Collecting freely available data online should be accessible to everyone, but the price of achieving it stops most businesses. Shared datacenter proxies are the solution to cut costs and maintain performance.
Unfortunately, this isn’t widespread knowledge, and many users struggle to make a choice. We will cover the pros and cons of shared proxies highlighting when they are the best and when you should consider more expensive alternatives.
What are Shared Datacenter Proxies?
Proxies allow users to keep their privacy and bypass geo-restrictions by acting as intermediaries. Instead of connecting directly, you can send your request to a proxy server first, which will connect to the website on your behalf.
Such a process allows you to hide a crucial piece of your private information – the IP address. This string of numbers identifies every device on the internet enabling websites to check visitors’ approximate location and internet service provider (ISP).
Datacenter proxies provide IP addresses unaffiliated with ordinary ISPs and created virtually in bulk. It allows them to use a commercial-tier internet connection, which is very fast. At the same time, datacenter proxies are cheap as there is no need to maintain a physical device for every IP address.
Such servers are located in data centers – high-tech facilities created for fast performance and low maintenance costs. Unlike residential proxies, which need physical devices and ordinary IP addresses, datacenter proxies are a fast and cheap solution.
The cost-effectiveness of datacenter proxies can be improved by allowing multiple users to access the IP addresses together. Due to their high performance, datacenter proxies do not lose much while being shared.
Residential proxies are more rarely shared because they get significantly slower. So it is more common to find them reserved for one user. However, you can find dedicated datacenter proxies also because shared ones have some negative aspects. Let’s look at them first.
Cons
There are two main concerns regarding shared datacenter proxies; both are only partially true. The first one comes from the way datacenter proxies are created. Some claim they are less legitimate since such IP addresses differ from one another only in one or two digits at the end.
While it is true that websites can recognize data center proxies more easily than residential ones, it doesn’t mean using them is a lost cause. There are many actions to decrease the risk of an IP ban.
For starters, you shouldn’t send too many requests or spend too much time with one IP address. That is why most datacenter proxies are rotating. Switching proxies for every request or for a needed timeframe does a lot to increase legitimacy. Other measures depend on the task you want to achieve.
Since you need to care more about legitimacy, sharing datacenter proxies might seem a bit risky. Sometimes other users block the shared IP addresses on popular websites, and you might want to pay more to avoid inconvenience.
Whatever the reasons for using proxies, the choice of type depends on how much you value your project. You will look for the best proxy available if it is a life or death scenario. But for most users, most of the time, shared datacenter proxies are more than enough.
Pros
Price-to-performance ratio is the most notable benefit of shared datacenter proxies. No other proxy type can provide such a good performance for such an affordable price. Of course, there are options cheaper or better performing, but they do not have a good combination.
Dedicated datacenter proxies, for example, can work faster but cost twice as much as shared ones. The only cheaper option is free proxy, but the performance is terrible, and it is doubtful that they are safe to use in the first place.
A large number of IP addresses available at all times is what you should expect from shared datacenter proxies. It isn’t only because you need to ensure legitimacy while rotating them. It is a defining feature for those who need access to large amounts of IP addresses.
Only shared datacenter proxies can achieve such availability as they are created virtually and also shared among multiple users. Dedicated proxies, for instance, can also have such large IP pools, but it will be expensive.
Bypassing geo-restrictions isn’t something exceptional to shared datacenter proxies as all types can change your location. Residential ones can even have a greater variety of location choices but shared datacenter proxies achieve decent capabilities at lower costs to customers.
It is a crucial aspect since most websites limit their availability according to the location of IP addresses. Buying proxies of other types can be unreasonably costly if there’s a large variety of content according to geography.
Other Alternatives
Most benefits of shared datacenter proxies emerge when comparing them to other types. So, to fully understand the cases when these proxies are the best choice, we need to compare them with other options.
Residential proxies are the main rivals and are best when you need high legitimacy. Every residential IP address is unique and more difficult for websites to notice. Additionally, they often have a better choice of locations.
However, the focus on legitimacy means a trade-off in speed and price. So, choose residential proxies only if your project has a large budget and you don’t need to transmit large amounts of data at high speeds.
Consider dedicated datacenter proxies when you need to transfer many data, but legitimacy isn’t a top priority. The threat of bans is similar to shared datacenter proxies when you act cautiously. So more advanced users or those who wish to save a buck still go with shared datacenter proxies.
Conclusion
All in all, shared datacenter proxies are a great low-budget choice, requiring an upgrade only on rare occasions. It’s an excellent start for beginners in online data collection and a cost-friendly addition for pros. If you don’t already have shared datacenter proxies in your toolbox, you should consider acquiring them.
Check out: How To Hide Your IP Address on iPhone?