In the fast-changing world of web scraping, choosing the right proxy can be a game-changer. Whether you are an experienced data collector or just getting started with web scraping, one thing is the same – finding the cheapest and most affordable proxies is a common goal. As the online world continues to develop, so does the need to collect online data for different reasons, such as market research, SEO monitoring, advertising verification or analyzing competition. However, the cost of getting a reliable proxy can sometimes be a big obstacle. In this guide, we’ll explore the cheapest and affordable web scraping proxies, focusing on options that won’t hurt your wallet while helping you collect valuable data.

1. What is web scraping

Web scraping, also known as web harvesting or web data extraction, is the process of automatically extracting data from websites. This is a technique that uses bots to collect information from websites and store it in a structured format such as a spreadsheet or database.

2. The purpose of web crawling

a. Market research

Companies can use web crawling technology to collect relevant information on the market, such as competitors' product information, price strategies, market trends, etc., thereby helping companies formulate better market strategies.

b. Competitive intelligence

Web scraping can be used to collect competitor website information, including product details, prices, promotions, etc., to help companies understand their products, pricing, marketing strategies and other information to formulate better competitive strategies.

c. Price Monitoring

This is one of the most popular uses of web scraping. Price monitoring can be used to collect pricing data from competitors in the market or from multiple online retailers and can help consumers find the best prices in the market, thereby saving money.

d. Public opinion monitoring

Governments and enterprises can use web scraping technology to collect public opinion from news on the Internet, social media and other channels, and understand the public’s attitudes and reactions to develop better public relations strategies.

e. Academic research

Scholars can use web crawling technology to obtain a large amount of academic data and research materials from the Internet, providing rich data support for academic research.

f. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Web scraping is also used by search engines to build and maintain their indexes. Search engines regularly crawl web pages and analyze their content to provide accurate search results when users search for relevant information.

3. What are the benefits of web scraping?

a. Cost-Effectiveness

Web scraping can be a very cost-effective way of collecting data, especially when compared to the cost of hiring manual data collectors.

b. Efficiency

Web scraping can collect data faster than humans and can be run automatically and on a regular basis.

c. Accuracy

Web scraping is very accurate, especially when using tools designed specifically for this purpose.

d. Scalability

Web scraping can be scaled up or down to meet the needs of any organization, regardless of size.

e. Flexibility

Web scraping can be used to collect data from a variety of websites, including those without APIs

4. Different proxy types and functions

proxy type

a. Residential proxy

Residential proxies are IP addresses assigned to homes and other residential locations. They are the hardest websites to block because they look like regular b. user traffic.

b. Data Center proxy

A data center proxy is an IP address assigned to a data center. They are less reliable than residential proxies because websites are more likely to block them.

c. Mobile proxy

A mobile proxy is an IP address assigned to a mobile device. They are useful for crawling websites that block other types of proxies.

proxy function

d. Rotating proxy

A rotating proxy is a proxy that changes its IP address regularly. This helps avoid being blocked by websites.

e. Geolocation

Geotargeting allows you to select proxies in a specific country or region. This is useful for crawling geo-restricted websites.

f. Sticky session features

The sticky session feature allows you to use the same proxy for multiple requests. This is useful for crawling websites that require you to log in.

5. The cheapest and most affordable web scraping proxy in 2024

PIA Proxy

PIA Proxy is the world's largest provider of Socks5 residential proxies. Supports flexible positioning at ISP and city levels, and easily integrates third-party applications and scripts.

PIA Proxy can provide sophisticated geolocation capabilities, which may be critical for specific use cases. Depending on your needs, you may be assigned an IP address from a certain country or region. You can quickly find proxys from the world's largest cities

price

Price starts from 0.04$/ip

Smartproxy

Smartproxy is a proxy provider that offers various proxy types, including residential proxies, data center proxies, and mobile proxies. Residential proxies are the best type of proxy for web scraping because they are the least likely to be blocked by websites.

Datacenter proxies are a great option for web scrapers who need a large number of proxies or who need to access sites blocked by residential proxies. Mobile proxies are a great option for web scrapers who need to access websites that are only accessible via mobile devices.

It also provides various features useful for web scraping, such as rotating proxies and sticky sessions. A rotating proxy automatically changes your IP address after every request, making it difficult for websites to detect and block your traffic.

Sticky sessions allow you to maintain the same IP address for multiple requests, which is useful for websites that require authentication.

price

$50 per month

Oxylabs

One of the things that sets Oxylabs apart from other proxy providers is its focus on quality. Oxylabs has a rigorous process for acquiring and validating its proxys, ensuring that its customers receive the most reliable and trustworthy proxys on the market.

Oxylabs also has a team of experts who constantly monitor its proxy network to ensure it is running optimally.

Another advantage of using Oxylabs for web scraping is its vast network of proxies. Oxylabs has over 100 million residential proxies, which provides its customers with a wide selection of IP addresses.

price

$15 per GB

Rayobyte

Rayobyte is a versatile web scraping platform that offers a vast network of over 130 million residential proxies and basic scraping tools. It enables businesses to effortlessly collect data from a variety of websites, including e-commerce platforms, social media networks, and news sites.

The platform’s strengths lie in its scalability, ensuring efficient large-scale data extraction without the risk of IP blocking, and its unwavering reliability, capable of handling even the most complex websites.

Rayobyte places a strong emphasis on user-friendliness, making web scraping accessible to everyone regardless of previous experience. Additionally, it promotes ethical scraping practices and provides users with resources to avoid website bans.

With applications spanning market research, lead generation, product development, pricing intelligence, data mining and content aggregation, Rayobyte is a comprehensive web scraping solution for businesses of all sizes, providing a powerful, reliable and ethical approach to data extraction Methods.

price

$12.50 per GB

In terms of price comparison, PIA proxy is the most cost-effective, with no billing if the IP is invalid, unlimited traffic bandwidth, and support for various fingerprint browsers.

6. Summary:

In conclusion, finding the cheapest and most affordable web scraping proxy in 2024 requires a careful balance between cost-effectiveness and reliability. While cost is a crucial factor, it is equally important to prioritize the quality of the proxy to ensure a successful and efficient web scraping operation.