Best residential proxies in 2026: providers ranked by KYC, crypto and price

How did we rank the best residential proxy providers?

We applied three criteria in a fixed order, to every provider, on 5 October 2026:

1. KYC rule. A written no-KYC statement ranks first, "not stated" next, then checks triggered by a condition (a flagged account, a crypto payment, a restricted site), and KYC for every customer last.
2. Crypto payment. Within each KYC group, providers that accept crypto on their own pages rank higher.
3. Public price per GB. Then the self-serve price, at entry and at volume, as shown on the provider's own page.

We did not run speed or success-rate tests ourselves, and we do not invent them; where Proxyway's 2026 research measured a provider, we quote it. Nameless Proxy publishes this page and ranks first on these criteria, which favour buyers who want no KYC and crypto. If you need ZIP or ASN targeting more than a no-KYC policy, the providers lower in the list may suit you better.

Where is the best place to buy residential proxies?

It depends on what you cannot compromise on. As of October 2026:

• No ID, paid in crypto: Nameless Proxy (from $0.53/GB, no KYC at any spend level), NodeMaven (no KYC on standard plans) or anyIP (no KYC for activation).
• A flat rate on non-expiring traffic: DataImpulse, from $1/GB, with country targeting included.
• ZIP or ASN targeting: Decodo, Webshare, SOAX on its Scale plan, Bright Data, or Oxylabs for ZIP.
• Measured results: Oxylabs had the best residential infrastructure success rate, 99.93 %, in Proxyway's 2026 research. On real targets such as Amazon and Google, Proxyway's median fell to 74.43 %.
• A company account with a corporate email: Bright Data, whose Residential network requires company KYC for zones created after July 7, 2026.

Whichever you choose, test a small pack on your own targets before you buy volume. Ours starts at $1.88 for 1 GB; see residential proxies.

What should you check before choosing a proxy provider?

Seven checks avoid most bad purchases:

• The KYC rule, in writing. "Not by default" is not the same as "no KYC". Read the provider's own policy page.
• Payment. Card, crypto or both, and whether paying in crypto triggers an ID check, as it does at SOAX.
• Price at your volume. Compare the price per GB for the quantity you will really buy, not the lowest tier on the page.
• Expiry. Monthly credits can lapse: SOAX credits expire 60 days after they are added. Our residential traffic never expires.
• Targeting and protocols. Country and city cover most SERP, price and ad checks; ZIP and ASN matter for narrow tests. Check SOCKS5 support if your tools need it.
• Sourcing. In 2026, Google disrupted the IPIDEA network and the FBI seized NetNut's domains. Ask where the IPs come from, and be wary of very low prices: Proxyway says grey-market traffic can cost $0.30/GB or less.
• Rules of use. A serious provider blocks abuse with an acceptable use policy and an abuse desk, KYC or not.

Our own answers: sourcing, Acceptable Use Policy and proxy prices 2026.

How do residential proxy providers price their traffic?

Three models dominate, and they change the real price you pay:

• Pay as you go: you buy gigabytes once, usually at a higher rate per GB: $4/GB at Decodo and $7.35/GB at IPRoyal for 1 GB, as of October 2026.
• Monthly plans: a lower rate in exchange for a monthly commitment, such as Oxylabs from $30 a month, anyIP from $25 a month or SOAX from $200 a month on its Builder plan. Unused traffic may expire or roll over, depending on the provider.
• One-off packs from a prepaid balance: our model. You top up in crypto (minimum $25), buy packs from 1 GB to 1 TB, and the traffic never expires. There is no subscription.

Some providers also price by country: SOAX sorts countries into three tiers. Our prices are the same in every country. More: pay-as-you-go residential proxies.

What are the limits of Nameless Proxy?

Nameless Proxy, a privacy-first, no-KYC proxy provider, is not the right pick for everyone. Targeting stops at country and city: no state, ZIP, ASN or ISP targeting. No third party has benchmarked our success rate or speed yet, and we will not invent a number. There is no free trial and no card payment; the minimum top-up is $25, and unused balance stays on your account (never expires, non-refundable). City stock in small countries varies, and the dashboard shows it before you buy. We sell residential and 4G/5G mobile proxies only.