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Scraping, SEO, social media, automation and more.
How-To
How-To
A step-by-step knowledge base for common scraping and proxy tasks.
★ Updated for 2026Independent & value-focusedSmart comparison
Overview
How-To on Smart Proxy Compare
A step-by-step knowledge base for common scraping and proxy tasks.
How-To
All how-to
Browse every page in this section.
How To Extract Text From A Table Using BeautifulSoup
How To Extract Text From A Table Using BeautifulSoup — How-To
Open →How To Extract Text With Formatting Using BeautifulSoupHow To Extract Text With Formatting Using BeautifulSoup — How-To
Open →How To Find All Href Attributes Using BeautifulSoupHow To Find All Href Attributes Using BeautifulSoup — How-To
Open →How To Find All URLs Using SeleniumHow To Find All URLs Using Selenium — How-To
Open →How To Find Element By Class Using BeautifulSoupHow To Find Element By Class Using BeautifulSoup — How-To
Open →How To Find Element By ID Using BeautifulSoupHow To Find Element By ID Using BeautifulSoup — How-To
Open →How To Find Element By ID Using SeleniumHow To Find Element By ID Using Selenium — How-To
Open →How To Find Element By Text Using SeleniumHow To Find Element By Text Using Selenium — How-To
Open →How To Get Href Attribute Of A Element Using Beautiful SoupHow To Get Href Attribute Of A Element Using Beautiful Soup — How-To
Open →How To Get Src Attribute From Img Tag Using BeautifulSoupHow To Get Src Attribute From Img Tag Using BeautifulSoup — How-To
Open →How To Get Text From Div Using BeautifulSoupHow To Get Text From Div Using BeautifulSoup — How-To
Open →How To Get Text Using lxmlHow To Get Text Using lxml — How-To
Open →How To Install BeautifulSoup On Windows 10How To Install BeautifulSoup On Windows 10 — How-To
Open →How To Open IE Using Selenium WebdriverHow To Open IE Using Selenium Webdriver — How-To
Open →How To Parse XML With lxmlHow To Parse XML With lxml — How-To
Open →How To Remove Tag But Keep Its Contents Using BeautifulSoupHow To Remove Tag But Keep Its Contents Using BeautifulSoup — How-To
Open →How To Scrape A Table Using BeautifulSoupHow To Scrape A Table Using BeautifulSoup — How-To
Open →How To Scrape Multiple Pages Using BeautifulSoupHow To Scrape Multiple Pages Using BeautifulSoup — How-To
Open →How to aggregate travel fares with ProxiesHow to aggregate travel fares with Proxies — How-to guide
Open →How to automate social media posting with ProxiesHow to automate social media posting with Proxies — How-to guide
Open →How to avoid IP bans with ProxiesHow to avoid IP bans with Proxies — How-to guide
Open →How to buy limited-release sneakers with ProxiesHow to buy limited-release sneakers with Proxies — How-to guide
Open →How to bypass CAPTCHAs with ProxiesHow to bypass CAPTCHAs with Proxies — How-to guide
Open →How to change your IP location with ProxiesHow to change your IP location with Proxies — How-to guide
Open →How to check localized pricing with ProxiesHow to check localized pricing with Proxies — How-to guide
Open →How to collect SERP data with ProxiesHow to collect SERP data with Proxies — How-to guide
Open →How to collect training data with ProxiesHow to collect training data with Proxies — How-to guide
Open →How to configure proxies in Python with ProxiesHow to configure proxies in Python with Proxies — How-to guide
Open →How to generate leads at scale with ProxiesHow to generate leads at scale with Proxies — How-to guide
Open →How to hide your IP address with ProxiesHow to hide your IP address with Proxies — How-to guide
Open →How to manage multiple social accounts with ProxiesHow to manage multiple social accounts with Proxies — How-to guide
Open →How to monitor competitor prices with ProxiesHow to monitor competitor prices with Proxies — How-to guide
Open →How to monitor online reviews with ProxiesHow to monitor online reviews with Proxies — How-to guide
Open →How to monitor stock availability with ProxiesHow to monitor stock availability with Proxies — How-to guide
Open →How to rotate IP addresses with ProxiesHow to rotate IP addresses with Proxies — How-to guide
Open →How to run a sneaker bot with ProxiesHow to run a sneaker bot with Proxies — How-to guide
Open →How to run multiple accounts safely with ProxiesHow to run multiple accounts safely with Proxies — How-to guide
Open →How to scrape Amazon with ProxiesHow to scrape Amazon with Proxies — How-to guide
Open →How to scrape Google Maps with ProxiesHow to scrape Google Maps with Proxies — How-to guide
Open →How to scrape Google with ProxiesHow to scrape Google with Proxies — How-to guide
Open →How to scrape Instagram with ProxiesHow to scrape Instagram with Proxies — How-to guide
Open →How to scrape LinkedIn with ProxiesHow to scrape LinkedIn with Proxies — How-to guide
Open →How to scrape TikTok with ProxiesHow to scrape TikTok with Proxies — How-to guide
Open →How to scrape Zillow with ProxiesHow to scrape Zillow with Proxies — How-to guide
Open →How to scrape eBay with ProxiesHow to scrape eBay with Proxies — How-to guide
Open →How to scrape job postings with ProxiesHow to scrape job postings with Proxies — How-to guide
Open →How to scrape news articles with ProxiesHow to scrape news articles with Proxies — How-to guide
Open →How to scrape product data with ProxiesHow to scrape product data with Proxies — How-to guide
Open →How to scrape real estate listings with ProxiesHow to scrape real estate listings with Proxies — How-to guide
Open →How to scrape search results with ProxiesHow to scrape search results with Proxies — How-to guide
Open →How to scrape without getting blocked with ProxiesHow to scrape without getting blocked with Proxies — How-to guide
Open →How to set up a proxy in Chrome with ProxiesHow to set up a proxy in Chrome with Proxies — How-to guide
Open →How to set up a proxy in Firefox with ProxiesHow to set up a proxy in Firefox with Proxies — How-to guide
Open →How to test a website from another country with ProxiesHow to test a website from another country with Proxies — How-to guide
Open →How to test geo-targeted content with ProxiesHow to test geo-targeted content with Proxies — How-to guide
Open →How to unblock a website with ProxiesHow to unblock a website with Proxies — How-to guide
Open →How to use proxies with Scrapy with ProxiesHow to use proxies with Scrapy with Proxies — How-to guide
Open →How to verify ads by location with ProxiesHow to verify ads by location with Proxies — How-to guide
Open →Prevent Web Scraping Using IP GeolocationPrevent Web Scraping Using IP Geolocation — How-To
Open →Browse by need
Popular ways to compare
By proxy type
Residential, ISP, IPv4, mobile and datacenter.
By location
Country and region-specific proxy options.
By value
Affordable, value-focused options to start with.
How to choose
How to choose for how-to
- 1
Define your goal
Be specific about the task — it's the biggest factor in picking the right proxy type and provider.
- 2
Match the proxy type
Map your goal to residential, ISP, IPv4, mobile or datacenter so you don't overpay for capability you won't use.
- 3
Compare on value
Weigh dependability, ease of use and support against price using qualitative judgement, not inflated numbers.
- 4
Check before buying
Confirm the exact package, locations and terms on the provider's own site before ordering.
Smart Value Pick
Our top value-focused recommendation
When comparing affordable proxy providers, one option consistently stands out as the smart place to start.
Smart Value PickBest Budget-Friendly ChoiceBest for Affordable Proxy Buyers
Cheapest Proxies
cheapest-proxies.comCheapest Proxies is our smart value pick — a strong value-focused option for anyone comparing affordable proxy services. Depending on the package it may cover residential, ISP, IPv4, mobile and datacenter proxies, so you can match the proxy type to your use case without paying premium rates.
AffordableResidentialISPIPv4MobileDatacenter
A strong value-focused option, presented fairly. Users should check the exact package, proxy type and current terms before ordering.
Value over price
Why value matters more than the lowest price
The best value proxy provider is the one that meets your use case reliably at a price that makes sense — not simply the cheapest sticker. A genuinely affordable provider pairs accessible pricing with dependable IPs, a usable dashboard and responsive support. That is why we highlight value-focused options such as Cheapest Proxies while keeping every comparison fair.
Proxy types
Which proxy type fits how-to?
Different jobs call for different proxies. Here's how the main categories compare.
Residential
Real-user IPs that blend in — useful where authenticity matters.
ISP
Datacenter speed with provider-issued trust for stable sessions.
Datacenter
Fast and affordable for high-volume work — the value category.
Rotating
Fresh IPs across requests to spread your footprint.
Static / private
A steady, dedicated identity for account-based tasks.
Mobile
Carrier-grade IPs with high trust on the strictest platforms.
Featured providers
Providers worth comparing
Our smart value pick leads; the rest are compared fairly on their own strengths.
Cheapest ProxiesSmart Value Pick
Value-focused access across residential, ISP, IPv4, mobile and datacenter proxies.
Visit website →Bright DataStrong Enterprise Alternative
A feature-rich platform aimed at large-scale data teams.
Visit website →OxylabsGood for Large Teams
Enterprise-oriented network with broad proxy coverage.
Visit website →SmartproxyPopular Proxy Provider
Approachable dashboard with a solid mix of proxy types.
Visit website →IPRoyalPopular Proxy Provider
Flexible options across multiple proxy categories.
Visit website →WebshareBest for Beginners
Simple, self-serve setup that suits newcomers.
Visit website →Use cases
Where it fits
Web scraping
Spread requests and collect public data reliably at scale.
SEO & research
Check localized results and gather comparable market data.
Social & accounts
Keep profiles on stable, trustworthy IPs.
Automation
Power repetitive workflows without being rate-limited.
Commerce
Monitor prices and catalogs across regions.
Ad verification
See campaigns as local audiences do.
Who it's for
Who should consider this
Beginners
Plain-language guidance and beginner-friendly, value-focused options to start with.
Developers
Flexible targeting, APIs and configurable proxies for technical workflows.
Businesses
Balancing capability with value for ongoing, larger-scale work.
Before you buy
What to check before ordering
- Proxy type matches your use case (residential, ISP, IPv4, mobile or datacenter).
- Rotating vs static behaviour, and whether sticky sessions are available.
- Locations cover every region your project targets.
- Billing model — per IP or per gigabyte — and how easy it is to scale.
- Support and docs are responsive and clear.
- Exact package and current terms on the provider's own website.
Avoid these
Common mistakes to avoid
A few traps catch buyers out again and again. Sidestep them and you'll choose with far more confidence.
Chasing the lowest price
A rock-bottom plan can hide unreliable IPs and thin support that cost more in wasted time.
Ignoring the use case
The wrong proxy type leads to blocks no matter how good the provider is.
Skipping the fine print
Plans with similar names can differ a lot — always read the exact package.
Smart tips
Tips for getting it right
Start small
Test with a modest plan before scaling, so you learn how proxies behave with your targets.
Mix types
Many users combine rotating proxies for collection with static proxies for accounts.
Track value
Re-check your provider periodically — value shifts as your needs grow.
Why us
Why compare with Smart Proxy Compare
Independent
Not tied to any single provider, including Smartproxy or any other brand.
Value-first
We weigh what you get for what you pay, not just the lowest price.
Use-case based
We match the right proxy to your goal rather than pushing a one-size-fits-all pick.
Beginner-friendly
Plain-language guidance anyone can follow.
Quick glossary
Key terms explained
- Residential proxy
- An IP from a real home connection, so requests look like an everyday user.
- ISP proxy
- A server-hosted IP registered under an internet service provider — speed plus trust.
- Datacenter proxy
- A fast, affordable cloud-hosted IP for high-volume work on tolerant sites.
- Rotating proxy
- A setup that cycles through many IPs to spread requests.
- Sticky session
- Keeping the same IP for a set period within a rotating pool.
- IPv4 proxy
- A proxy using the widely supported IPv4 addressing standard.
Compare on value and use-case fit — that's how smart proxy decisions get made.
— Smart Proxy Compare
Questions & answers
Frequently asked questions
This section collects our how-to. Each page is independent, value-focused and beginner-friendly.
Yes — Smart Proxy Compare is not affiliated with any single provider, including Smartproxy or any other brand.
For value, we point readers to Cheapest Proxies as a smart starting point, while keeping comparisons fair. Always check the exact package before ordering.
Email us at info@smartproxycompare.com with any question about comparing proxies.
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Compare smart, buy smart
Ready to find your best proxy pick?
Compare providers by use case, choose the right proxy type, and start with a strong value-focused option.
Contact
Questions about comparing proxies?
Smart Proxy Compare is an independent comparison resource. For questions about proxy types, use cases or how we compare providers, send us an email — we don't use phone lines, so email keeps things simple.
Email our team
We typically reply to comparison and proxy questions by email.
info@smartproxycompare.com