What Is a SOCKS5 Proxy?
SOCKS stands for “socket secure”. SOCKS5 is an internet protocol that routes connections through a proxy server. In this case, the third device would be called a SOCKS server, or simply a SOCKS proxy. These proxies were created as a general-purpose proxy solution. Rather than being limited to web requests, SOCKS5 can carry TCP connections and, when supported, UDP traffic from compatible applications. They can handle browsing, email, torrents, video streaming, and some online games.
Comparing SOCKS4 and SOCKS5 Proxies
SOCKS5 is the newest version of the protocol. It introduced several important features, such as more authentication options, support for IPv6 IP addresses, remote DNS queries, and compatibility with the UDP protocol, not only TCP.
Are these features relevant for you? The UDP protocol is used in many video streaming services and video games – where you need to transfer data in real-time. So if that’s what you’re going to be doing, the go-to choice is SOCKS5 proxies. They also allow the regular user:pass authentication, making the setup process much easier.
SOCKS Proxies vs HTTP Proxies
HTTP proxies are designed primarily for web traffic and are usually easier to use with browsers, scraping libraries, and web APIs. SOCKS5 proxies work differently: they relay TCP connections and, when supported, UDP traffic without interpreting the data being transferred. This makes them suitable for non-web traffic and applications with built-in SOCKS5 support.
For browsing and web scraping, either proxy type may work. SOCKS5 becomes the better choice when an application specifically requires it or when you need support for UDP or non-web traffic.
Main Uses of SOCKS5 Proxies
- Hide your IP address – the classic use case. SOCKS5 proxies are actually very good at it because of the way they work.
- Chat and make video calls – for example, you can use these proxies with Skype, Telegram, or similar apps.
- Use streaming websites – the first example that comes to mind is Twitch, but it applies to any streaming site.
- Download torrents – they are compatible with qBitorrent, uTorrent, and similar peer-to-peer communication software.
- Play games – we haven’t tried it personally, but we’ve often heard about using it with popular online games.
- Access blocked or geographically restricted information – a common use case is going around firewalls or simply avoiding geographical restrictions.
- Perform illegal activities – people also use SOCKS5 proxies for carding, to hide their IP address and emulate the card holder’s location. Note that this activity is highly illegal, and we do not condone it.
Why You Shouldn’t Get a Free SOCKS5 Proxy List
Free SOCKS5 proxies may sound tempting, especially if your needs are small or you simply want to try the protocol. However, we wouldn’t recommend using them. They’re usually shared by many people, which makes them slow and unreliable. Their operators also have little incentive to maintain the infrastructure, so expect frequent downtime and general instability.
It’s also important to understand that SOCKS5 doesn’t automatically mean UDP support. Although the protocol can relay UDP traffic, many free proxies support TCP connections only. They may also block particular ports or prohibit P2P traffic. As a result, a proxy labelled “SOCKS5” might work for browsing but fail with torrent clients, games, or other applications that rely on UDP or unrestricted port access.
There are security concerns as well. SOCKS5 doesn’t encrypt your traffic, and a free proxy’s operator may log your activity or interfere with unencrypted connections. You often have no reliable way to know who runs the server or what they do with your data.
Instead, why not have a look at one of the proxy providers in our list? You’ll find both premium and affordable SOCKS5 proxies, and many services offer a free trial or money-back guarantee. Just make sure the provider explicitly supports UDP, permits your intended use case, and gives you access to the necessary ports.
Unique IPs and Infrastructure Performance
SOCKS5 only defines how you connect to a proxy server, so its performance depends largely on the network behind it. For Proxy Market Research 2026, we extensively tested the networks of major proxy providers. Three particularly relevant metrics were the number of unique IPs, the success rate of connections to the proxy infrastructure, and response time.
The number of unique IPs matters when SOCKS5 access comes with a rotating pool, as greater IP diversity reduces the likelihood of receiving the same address repeatedly. Connection success rate and response time are relevant to all SOCKS5 proxies: they show how reliably you can reach the provider’s infrastructure and how quickly it relays your requests.
Resi: global pool, 3.6M requests over 21 days; DC: US pool, 70k connection requests over 7 days; Mobile: random pool, 1.2M requests over 21 days. May 2026 data.
Resi: global pool, 3.6M requests over 21 days. May 2026 data.
The Best SOCKS5 Proxy Providers
1. Decodo (formerly Smartproxy)
Best value SOCKS5 provider.
Use the code DECODO5 to get 5% off all self-service products.
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
Datacenter proxies
- Formats: Shared, dedicated list, pool with 100k IPs
- Countries: 18 in five continents
- Rotation: Available in all formats, optional
- Starts from: $3.5 for 100 shared IPs, $5.55 for 3 dedicated IPs ($1.85/IP), or $6 for 10 GB
ISP proxies
- Formats: Shared, dedicated list, rotating pool
- Countries: 16 in four continents
- Rotation: Available in all formats, optional
- Starts from: $4.7 for 10 shared IPs ($0.47/IP), $10 for 3 dedicated IPs ($3.33/IP), or $3 for 1 GB
Mobile proxies
- Advertised pool: 10M 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 is a solid all-round choice if you need SOCKS5 proxies. It supports the protocol across residential, mobile, datacenter, and ISP proxy networks, so there’s a good chance you’ll find a suitable option. The residential and mobile pools cover more than 195 locations and support both automatic rotation and sticky sessions.
Performance is another reason Decodo ranks highly. In our tests, its networks consistently achieved high connection success rates and fast response times across most proxy types. The provider also offers clear documentation, useful management tools, and award-winning 24/7 support, making it a great fit for both beginners and advanced users.
Its pricing sits comfortably between budget and premium providers, with some particularly affordable entry plans.
For more information and performance tests, read the Decodo review.
2. Oxylabs
The best premium SOCKS5 proxy provider for business.
Use the code proxyway35 to get 35% off your first purchase.
Residential proxies
- Formats: Shared, semi-shared, dedicated list
- Countries: ~15 in four continents
- Rotation: Available in all formats, optional
- Other features: IP refresh interval, # of manual IP replacements, high concurrency, network priority, 0 fraud score
- Starts from: $6 for 20 shared IPs ($0.3/IP) & 250 GB
Datacenter proxies
- Formats: Shared, dedicated list, pool with 55k IPs
- Countries: 43 in five continents
- Rotation: Available in all formats, optional
- Starts from: $12 for 10 shared IPs ($1.2/IP), $6.75 for 3 dedicated IPs ($2.25/IP), or $11.8 for 20 GB ($0.59/GB). 5 free IPs with 5 GB/mo available
ISP proxies
- Formats: Shared, dedicated list
- Countries: 18 in four continents with ASN selection
- Rotation: Available in all formats, optional
- Starts from: $16 for 10 shared IPs ($1.6/IP) or 5 dedicated IPs ($3.2/IP)
Mobile proxies
- Advertised pool: 20M IPs
- Countries: 195+ with state, city, ASN, coordinate targeting
- Rotation: Every request, customizable sessions up to 24 hrs
- Starts from: $30 for 4 GB ($7.5/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 our top choice for premium SOCKS5 proxies. It supports the protocol with residential, mobile, dedicated datacenter, and semi-dedicated ISP proxies, giving you several options depending on your project.
Its proxy pools are among the largest on the market, leaving plenty of room to scale. In our tests, Oxylabs’ proxy networks consistently delivered excellent performance. You’ll also have access to an experienced support team around the clock.
Depending on the product, Oxylabs covers up to 195 countries and offers targeting by city, ASN, and coordinates. The main drawback is price: its plans cater primarily to business customers and may be expensive if you only need a small number of IPs.
For more information and performance tests, read the Oxylabs review.
3. SOAX
SOCKS5 proxies with flexible plans.
Use the code proxyway to get 20% 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)
Mobile proxies
- Advertised pool: 33M IPs
- Countries: 195+ with state, city, ASN targeting
- Rotation: Every request, 10 s-60 min, strict sessions
- 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, an experienced market player, offers two proxy networks with SOCKS5 support: residential and mobile. Both come as rotating pools priced by traffic, and the same subscription works across either network, so you can switch between them as needed. Both also support UDP.
The provider stands out for its flexible rotation and targeting controls. You can combine city and ASN filtering, with these features included in every package rather than as add-ons.
SOAX’s pools are large and well maintained. The main drawback is the narrower product range: SOAX no longer offers datacenter proxies, so if you need server-hosted IPs, you will have to look elsewhere.
For more information and performance tests, read the SOAX review.
4. DataImpulse
Affordable rotating proxies with UDP support.
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
Datacenter proxies
- Formats: Pool with 90M IPs
- Countries: 100+ with state, city, ASN targeting
- Rotation: Every request, sessions up to 120 min
- Other features: Exclude location, ASN, denylist domains
- Starts from: $50 for 100 GB ($0.5/GB)
Mobile proxies
- Advertised pool: 16M IPs
- Countries: 100+ 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 25 GB ($2/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 sells cheap rotating proxies with SOCKS5 protocol support. You can filter them up to the ZIP code level and rotate the IPs with every request or you create sessions for up to 120 minutes. UDP is also supported, but you have to ask to enable it.
DataImpulse is a fine choice for those looking for a bargain. Its most expensive product – the mobile proxies – are still significantly cheaper than the market’s average. That said, you’ll have to dish out at least $50 for each product, and the low prices make the proxies more likely to be abused.
For more information and performance tests, read the Dataimpulse review.
5. Webshare
Flexible plans and complete self-service.
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
Datacenter proxies
- Formats: Shared, semi-shared, dedicated list
- Countries: ~45 in six continents
- Rotation: Available in all formats, optional
- Other features: IP refresh interval, # of manual IP replacements, high concurrency, network priority, 0 fraud score
- Starts from: $2.99 for 100 shared IPs & 250 GB. Free plan with 10 IPs & 1 GB/mo available
ISP proxies
- Formats: Shared, semi-shared, dedicated list
- Countries: ~15 in four continents
- Rotation: Available in all formats, optional
- Other features: IP refresh interval, # of manual IP replacements, high concurrency, network priority, 0 fraud score
- Starts from: $6 for 20 shared IPs ($0.3/IP) & 250 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 is one of the more versatile SOCKS5 providers on the list. You can choose from a large rotating residential pool or several flavours of datacenter and ISP proxies, including shared, semi-dedicated, and dedicated options. The prices don’t bite, while the clean dashboard and powerful management API make everything easy to control.
Webshare shines in the amount of control it gives you. You can adjust the number of IPs, locations, traffic, concurrency, rotation, and refresh intervals. Its datacenter and ISP proxies are also fast and stable, though their location coverage is lacking.
There’s another side of the coin though. Webshare doesn’t support UDP, making it unsuitable for applications that require UDP traffic. Many useful upgrades also cost extra, so you’ll need to configure your plan carefully to avoid paying for features you don’t need.
For more information and performance tests, read the Webshare review.
6. Evomi
Great base price with unique extra features.
Residential proxies
- Advertised pool: 54M IPs
- Countries: 150+ with state, city, ASN/ISP, ZIP targeting
- Rotation: Every request, sessions up to 120 min, strict sessions
- Other features: Filters for more IPs, latency, fraud score, OS, minimum connection time, ad blocking
- Starts from: $49 for 100 GB ($0.49/GB). Pay as you go available
Datacenter proxies
- Formats: Pool with an unspecified # of IPs
- Countries: 100+
- Rotation: Every request, sessions up to 120 min
- Starts from: $13.5 for 30 GB GB ($0.45/GB)
Mobile proxies
- Advertised pool: 30M IPs
- Countries: 100+ with state, ASN/ISP targeting
- Rotation: Every request, sessions up to 120 min, strict sessions
- Starts from: $16 for 4 GB ($4/GB). Pay as you go available
General info
- Protocols: HTTP, HTTPS, SOCKS5, UDP & QUIC (some products, may cost extra)
- Authorization: Credentials
- Extras: Reporting API
- Support: 24/7 via live chat
- Trial: Available
Evomi may be relatively new, but it already offers a broad SOCKS5 line-up covering residential, mobile, datacenter, and static residential proxies. UDP is available with static residential proxies and can also be enabled for enterprise users of Core Residential. QUIC is available with select products and may cost extra.
In our residential tests, Evomi delivered a high success rate and quick response times. Another major advantage is its combination of low prices and unusually detailed filters, including latency and fraud score. Residential traffic starts at $0.49/GB, though enabling additional features can increase the price by up to 15 times.
There are other catches. The headline residential rate requires a 100 GB monthly package, while static residential proxies are limited to Ashburn. They remain affordable at $1 per shared IP or $2.50 per private IP.
For more information and performance tests, read the Evomi review.
7. Byteful
Fast proxies with plenty of management tools.
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
Mobile proxies
- Advertised pool: 6M IPs
- Countries: 100+ with state, city, ASN/ISP targeting
- Rotation: Every request, sessions up to seven days
- Other features: Pool size & speed filters, Smartpath engine
- Starts from: $4.25 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
Byteful offers residential and mobile SOCKS5 proxies with UDP support, precise location targeting, and sticky sessions lasting up to seven days. Its biggest strength is performance. In our 2026 tests, the residential network achieved a 99.69% connection success rate and a response time of just 0.41 seconds, making it the fastest provider we tested.
The platform is another highlight. You get pool size and speed filters, a management API, and detailed usage data. There’s also Smartpath, which identifies requests that don’t need a residential IP and routes them through datacenter proxies at no charge, reducing your residential traffic use and costs. Residential proxies start at $3.25/GB, while mobile proxies cost $4.25/GB. A free 1 GB residential trial is also available.
The trade-off? Byteful becomes less competitive at larger volumes, and its main support team isn’t available around the clock. Still, the performance and management tools make a strong case for it.
Read the Massive review for more information and performance tests.
8. IPRoyal
Affordable SOCKS5 proxies.
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
Datacenter 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
Mobile proxies
- Format: Dedicated mobile dongles, pool with 4.5M IPs
- Countries: 15 in four continents
- Rotation: Available in all formats
- Starts from: $10.11 per device for 24 hrs or $13.6 for 2 GB ($6.8/GB)
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
If you’re searching for affordable SOCKS5 proxies, take a look at IPRoyal. You can choose from all proxy types: dedicated datacenter, mobile, ISP, or residential, so there’s a lot of flexibility for the projects you want to run.
IPRoyal controls a pool of 32 million residential proxies. They rotate with every request or you can create sticky sessions that will last up to seven days. The provider’s ISP proxy pool is more limited with 500K IPs in around 30 locations, and the datacenter proxies cover over 60 countries. UDP is available for the latter two.
For more information and performance tests, read the IPRoyal review.
9. Infatica
Premium proxies for enterprise use.
Use the code proxyway2024 to get 20% off your first purchase.
Residential proxies
- Advertised pool: 35M IPs
- Countries: 150+ with state, city, ASN/ISP, ZIP targeting
- Rotation: Every request, 5-60 min, manual, strict sessions
- Other features: IPv6 proxies (separate plans, more expensive)
- Starts from: $4 for 1 GB. Pay as you go available
Datacenter proxies
- Formats: Dedicated list, pool with 500k IPs
- Countries: ~40 in six continents; ~100 with city, ZIP targeting for the rotating pool
- Rotation: Available with the rotating pool
- Starts from: $7.25 for dedicated IPs or $0.6 for 1 GB. Pay as you go available
ISP proxies
- Formats: Shared, dedicated list, rotating pool
- Countries: 6 in two continents, with city targeting in the US
- Rotation: Only for the rotating pool
- Starts from: $12.5 for 5 shared IPs ($2.5/IP), $25 for 5 dedicated IPs ($5/IP), $3.75 for 1 GB (scaling pay as you go)
Mobile proxies
- Advertised pool: 5M IPs
- Countries: 150+ with state, city, ASN/ISP, ZIP targeting
- Rotation: Every request, 5-60 min, strict sessions
- Starts from: $8 for 1 GB. Pay as you go available
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
Infatica sells four types of proxy servers with SOCKS5 support. The provider mainly targets businesses, so it has great customer service, and the pricing scales well if you buy in bulk.
Infatica controls a medium-sized residential IP pool in over 150 locations and 5 million mobile IPs in more than 50 countries. You can target both by country, city, or ASN. Infatica’s residential proxies are up to the task, but they lagged behind other providers both in success rate and response time.
For more information and performance tests, read the Infatica review.
Strong Options We Haven't Tested Recently
10. Bright Data
SOCKS5 proxies with the most features.
Add up to $500 to your account and get double the amount.
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
Datacenter proxies
- Formats: Shared, dedicated list, pool with 40k IPs
- Countries: ~100 in six continents
- Rotation: Available in all formats, optional
- Starts from: $14 for 10 shared IPs, $22 for 10 dedicated IPs, or $0.6 for 1 GB. Pay as you go available
ISP proxies
- Formats: Shared, dedicated list, pool with 40k IPs
- Countries: ~50 in six continents
- Rotation: Available in all formats, optional
- Starts from: $18 for 10 shared IPs, $35 for 10 dedicated IPs, or $8 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
Bright Data is one of the leading premium providers in the market. It offers SOCKS5 with all of its products: residential, datacenter, and ISP proxies. The provider controls a large proxy pool with versatile filtering options.
Bright Data’s infrastructure is well maintained – you won’t be disappointed by its performance. It rarely fails and, thanks to Bright Data’s geographically distributed gateway servers, responds fast.
The provider is known for its variety of features, customization options, and proxy management tools, such as the open source Proxy Manager. If you need something other proxy sellers lack, you’ll most likely find it here.
Bright Data’s pricing is no less flexible: you can commit to monthly plans or pay as you go. In any case, you’ll be charged above the market rate for the premium experience, and some features will cost you extra.
For more information and performance tests, read the Bright Data review.
Frequently Asked Questions About SOCKS5 Proxies
SOCKS proxies do have a place in web scraping. It makes little financial sense to use them for scraping websites, but they have other uses. One example would be scraping apps like WhatsApp. SOCKS proxies can also perform automated tasks that can be categorized as web scraping, such as checking the legality of video streaming servers or torrents.
Yes, and we have quite a few providers on our list that offer residential SOCKS5 proxies.
