Websites don't treat all IP addresses equally. An address owned by a cloud provider (a datacenter IP) looks different from one assigned by a home broadband provider (a residential IP) or a mobile carrier. Chinese-speaking communities often call a clean consumer-ISP IP whose registration country matches its location a "native IP" (原生 IP).
This guide explains the four main IP types, what commercial proxy networks charge as of September 2026, and how to pick one for legitimate work such as QA and localisation testing, ad verification, public-price monitoring, SEO rank checks, or keeping a stable US IP while you manage your own accounts from abroad.
The four IP types
| Type | Where the IP comes from | Speed / stability | Detection risk | Typical price model |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Datacenter | Cloud or hosting companies (AWS, Vultr, OVH…) | Fastest, stable | Easily identified as "hosting" | Per IP/month or unlimited plans |
| ISP (static residential) | Addresses registered to consumer ISPs, hosted in datacenters | Fast, static for months | Low to medium | Per IP/month |
| Rotating residential | Real home devices in a peer network | Slower, changes often | Low | Per GB of traffic |
| Mobile | 4G/5G carrier IPs (carrier-grade NAT, shared by many users) | Variable | Lowest (blocking one blocks many real users) | Per GB or per port/month |
How to choose
- Your own server or dev work: a normal VPS (a datacenter IP) is fine. See Choosing a US VPS.
- One long-lived "home-like" US IP for consistent logins to your own accounts: a static ISP proxy from a reputable provider.
- Large-scale public-data collection that follows sites' terms and robots rules: rotating residential, billed per GB.
- Testing mobile app flows the way real users see them: mobile proxies.
Provider and price overview
Figures as of September 2026, from the providers' pricing pages or reputable trackers. Promotions change often, so confirm on the official site.
| Provider | Rotating residential | ISP / datacenter | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bright Data | about $4/GB pay-as-you-go (promo); $499/mo for 141 GB | ISP and DC available | Strong KYC for sensitive targets; Alipay and PayPal accepted |
| Oxylabs | roughly $4–8/GB pay-as-you-go (sources differ) | ISP from $1.60/IP (min 10) | Enterprise focus |
| Decodo (formerly Smartproxy) | $4/GB pay-as-you-go; plans $3.75→$2.75/GB | ISP and DC available | Rebranded from Smartproxy in 2025 |
| IPRoyal | $7/GB at 1 GB, down to $1.75/GB in bulk; traffic doesn't expire | ISP from $1.80/IP; DC from $1.39/IP | Accepts crypto |
| Webshare | roughly $1.40–7/GB by volume | Low-cost DC plans, small free plan | Budget option |
| SOAX | $4/GB pay-as-you-go; plans about $3.60→$2/GB | ISP and mobile | Flexible geo-targeting |
Step by step: using a static ISP proxy responsibly
- Define the use case and read the provider's acceptable-use policy. Some target sites (banks, government) are blocked or need extra KYC.
- Buy one US static ISP IP in the state that matches your use.
- Check the IP before use with ipinfo.io and Scamalytics (see Check your IP quality). It should show an ISP, not "hosting", and a low fraud score.
- Configure it in one place only, such as a dedicated browser profile, and make that profile's timezone and language consistent with your real situation.
- Keep it stable. Switching countries repeatedly on the same account looks like account takeover and triggers security locks.
Ethics of residential proxy sourcing
Rotating residential IPs come from real people's devices, usually through SDKs bundled into free apps or through bandwidth-sharing programs. The best providers use explicit opt-in consent and pay or reward the participants. Others have been linked to malware botnets and deceptive SDKs. Before you buy:
- Look for a published ethical-sourcing statement, independent audits or certifications, and a clear consent process for peers.
- Avoid very cheap "residential" networks that can't explain where their IPs come from. Traffic through infected devices can involve you in abuse investigations.
- Never install "earn money by sharing internet" apps you don't understand on your own devices. Your home IP will then carry strangers' traffic.
Common pitfalls
- "Residential" labels vary. Different databases classify the same IP differently. Test it yourself.
- Shared ISP IPs can already be burned by previous users. Ask about replacement policies.
- Leaks. WebRTC and DNS leaks can reveal your real IP even with a proxy configured.
- Payment and KYC. Reputable providers verify identity for some uses. Be truthful.
FAQ
Is a VPS a "native IP"? Usually not. VPS IPs belong to hosting ASNs and are flagged as datacenter IPs by most reputation databases.
Is using a residential proxy legal? Using a proxy service is legal in many countries, but what you do through it must be legal where you are and must follow the target site's terms. Some countries restrict unapproved cross-border network tools. Check your local rules.
Why did a site still block me? Detection also looks at browser fingerprints, cookies, account history and behaviour, not only at the IP.
