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Free vs paid proxy: the real difference
Free proxies cost nothing upfront — but they cost you in banned accounts, stolen data and wasted time. Here is what you are actually getting and what you are giving up.
What is wrong with free proxies
Shared by thousands. Free proxies serve thousands of users simultaneously. The IPs are overused and already blacklisted on most platforms. If you try to log into Instagram, TikTok or any site with anti-fraud detection, you will hit a wall immediately.
Your traffic is the product. Running a proxy costs money — servers, bandwidth, maintenance. If the service is free, the operator is monetising something else: your data. Free proxies routinely log traffic, inject ads, and in the worst cases, intercept credentials.
Slow and unreliable. No bandwidth guarantee, overloaded servers, frequent downtime. A free proxy that works today may be dead tomorrow.
No support. When something breaks — and it will — there is nobody to help. No dashboard, no documentation, no way to diagnose issues.
The real cost of "free"
A banned Instagram account that took months to grow. Scraped data full of CAPTCHA pages. Leaked credentials. The time you spent finding and testing proxies that didn't work. The true cost of a free proxy is always higher than a paid one.
What a paid dedicated proxy gives you
Dedicated hardware
Your proxy is a physical 4G modem with its own SIM card. Nobody else touches it.
Clean IP
A real mobile carrier IP with no prior abuse history. Trusted by social platforms and anti-bot systems.
Privacy
No traffic logging, no ad injection, no data selling. Your traffic is your business.
Speed & reliability
Dedicated bandwidth on a 4G connection. No sharing, no congestion from other users.
Dashboard & API
See your IP, signal strength and data usage. Rotate the IP with one click or one API call.
200 GB per month
Enough for social media, scraping and daily browsing. Usage shown live in your dashboard.
Get started in three steps
Create your account
An email address is enough. Confirm it: that is where we send your credentials.
Order and pay
A 4G proxy for 1 to 12 months, paid by card or with your balance.
Connect and use
Paste the HTTP or SOCKS5 line into your browser, bot or script. Your modem goes live within 24 hours, often within minutes.
Frequently asked questions
Another question? Write to us at contact@shadowproxy.fr.
Are free proxies safe to use?
Generally no. Free proxy operators can see and log all your traffic, including passwords and personal data. Some inject ads or malware into the pages you visit. There is no business model for a free proxy that does not monetise your data.
Why are free proxies so slow?
Free proxies are shared by thousands of users simultaneously, with no bandwidth guarantee. The servers are often underpowered and overloaded, resulting in high latency and frequent timeouts.
Can I use a free proxy for Instagram or TikTok?
Free proxy IPs are almost always already blacklisted by social platforms. Using one is likely to trigger an immediate verification, temporary lock or permanent ban on your account.
Do any providers offer a free trial?
Some paid providers, including ShadowProxy, offer limited free trials so you can test the service before committing. A trial from a reputable provider is very different from a permanently free proxy.
How much does a good proxy cost?
Dedicated 4G mobile proxies typically cost between €20 and €50 per month. ShadowProxy offers dedicated 4G proxies with 200 GB at €30/month — one physical modem and SIM card per customer.
Switch to a dedicated 4G proxy, ready within 24 hours
€30 per month, 200 GB included, no commitment.