Main Uses of Craigslist Proxies
You can reap the benefits of Craigslist proxies in many ways; however, the most common uses are posting in different countries and cities than your own locale, bulk posting, and scraping.
Target Other Countries and Cities on Craigslist
Craigslist operates in 700 cities and 70 countries. As you probably already know, it caters to local communities. That’s why requests from different countries and even cities are restricted. As a result, you won’t be able to post anything on the New York board if you live, say, in the UK. If you try, you’ll find Craigslist blocking your IP address.
Does that mean your business should forgo Craigslist as a sales platform? Not necessarily. Simply use a Craigslist proxy server, and it will make you look like a local.
Post Multiple Craigslist Ads
Did you know that Craigslist actually allows bulk posting? There are only a few small details. To use the Craigslist API, you have to:
- Be a high volume poster (post hundreds of ads every month)
- Limit your posts to three categories: jobs (offered), apartment rentals for sale by dealer.
- Be selected on a case-by-case basis by Craigslist itself.
Everyone else is limited to one advertisement in one category every 48 hours. Pretty disappointing, right? Don’t worry, there’s a way around it. You’ll need a Craigslist proxy server to post multiple ads successfully.
However, even with proxies, you need to keep some things in mind. Use separate proxies for separate postings. Don’t make posts at the same time; they should be at least slightly different and without spammy words such as “free” or “weight loss.”
Scrape Craigslist
Unlike other online platforms, Craigslist does not have an API for data retrieval. In other words, you can’t collect data from it automatically – you’d effectively have to copy it by hand.
Thankfully, you can 1) build your a Craigslist scraper with any programming language of your choice and integrate proxies or 2) go with commercial web scraping or proxy-based APIs that already include proxies. Most of the providers on this list offer both – proxies and web scraping tools.
Without a proxy server, Craigslist will quickly detect an unusual number of requests and block your IP from the website. With good residential proxies you’ll be able to scrape Craigslist at scale without getting blocked.
What data do people want from Craigslist exactly? Some users scrape Craigslist to keep an eye on items that are being sold (tickets, for example). Others use scrapers to find something for personal use. Businesses use Craigslist proxies to retrieve website data so that they can generate leads. Usually, they go through the postings and collect email addresses.
How to Choose the Best Proxy Service for Craigslist
Here’s a few tips for getting your Craigslist proxies right the first time:
- Get residential IPs for scraping – they rotate automatically, so residential proxies will be much easier to work with. They are also harder to identify as they come from real residential devices.
- Choose a provider with many locations (and make sure you can actually target them) – this is to ensure you’ll be able to access whichever Craigslist board you need. But finding a provider with high location coverage isn’t enough – you must also be able to target them.
- Consider custom rotation options – sometimes you’ll need for your IP address to stick for some time. For example, when you need to post a new listing.
- Don’t buy SOCKS5 proxies – they won’t bring you any benefits, only extra expenses.
Avoid Free Craigslist Proxy Servers
When it comes to money, we all love to save a buck or two when the opportunity appears. But no matter how tempted you are to give free proxies a shot, we advise against it. Free proxies are highly problematic.
First of all, there are hardly any free services on the market that would work well with Craigslist. Another thing worth noting is that free proxies don’t guarantee that they are safe to use. Still unconvinced? You can read more on the topic here.
The Best Proxies for Craigslist Posting and Scraping
1. Decodo (formerly Smartproxy)
The best balance between features and price.
Try 100 MB for free.
Residential proxies
- Advertised pool: 115M IPs
- Countries: 195+ with state, city, ASN, ZIP targeting
- Rotation: Every request, customizable sessions up to 24 hrs
- Starts from: $4 for 1 GB. Pay as you go available
General info
- Protocols: HTTP, HTTPS, SOCKS5, QUIC over UDP
- Authorization: Credentials, IP whitelist
- Extras: Sub-users, management API, browser extension, proxy checker
- Support: 24/7 via live chat, Discord, or email
- Trial: 100 MB for residential mobile proxies. 14-day refund available
Decodo has a network of 115 million residential IPs. You can get proxies from 195 locations and target them by state or city. They rotate with every connection request or up to 10 and 30 minutes.
The provider’s pricing is more approachable than its main competitors. But that’s not the only thing Decodo has to offer. Its user-friendly approach allows you to navigate through the documentation easily, and the performance exceeds expectations.
The main drawback is limited targeting options (no carrier or ASN targeting). However, if you’re looking for residential IPs at a budget-friendly price, Decodo is an easy choice to make.
For more information and performance tests, read our Decodo review.
2. Oxylabs
The best premium residential service.
Residential proxies
- Advertised pool: 175M IPs
- Countries: 195+ with state, city, ASN, ZIP, coordinate targeting
- Rotation: Every request, customizable sessions up to 24 hrs
- Other features: OS, IP protocol selection
- Starts from: $30 for 5 GB ($6/GB)
General info
- Protocols: HTTP, HTTPS, SOCKS5, QUIC over UDP
- Authorization: Credentials, IP whitelist
- Extras: Sub-users, management API, browser extension, Android app
- Support: 24/7 via live chat
- Trial: For companies, refund available
Oxylabs is a premium provider that controls the biggest – 100 million – residential proxy pool and covers all the countries worldwide. In terms of filtering, you can target any location up to ASN or even ZIP code level. The proxies rotate with every request, and you can hold sticky sessions for up to 30 minutes.
Besides class-leading proxy performance, the service also has impeccable user experience. It’s easy to use, you’ll get a dedicated account manager, extensive documentation, and professional customer service support.
But compared to some other options on this list, Oxylabs is slightly more expensive.
Read the Oxylabs review for more information and performance tests.
3. Bright Data
The most versatile provider.
Use the code PROXYWAY60 to get 60% off all proxy plans and Browser API. New users only.
Residential proxies
- Advertised pool: 400M IPs
- Countries: 195+ with state, city, ASN/ISP, ZIP, coordinate targeting
- Rotation: Every request, sticky sessions (customizable with extra app)
- Other features: IP protocol, OS selection, dedicated IPs
- Starts from: $4 for 1 GB. Pay as you go available
General info
- Protocols: HTTP, HTTPS, SOCKS5, QUIC over UDP
- Authorization: Credentials, IP whitelist
- Extras: Management API, sub-users, browser extension, Proxy Manager app
- Support: 24/7 via live chat, tickets, dedicated account manager
- Trial: No-card free trial available
With a giant pool of 400M residential IPs, Bright Data is one of the largest proxy providers in the market. It offers a wide range of features and precise targeting options (such as ASN and ZIP code).
Additionally, Bright Data has a number of helpful tools to control your proxies, such as its open source proxy manager, which allows you to rotate your proxies however you like.
On the downside, Bright Data isn’t beginner friendly – it’s very complex to use and pricey. But developers will find the service very powerful.
Read the Bright Data review for more information and performance tests.
4. Byteful
Great speeds, good targeting.
Use the code PROXYWAY10 to get 10% off.
Residential proxies
- Advertised pool: 35M IPs
- Countries: 150+ with state, city, ASN/ISP, ZIP targeting
- Rotation: Every request, sessions up to seven days
- Other features: Pool size & speed filters, Smartpath engine
- Starts from: $3.25 for 1 GB. Scaling pay as you go
General info
- Protocols: HTTP, HTTPS, SOCKS5, UDP
- Authorization: Credentials, IP whitelist
- Extras: Management API, proxy checker
- Support: 5AM-7PM European time via live chat, email, tickets, Discord
- Trial: 1 GB for residential proxies
Do you think any sneakers that were copped when Byteful was still sneaker-focused Ping Proxies went on to be sold on Craigslist? Who knows! But you’ll have a much easier time discovering what is being traded on Craigslist if you scrape it with Byteful’s performant residential proxies.
The proxies form a pool 35 million-strong, drawn from over 150 countries all over the world. Targeting is possible down to ZIP level, likely covering any place that Craigslist does. There’s also the Smartpath engine. With it, any traffic that doesn’t need the oomph of residential proxies will go through the cheaper datacenter ones.
Byteful’s offerings are subscription-based, with traffic rollover. Sadly, support only works during European business hours.
Read the Byteful review for more information and performance tests.
5. SOAX
Very flexible rotation & location targeting options.
Use the code PROXYWAY35% to get 35% off.
Residential proxies
- Advertised pool: 155M IPs
- Countries: 195+ with state, city, ASN targeting
- Rotation: Every request, 10 s-60 min, strict sessions
- Other features: Browser optimized mode, look-a-like rotation
- Starts from: $90 for 25 GB ($3.6/GB)
General info
- Protocols: HTTP, HTTPS, SOCKS5, QUIC over UDP (resi & mob only)
- Authorization: Credentials, IP whitelist
- Extras: Reporting API
- Support: 24/7 via live chat
- Trial: Paid ($1.99)
SOAX has 155 million residential addresses in over 150 locations. It offers precise location targeting options for posting on different city boards. You can rotate your proxies with every request, from 90s to 600s, or choose custom duration.
In terms of price, SOAX is among the cheaper options. In addition, it offers an attractive dashboard and a customer success manager.
But there are some concerns like obligatory IP whitelisting.
Read the SOAX review for more information and performance tests.
6. DataImpulse
Cheap residential IPs with limited features.
Residential proxies
- Advertised pool: 90M IPs
- Countries: 150+ with state, city, ASN, ZIP targeting
- Rotation: Every request, sessions up to 120 min
- Other features: Exclude location, ASN, denylist domains
- Starts from: $50 for 50 GB ($1/GB). Pay as you go
General info
- Protocols: HTTP, HTTPS, SOCKS5, UDP (upon request)
- Authorization: Credentials, IP whitelist
- Extras: Reseller API
- Support: 24/7 live chat, email
- Trial: Not available
Dataimpulse is the cheapest residential proxy provider on this list. It controls a significantly smaller – 5 million – proxy pool than the competition. However, the service has 24/7 customer support, well-established monitoring, and budget management tools, where you can see your expenditure reflected in usage graphs.
The main proposition of Dataimpulse – pay $1 for each GB you use. Even though you have to buy at least 50 GBs, the price is a good bargain. However, expect higher price if you use precise targeting options
But cheap proxies come at a cost – they still are pretty slow.
For more information and performance tests, read our Dataimpulse review.
7. Infatica
Affordable proxies with flexible targeting.
Use the code proxyway2024 to get 20% off your first purchase.
Residential proxies
- Advertised pool: 35M IPs
- Countries: 195+ with city, ISP, ZIP targeting
- Rotation: Every request, 5-60 min sessions
- Starts from: $4 for 1 GB. Pay as you go available
General info
- Protocols: HTTP, HTTPS, SOCKS5
- Authorization: Credentials, IP whitelist
- Extras: Proxy checker, reporting API
- Support: 24/7 via live chat, tickets
- Trial: Available, paid
Infatica caters to businesses and offers a network of 15 million peer-to-peer residential IPs. You can target any of 150 locations up to ASN level. It has relatively flexible IP rotation – with every request, or between 5 and 60 minutes.
In terms of the user interface, Infatica’s panel isn’t the most convenient to use, but it includes all the necessary features. And we were pleasantly surprised with its customer support – fast and thorough responses.
Overall, Infatica has difficulties matching top services in user experience, proxy network size, or features. For example, you won’t be able to find API access. But the provider’s rates scale very well for bulk use.
For more information and performance tests, read our Infatica review.
8. Rayobyte
Residential proxies with non-expiring traffic.
Use the code proxyway to get 5% off.
Residential proxies
- Advertised pool: 40M IPs
- Countries: 100+ with state & city targeting
- Rotation: Every request, up to 60 min, strict sessions
- Starts from: $4 for 1 GB. Scaling pay as you go
General info
- Protocols: HTTP, HTTPS, SOCKS5
- Authorization: Credentials, IP whitelist (excl. rotating DC)
- Extras: Reseller API, browser extension, proxy checker
- Support: 24/7 via email, ticketing system, or live chat
- Trial: 2-day refund
Rayobyte sells residential proxies in over 150 countries with the option to filter individual cities. Its pricing system lets you purchase a specific amount of traffic, which remains available until you’ve used it.
The starting rates for Rayobyte’s residential proxies rival premium providers steep, but once you buy over 50 GBs, they drop significantly. So, it makes sense to buy more traffic in advance. If you encounter any issues while using the service, Rayobyte’s customer support reps are ready to help you out 24/7.
The rotation settings are not very flexible; the residential proxies rotate with each request, or you can keep them for as long as they’re available, with no option to set custom intervals. What’s more, our tests showed that the proxies were pretty slow.
For more information and performance tests, read our Rayobyte review.
9. IPRoyal
Affordable proxies with flexible filtering options.
Use coupon PROXYWAY30 to get a 30% discount.
Residential proxies
- Advertised pool: 32M IPs
- Countries: 150+ with state, city & coordinate targeting
- Rotation: Every request, 1s-24hr, manual
- Other features: High-end pool, exclude ISP proxies, exclude IP ranges, denylist domains
- Starts from: $7 for 1 GB. Scaling pay as you go available
General info
- Protocols: HTTP, HTTPS, SOCKS5, UDP (DC & ISP only)
- Authorization: Credentials, IP whitelist
- Extras: Proxy tester, browser extension
- Support: 24/7 via live chat or email
- Trial: Not available
IPRoyal’s proxies cost less compared to some other providers. It controls a moderate pool of 32 million residential proxies. The service has flexible rotation and filtering options.
IPRoyal’s customer service is available 24/7, and the support reacts fast. You won’t have to commit to monthly plans, and the traffic won’t expire. The pricing scales well, reaching $3.15/GB at one terabyte of data.
On the other hand, IPs aren’t the best performers. We’ve encountered more errors during our tests than with other providers, and the proxies were slow. But they’ll work with less demanding Craigslist tasks.
For more information and performance tests, read our IPRoyal review.
10. Webshare
Absolute self-service and customizable subscription.
Get 50% off your first purchase.
Residential proxies
- Advertised pool: 80M IPs
- Countries: 195+ with state & city targeting
- Rotation: Every request, customizable sessions
- Starts from: $3.5 for 1 GB
General info
- Protocols: HTTP, SOCKS5
- Authorization: Credentials, IP whitelist
- Extras: Sub-users, management API, browser extension
- Support: 6AM-6PM PST via live chat & email
- Trial: Refund available
Webshare’s residential proxies come with a pool of 80 million monthly IPs that you can filter up to the city level and choose from 195 locations.
The provider stands out with customizability and absolute self-service. You can choose different aspects like bandwidth limit and the number of IPs or add a network priority feature that prioritizes your requests over others.
The proxies rotate with every connection, but you can hold a single connection from 15 seconds to 7 days.
On the downside, the targeting options and rotation are very limited. Also, some features cost extra.
For more information and performance tests, read our Webshare review.
Frequently Asked Questions About Craigslist Proxies
You can buy them from any of the providers on our list. Most of them come with free trials or money-back guarantees, so you can try out their services without risk.
There can be multiple reasons. You might be trying to post more listings than Craigslist allows. Or if you’re scraping the platform, you might have made too many requests too quickly. Craigslist proxies can help overcome these issues and unblock your Craigslist IP address.
You can use proxies for that. They change your IP address and make Craigslist see you as a different person.