalities like enhanced rotation, an automatic fingerprint generator, and an auto-retry system.

4. NetNut

NetNut distinguishes itself in the proxy service market with a focus on rotating residential proxies, specifically tailored for businesses and extensive web data gathering needs. The company has broadened its scope, including the introduction of scraping APIs and advanced proxy solutions like a web unblocker in 2023.

Catering to a wide range of web data collection demands, NetNut presents an extensive pool of over 52 million rotating residential IPs alongside 1 million static residential proxies. The service accommodates precise targeting requirements by offering proxy selection at the city and state level.

4. PrivateProxy.

PrivateProxy. specializes in providing dedicated proxies, including Datacenter, ISP, and rotating residential proxies. The platform offers static and rotating IP addresses for datacenter and residential proxy networks. The rotating proxies allow users to send multiple requests to the desired website. The available proxy locations include the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Kazakhstan, Hong Kong, and South Africa.

5. IPRoyal

IPRoyal mainly serves individual customers, but it’s now working on attracting corporate clients too. They provide dedicated datacenter proxies, as well as rotating and static dedicated ISP proxies. While their proxy pool is not as extensive as providers like Oxylabs, Bright Data, and Smartproxy.

It’s considered a cost-effective choice for rotating residential IPs compared to other providers. They offer city-level targeting for rotating residential proxies and support both HTTPS and SOCKS5 protocols.

Further reading

• Anonymous Proxies: Top Providers & Definition in 2024
• 7 Best Reliable Proxy Providers of 2024: Selecting the Best
• Top 7 Premium Proxies of 2024: A Comprehensive Review

For guidance to choose the right tool, check out data-driven list of proxy services, and reach out to us: