ProxyVerity
Guide

How to Get a Proxy Server: A Practical Guide for Privacy and Access

From free public lists to self-hosted and paid services, this guide covers every way to obtain a proxy server with honest trade-offs for privacy, reliability, and cost.

RB
By Roman Bulatov
Proxy & Network Infrastructure Expert · · 6 min read

Why You Might Need a Proxy Server

A proxy server sits between your device and the internet, forwarding requests and returning responses. People use proxies for many reasons: to access geo-restricted content, to add a layer of privacy by masking their IP address, or to manage multiple accounts without triggering IP-based blocks. But the way you obtain a proxy matters a great deal—different sources offer vastly different levels of reliability, speed, and security. This article walks through the main methods of getting a proxy, explains their trade-offs, and helps you decide which is right for your needs.

Free Public Proxy Lists

The most accessible way to get a proxy is from a free public list. Websites like ProxyVerity's free proxy list aggregate proxies that are publicly available and verify them before publication. You can filter by protocol (HTTP, HTTPS, SOCKS5), anonymity level, and location using resources like proxies by location.

However, free proxies come with significant trade-offs. They are often slow because many people use them simultaneously. They may be unreliable, going offline frequently. Most critically, you have no guarantee who operates them; the proxy operator can see all unencrypted traffic passing through. While HTTPS protects payload data, the proxy still observes the destination IP and connection metadata. For low-stakes tasks like browsing a website once or testing a script, free proxies can suffice, but they are not suitable for anything requiring consistent performance or privacy.

Self-Hosting Your Own Proxy

If you want full control, consider running your own proxy on a virtual private server (VPS). This gives you a dedicated IP address, complete privacy (only you and your VPS provider know the outgoing IP), and the ability to configure exactly what you need. Two popular open-source proxies are Squid (for HTTP/HTTPS) and Dante (for SOCKS5).

Setting Up Squid (HTTP Proxy)

On a Linux VPS, install Squid with:

sudo apt update && sudo apt install squid -y

The default configuration file is /etc/squid/squid.conf. To allow only your IP to use the proxy, add an ACL:

acl my_ip src YOUR_IP_ADDRESS
http_access allow my_ip
http_access deny all

Then restart Squid: sudo systemctl restart squid. You can now configure your browser or tool to use http://YOUR_VPS_IP:3128.

Setting Up Dante (SOCKS5 Proxy)

Install Dante: sudo apt install dante-server. Edit /etc/danted.conf to specify the listening interface and authentication method. A minimal setup for passwordless access (use with caution) looks like:

logoutput: /var/log/danted.log
internal: 0.0.0.0 port = 1080
external: eth0
method: none
user.privileged: root
user.unprivileged: nobody
client pass {
        from: 0.0.0.0/0 to: 0.0.0.0/0
        log: error
}
socks pass {
        from: 0.0.0.0/0 to: 0.0.0.0/0
        log: error
}

Start Dante: sudo systemctl start danted. Your SOCKS5 proxy is ready at socks5://YOUR_VPS_IP:1080.

The downside of self-hosting is cost (a VPS starts at around £3–5/month) and the technical effort of setup and maintenance. But for a reliable, private proxy that only you use, it is often the best solution.

Paid Provider Options: Datacenter, Residential, Mobile

Paid proxy services offer convenience and variety. They manage large pools of IPs from different sources, which you can rotate or select by location. The three main types are:

  • Datacenter proxies – IPs hosted in server farms. They are fast and cheap but easily detected as proxies by many services. Good for SEO monitoring or accessing non-strict platforms.
  • Residential proxies – IPs assigned by ISPs to home users. They appear as organic traffic, so they are harder to block. More expensive, often charged by bandwidth. Ideal for web scraping e-commerce sites or social media.
  • Mobile proxies – IPs from mobile carriers. Extremely legitimate but costly. Used for sneaker copping or accessing services that are heavy on mobile detection.

You can learn more about these types at ProxyVerity's proxy types page.

Trade-offs: Which Method Suits Your Use Case

Choosing between free, self-hosted, and paid comes down to privacy, reliability, and cost.

  • Privacy: Self-hosted wins because you control the infrastructure. Paid providers are a close second if you choose a reputable service that doesn't log. Free proxies are risky—you trust an unknown operator.
  • Reliability: Paid proxies (especially datacenter) and self-hosted are most reliable. Free proxies are hit-or-miss; many are slow or dead.
  • Cost: Free is cheap in money but expensive in risk. Self-hosted costs a few pounds per month for the VPS. Paid can range from a few pounds for a small datacenter plan to hundreds for residential bandwidth.

For casual browsing or testing, free proxies may be enough. For consistent scraping or privacy, invest in a VPS or a paid service.

How to Choose a Provider

If you decide to pay, evaluate providers on these points:

  • Transparency: Look for clear logging policies and ownership. Avoid services that promise complete anonymity—no proxy can guarantee that.
  • IP pool size and distribution: Larger pools and diverse locations reduce blocking. Check if they offer sticky sessions or rotating IPs.
  • Speed and uptime: Read independent reviews and consider testing with a trial or money-back guarantee.
  • Support: Responsive customer support is vital if something goes wrong.
  • Payment methods: Some providers accept cryptocurrency for extra privacy, but know that every proxy service has your IP address anyway.

How to Verify Your Proxy Works

Before using a proxy, test that it is functioning as expected. Use a proxy checker tool to confirm the proxy is alive, check its speed, and verify its anonymity level. You can also visit what-is-my-ip to see the IP the proxy presents. If that IP matches the proxy's IP and your real IP is hidden, it's working. For more thorough testing, check for DNS leaks or WebRTC leaks by using an online leak test after configuring the proxy.

A practical snippet to test a proxy from the command line with curl:

curl -x http://proxy_ip:port http://ipinfo.io/ip

This should return the proxy's IP rather than your real one.

Safety and Legal Considerations

Public, free proxies are third-party services that can log your traffic. Even if the connection is encrypted with HTTPS, the proxy sees the destination and timing. For sensitive activities, never rely on a free proxy you haven't vetted. Paid providers with strict no-logging policies are safer, but always read their terms. Also, remember that using a proxy does not make you invincible—your ISP still knows you are connecting to a proxy, and your traffic is only as secure as the underlying protocol.

Legally, proxies are just tools. Using them to access illegal content is illegal anywhere. Scraping public websites is legal in many jurisdictions, but you must respect robots.txt and the site's terms of service. If you bypass blocks explicitly designed to stop you, you may be in a legal grey area. Always consider the ethical implications and seek legal advice if unsure.

Ultimately, the right proxy for you depends on your specific use case, budget, and risk tolerance. Whether you start with a free list or jump straight to a paid provider, knowing how to verify and secure your proxy will save you headaches later.

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