Best for
Best proxies on a tight budget
Budget means the lowest real cost per gigabyte, not the lowest headline. Several entry rates here are 50% promos that revert to roughly double, so the number that matters is the committed-tier price at the volume you will actually buy, plus whether you can test before you pay.
1. 
Webshare Cheapest to start, and free to tryOur pick
Webshare has the lowest entry in this set at $3.50/GB on the current promo, and 10 free proxies with no card so you can test before paying a cent. Committed volume drops it to $1.40/GB by 3000 GB, the lowest committed rate here. It measured 99.28% success in 2026, the slowest of the top tier at 0.86s but fine for most targets. The catch is the entry price is a promo and reverts to about $7.
2. 
Decodo (formerly Smartproxy) Cheap without feeling cheap
Decodo starts at $4/GB and falls to $2.75 by 100 GB, with a 3-day free trial and a 14-day money-back window. It was the fastest residential network measured in 2026 at 0.53s and posted 99.92% on the easy test, so you give up very little performance for the lower price. The better choice if Webshare's smaller pool comes up short.
3. 
Bright Data Budget only while the promo lasts
Bright Data's $4/GB is a 50% promo on a list price near $8, so treat it as a temporary discount rather than a budget rate. Worth it if you want the 400M+ pool at a cut price for a few months, but Webshare and Decodo are cheaper once the promo ends.
The call
On a tight budget, start on Webshare. It is the cheapest entry, the only one with a free tier, and the cheapest at high volume.
Move to Decodo if you want a faster pool and can pay a little more. When you compare, ignore the headline promo rates and check what each becomes at your real volume.
FAQ
What is the cheapest residential proxy?
Webshare, at $3.50/GB on the current promo and down to $1.40/GB at 3000 GB. Decodo is next, from $4/GB.
Are the entry prices real?
They are real today, but several are 50% promos. Webshare and Bright Data entry rates revert to roughly double, so check the committed-tier price for a true read.
Can I try a budget proxy before paying?
Webshare gives 10 free proxies with no card. Decodo has a 3-day trial and a 14-day money-back window.
Other use cases
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