Buying a proxy server is no easy task. There are complicated pricing policies, different types and subtypes, and unique requirements for every project. Here are five main things you must consider before spending any money.
Use Cases For Mobile Proxies
The first thing you need to think about is whether you need mobile proxies at all. As with all proxies, it acts as an intermediary between you and the websites you visit. You send a web request to the proxy server, and then it forwards it to the target server while disguising the fact that it is a proxy server.
As a result, your IP address is hidden, and your privacy is protected. The difference when using a mobile proxy server is that a mobile device with a cellular internet connection is used to route your requests. However, the same outcome can be reached with other proxy types just as efficiently.
Residential proxies, for example, use ordinary household computers to route network requests. Their connection is verified by internet service providers (ISPs), so websites will have a difficult time recognizing that you are using a proxy server.
Other proxy types, such as datacenter or ISP proxies, also have their advantages, but the important thing to remember is that each of them is fit for specific use cases. The same applies to mobile proxies, as they are best in some use cases. You should consider whether your intended one is among them.
- Accessing mobile content. That is a clear winner for mobile proxies. They can not just hide your IP and change its location but can show you as a mobile user. It’s a key requirement for accessing many services, mobile apps, and websites.
- Social media management. Most social media platforms require mobile IP or work better when you have one. Add this to the accurate location targeting and a credible IP, and you have the best proxy for social media management.
- Ad verification. Checking whether your online ads reach the intended audience is a hassle. It’s even more difficult if you don’t have mobile proxies, as more than half of ad spending is for mobile audiences.
These are just three of the most common use cases. Yours might be different, but it should give you an idea of whether you actually need a mobile proxy for your use case. Unless mobile proxies are the cheapest option you can find, then they are fit for almost anything.
Mobile Internet Generation
You cannot be completely sure about the speed of other proxies before you test them out yourself. Mobile proxies have the advantage of giving you an idea of how fast they will be by looking into the mobile internet generations. I recommend avoiding providers selling mobile proxies lower than the third generation.
- 3G revolutionized mobile internet. It’s still actively used and fit for proxies.
- 4G is five times faster and should be your choice if speed and affordability must be maximally matched.
- 5G is the newest iteration, twenty times faster than 4G but much more expensive and
Mobile Internet Carriers
Some mobile proxy providers do not list the carriers they use or list some unknown ones. This is a huge red flag. If you want to blend in with your mobile IPs and not get bombarded with CAPTCHA requests or other restrictions.
You must consider the carriers that will be used for your mobile internet connection. For example, Verizon and T-Mobile are the most popular mobile internet providers in the United States. If you want a legitimate IP address from there, it’s best to choose a provider that uses one of those carriers.
Mobile proxies from some unknown providers might be cheaper, but they are less likely to last you longer before restrictions start. Besides, the price difference is a couple of dollars anyway, so it’s well worth the modest price increase.
Location Selection
This tip applies when buying all proxies, but the mistake is so prevalent that it should be repeated as often as possible. It’s not enough to look into the overall IP counts of providers. Instead, you should look at how the IPs are distributed among different locations.
If there are a million mobile IPs available, but half of them are in India, it’s of little use to you. Unless, of course, you need mobile proxies from India. Even if the numbers are still high, in hundreds of thousands, you should keep in mind that most mobile proxies are rotating between users.
The more popular a proxy provider is, the bigger the issue it is. If a hundred users are rotating a hundred thousand IPs, then the issue isn’t big. However, more often than not, providers have worse ratios, so the possibility of getting IPs that are already banned grows.
In short, you should look for as many locations as possible, but the IP counts for all locations matter. Don’t get tricked by a high number of locations themselves.
Pricing Options
Generally, proxies are priced either per IPs purchased or bandwidth used. The second case is best when you need highly legitimate IPs but won’t use them for transferring a lot of data. The first option comes with unlimited traffic and is preferred by those who need to transfer a lot of data.
In my experience, mobile proxies are better when purchased per IP address and used privately. Cases like social media management and bulk purchasing often require you to log into accounts, so you cannot switch IP addresses mid-project.
Of course, every project is unique, and most providers have different terms for paying for proxies. There’s a lot of flexibility when buying mobile proxies, but making a bad decision can cause you to lose money.
Final Tip
The points mentioned here can all be further broken down into smaller chunks, but it would just complicate matters further. The best strategy is to take a broader approach and take some free trials, putting these considerations to the test.