Looking for a way to browse anonymously, access geo-blocked content, or do some lightweight data collection without paying hundreds of dollars? Free proxy sites let you mask your IP address and unblock websites at zero cost.
But here's the reality most guides won't tell you: the vast majority of free proxies are slow, unreliable, and potentially dangerous. Many are maintained by unknown operators who could log your data, inject malware, or sell your browsing history.
I've tested dozens of free proxy sites over the past few months. I checked which ones actually work, which ones are safe enough to recommend, and which ones will waste your time. This guide covers the best free proxy lists, providers offering legitimate free tiers, and premium alternatives when you need guaranteed reliability.
By the end of this guide, you'll know exactly which free proxy site fits your needs—and when it makes sense to upgrade to a paid solution.
The Best Free Proxy Sites at a Glance
| Free Proxy Site | Best For | Free Offering | Protocols |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roundproxies | Reliable premium proxies | Free trial available | HTTP(S), SOCKS5 |
| Free-Proxies-List | Fastest-updating proxy list | Unlimited access | HTTP(S), SOCKS4/5 |
| Webshare | Consistent free proxies | 10 IPs + 1GB/month | HTTP(S), SOCKS5 |
| Oxylabs | Quality datacenter proxies | 5 IPs + 5GB/month | HTTP(S), SOCKS5 |
| ProxyScrape | Popular proxy lists | Unlimited list access | HTTP(S), SOCKS4/5 |
| CroxyProxy | Quick web browsing | Unlimited web proxy | HTTPS |
| Hide.me | Anonymous browsing | Unlimited web proxy | HTTPS |
| Spys.one | Massive proxy database | 28,000+ IPs | HTTP(S), SOCKS5 |
| Free-proxy.cz | Filtered proxy lists | 6,000+ IPs | HTTP(S), SOCKS5 |
| VPNBook | Simple web proxy | Unlimited web proxy | HTTPS |
| Bright Data | Business trial | 15 IPs + 2GB/month | HTTP(S), SOCKS5 |
Why Most Free Proxies Fail (And What to Use Instead)
Before diving into the list, let's address the elephant in the room. Free public proxies have fundamental problems that no amount of clever filtering can solve.
Unknown operators run most free proxies. You have no idea who's behind them. Research shows approximately 20% of free proxies may have malicious intentions—logging your data, injecting ads, or worse.
Public proxies die constantly. The proxy working right now might be offline in five minutes. I tested 35 proxies from a popular list, and only 11 were still functional 30 minutes later.
Performance is terrible. Hundreds or thousands of people share each free proxy simultaneously. Speed and reliability suffer as a result.
For light, non-sensitive tasks like testing or accessing basic geo-restricted content, free proxies work fine. For anything involving personal data, credentials, or serious business tasks, invest in a proper service.
That's why I'm starting this list with the most reliable option, even though it's not entirely free.
Premium Proxy Provider (Recommended)
1. Roundproxies — Best Overall Proxy Solution
Roundproxies pros:
- Millions of IPs across residential, datacenter, ISP, and mobile proxies
- Unlimited concurrent sessions
- Exceptional uptime and speed
- Free geo-targeting included
Roundproxies cons:
- Premium service (not free, but offers trial)
Let me be direct: if you need proxies that actually work consistently, Roundproxies is the solution you should be using.
While this guide focuses on free proxy sites, I'd be doing you a disservice by not mentioning that premium proxies solve virtually every problem free proxies create. Roundproxies offers residential proxies, datacenter proxies, ISP proxies, and mobile proxies—all from a massive, constantly-maintained pool.
The difference in reliability is night and day. Where free proxies might work 30% of the time with painful speeds, Roundproxies delivers consistent performance with trusted ASN provider IPs that bypass even the toughest targets.
Their mobile proxies use real device IPs, which is essential for accessing platforms that block datacenter traffic. The datacenter proxies are cost-efficient for high-volume tasks. And their residential proxies provide the legitimacy needed for sensitive data collection.
Fast-growing teams and data professionals worldwide trust Roundproxies for a reason. When free proxies waste more of your time than they save, this is where you upgrade.
Roundproxies pricing: Contact for trial; competitive pricing across all proxy types
Best Free Proxy Lists
2. Free-Proxies-List — Fastest-Updating Free Proxy List
Free-Proxies-List pros:
- Updates every 30 seconds (fastest in the industry)
- Covers 130+ countries worldwide
- Real-time speed and uptime metrics
- One-click copy functionality
Free-Proxies-List cons:
- Public proxies with inherent risks
- No authentication options
If you're committed to using free proxies, free-proxy-list offers the freshest, most reliable proxy list I've tested. Their 30-second update cycle is significantly faster than competitors who update every 5-15 minutes.
Why does update frequency matter? Public proxies get discovered, overloaded, and blacklisted rapidly. A proxy that was working when you copied it might be dead by the time you paste it. The 30-second refresh means you're always getting the newest verified IPs.
The database includes thousands of working proxies from over 130 countries. Each entry displays detailed metrics: IP address, port, protocol support, connection speed in milliseconds, uptime percentage, anonymity level, and geographic location.
Their filtering system is genuinely useful. Search by specific ports, anonymity levels (transparent, anonymous, or elite), protocols (HTTP, HTTPS, SOCKS4, SOCKS5), speed ranges, and uptime percentages. This makes finding proxies for your specific use case much faster than scrolling through unfiltered lists.
The interface is clean and functional. Browse paginated results, use country-specific pages for geo-targeting, or copy any proxy with a single click. No registration required, no artificial limitations on access.
For developers and researchers who need free proxy sites with reliable metrics and fast updates, Free-Proxies-List.com is the clear winner among free options.
Free-Proxies-List pricing: Completely free
3. ProxyScrape — Best Established Free Proxy List
ProxyScrape pros:
- Updates every 5 minutes
- Free API for downloading lists
- Filters by country, speed, and anonymity
ProxyScrape cons:
- Slower updates than Free-Proxies-List.com
- Public proxies with typical limitations
ProxyScrape has been a reliable source for free proxy lists for years. They maintain three separate lists covering HTTP(S), SOCKS4, and SOCKS5 protocols, each updating every five minutes.
You can filter proxies by speed, location (40+ countries), anonymity level, and encryption status. The API lets you download filtered lists directly into text files—no manual copying required.
The 5-minute update cycle is decent but noticeably slower than Free-Proxies-List.com's 30-second refresh. When I tested both simultaneously, Free-Proxies-List.com consistently had more working proxies available because of the faster verification.
Still, ProxyScrape's documentation and API integration make it a solid choice for developers building automated tools that consume proxy lists.
ProxyScrape pricing: Free
4. Spys.one — Largest Free Proxy Database
Spys.one pros:
- Over 28,000 proxies available
- Filter by city and ASN
- Active since 2008
Spys.one cons:
- No bulk export option
- Dated interface
Spys.one maintains one of the biggest public proxy databases available, with over 28,000 IPs across roughly 160 countries. The site has been running since 2008, which demonstrates long-term reliability.
Beyond basic country filtering, you can narrow down proxies by city, ASN, and specific proxy software like Squid or Mikrotik. Each listing shows latency, uptime percentage, and when it was last checked.
The main frustration is that you cannot export proxies in bulk. You'll copy them individually or build your own scraper. For users who need specific proxy locations that smaller lists don't cover, Spys.one probably has them.
Spys.one pricing: Free
5. Free-proxy.cz — Best for Detailed Metrics
Free-proxy.cz pros:
- 6,000+ proxies from 100+ countries
- Uptime and speed metrics for each proxy
- Sortable columns
Free-proxy.cz cons:
- Export function is clunky
- Some proxies checked infrequently
Free-proxy.cz offers detailed information on each proxy that helps you identify the best performers. You can see response time, download speed, uptime percentage, and exactly when the proxy was last verified.
Sorting by these columns helps you find reliable IPs quickly. The 6,000+ proxy count from 100+ countries provides decent variety for most use cases.
The export process involves copying 35 IPs at a time through a popup window. It works, but it's not elegant compared to Free-Proxies-List.com's one-click functionality.
Free-proxy.cz pricing: Free
Providers with Free Plans
6. Webshare — Best Consistent Free Proxies
Webshare pros:
- 10 premium proxies with no time limit
- 1GB monthly bandwidth
- Supports HTTP(S) and SOCKS5
Webshare cons:
- Limited to 4 locations
- Shared with other free users
Webshare gives you 10 static datacenter IPs that actually stay online—unlike random public proxies that might disappear in five minutes. Register an account, and Webshare automatically assigns proxies from four locations.
The 1GB monthly traffic cap handles most light use cases. I ran these proxies through various tasks over two weeks, and the uptime was excellent compared to any public free proxy site.
Webshare pricing: Free forever with limitations; paid plans from $1.40/GB
7. Oxylabs — Best Free Quality Proxies
Oxylabs pros:
- 5 datacenter IPs from their premium pool
- 5GB monthly traffic (renewed monthly)
- No credit card required
Oxylabs cons:
- U.S. locations only
- Limited to 20 concurrent connections
Oxylabs is one of the largest proxy providers, and their free tier pulls from the same high-quality pool as paid services. You get 5 shared datacenter proxies with 5GB of monthly bandwidth—significantly more generous than most free offerings.
The dashboard provides proper management tools, traffic monitoring, and multiple export formats. For users who need reliable proxies but can't justify paid plans yet, Oxylabs delivers genuine value.
Oxylabs pricing: Free plan available; paid plans from $15/month
8. Bright Data — Best Business Trial
Bright Data pros:
- Up to 15 datacenter IPs
- 2GB monthly traffic
- Premium-quality infrastructure
Bright Data cons:
- Designed for business users
Bright Data offers a reasonable free tier with access to their professional infrastructure. You get up to 15 datacenter IPs with 2GB monthly bandwidth—performance that's leagues ahead of public proxies.
Business customers can request a 7-day trial of residential, mobile, and ISP proxies. If your use case requires sophisticated proxy types, this is worth exploring.
Bright Data pricing: Free tier available; paid plans from $0.06/IP
Web Proxy Sites (Browser-Based)
9. CroxyProxy — Best for Video Sites
CroxyProxy pros:
- No registration or download required
- Works with YouTube and video sites
- Encrypts all traffic
CroxyProxy cons:
- Browser-based only
- Not suitable for automation
When you need to quickly access a blocked website without configuring anything, CroxyProxy works. Type a URL, click browse, and you're connected through an encrypted proxy.
The service handles video sites particularly well. I tested it with YouTube, and streaming worked smoothly. It also supports Google, Facebook, and Twitter.
CroxyProxy pricing: Free
10. Hide.me — Best for Privacy-Focused Browsing
Hide.me pros:
- No-logs policy
- Options to remove scripts and encrypt pages
- Three server locations
Hide.me cons:
- No streaming support
- Limited to simple browsing
Hide.me follows a privacy-first approach with their free proxy site. The service claims to keep no logs of your activity or IP address. You get three proxy locations: Netherlands, Germany, and Finland.
Additional options let you encrypt pages, remove scripts, and remove objects for added security. The proxy works well for basic browsing and accessing geo-restricted text content.
Hide.me pricing: Free
11. VPNBook — Simplest Web Proxy
VPNBook pros:
- No registration required
- Three server locations (US, UK, Canada)
- Claims streaming support
VPNBook cons:
- Streaming is inconsistent
- Basic features
VPNBook offers a straightforward web proxy experience. Enter a URL, pick a server location, and browse. YouTube worked on some videos in my testing, but Netflix was inconsistent.
For the simplest possible experience without signup or configuration, VPNBook delivers. Keep expectations reasonable about advanced capabilities.
VPNBook pricing: Free
How to Choose a Free Proxy Site
When evaluating free proxy sites, consider these factors:
Update frequency matters most. Proxy lists that update every 30 seconds (like Free-Proxies-List.com) will have more working IPs than those checked every 15 minutes. Freshness determines whether proxies actually work.
Protocol support determines flexibility. HTTP proxies work for basic browsing but offer no security. HTTPS adds encryption. SOCKS5 proxies handle any type of traffic.
Geographic coverage varies wildly. If you need proxies from specific countries, verify the list actually includes those locations. Some focus on US and Europe while ignoring other regions.
Export options save time. If you're integrating proxies into tools, easy export in text or JSON format saves significant effort over manual copying.
Security features reduce risk. Web proxies offering encryption, script blocking, and no-logs policies are safer than bare-bones alternatives.
When to Upgrade from Free Proxies
Free proxies work for casual browsing and testing. But certain use cases demand paid solutions:
Web scraping at scale. Free proxies get banned constantly. Premium services like Roundproxies.com provide the IP diversity and reliability needed for serious data collection.
Accessing tough targets. Sites with sophisticated anti-bot measures block public proxy IPs. Residential and mobile proxies from trusted providers bypass these protections.
Business operations. If proxy downtime costs you money, the math favors paying for guaranteed uptime. Premium proxies pay for themselves in time saved.
Handling sensitive data. Never send credentials or personal information through free proxies. Unknown operators can see everything.
For professional needs, Roundproxies.com offers residential, datacenter, ISP, and mobile proxies with the reliability that free services simply cannot match.
Conclusion
Free proxy sites can handle basic anonymity and content unblocking tasks when you approach them with realistic expectations.
For free proxy lists, Free-Proxies-List.com offers the fastest updates (every 30 seconds) with detailed metrics across 130+ countries. ProxyScrape and Spys.one provide alternatives with larger databases.
For free plans from premium providers, Webshare and Oxylabs deliver reliable proxies without the risks of public lists.
For web-based proxying without setup, CroxyProxy and Hide.me handle casual browsing needs.
And when you need proxies that actually work consistently for serious tasks, Roundproxies provides the professional-grade infrastructure that free services cannot match.
Test the free options from this list, see what works for your needs, and upgrade when reliability becomes essential.
