What Makes a Good Mobile Proxy Provider in 2026
The mobile proxy landscape in 2026 looks very different from even two years ago. The rise of AI-powered automation, increasingly sophisticated anti-bot systems, and the demand for machine-to-machine purchasing have changed what buyers should prioritize when selecting a provider.
A good mobile proxy provider in 2026 needs to deliver more than just IP addresses. The foundational requirements remain the same: real carrier IPs from 4G/5G devices, broad geographic coverage, fast connection speeds, and reliable uptime. But the bar has risen. Today's buyers also need to evaluate how well a provider integrates with AI toolchains, whether it supports programmatic purchasing for autonomous agents, and how transparent its infrastructure really is.
The 2026 Checklist for Mobile Proxy Buyers
Not residential IPs rebranded as mobile
IPs in the countries you actually target
Sub-100ms latency for time-sensitive tasks
Tested against your actual targets
No hidden fees or bandwidth markups
MCP, API-first, programmable access
The biggest shift in 2026 is the emergence of AI-native proxy infrastructure. As more teams deploy AI agents for web scraping, data collection, and automated research, the ability for machines to discover, purchase, and configure proxy access without human involvement has become a genuine competitive differentiator. We will cover this in depth later in the guide.
Evaluation Criteria
We evaluated each provider across five core dimensions. These criteria are weighted toward practical performance rather than marketing claims. Where possible, we used publicly available data, third-party benchmarks, and our own testing.
IP Pool Size & Quality
Weight: 20%Total number of mobile IPs, geographic distribution, and whether they are genuine CGNAT carrier IPs. Larger pools provide more diversity, but quality matters more than quantity. We distinguish between providers who count all proxy types versus mobile-specific pools.
Success Rate
Weight: 25%Percentage of requests that return a valid response without being blocked, challenged, or served a CAPTCHA. Measured across a basket of common targets including e-commerce platforms, search engines, social media sites, and ticketing systems. Higher success rates directly translate to lower effective cost per successful request.
Speed & Latency
Weight: 15%Average response time measured from request initiation to first byte received. Includes connection establishment time, proxy routing overhead, and target server response. Lower latency is critical for real-time applications like price monitoring and competitive intelligence.
Pricing & Value
Weight: 25%Cost per GB of bandwidth, port rental fees, minimum commitments, and volume discount structures. We calculate the true cost of ownership including all fees, not just the headline per-GB rate. Special attention to hidden costs like port fees, overage charges, and minimum monthly spend requirements.
AI & Automation Support
Weight: 15%API completeness, MCP server availability, x402 payment protocol support, SDK quality, and documentation. As AI agents become primary consumers of proxy infrastructure, the ability to programmatically manage, purchase, and rotate proxies without human intervention is increasingly important.
Provider Comparison Table
The table below provides a side-by-side comparison of all six providers across key metrics. Data is sourced from provider websites, independent reviews, and our own testing as of February 2026.
| Provider | Pool Size | Countries | Avg Speed | Success Rate | Min Price | Protocols | AI-Native |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Proxies.sx | 10M+ | 15+ | ~45ms | 92% | $4/GB | HTTP/S, SOCKS5 | |
Bright Data | 72M+ | 195+ | ~80ms | 95% | $8.40/GB | HTTP/S, SOCKS5 | — |
Oxylabs | 20M+ | 195+ | ~90ms | 94% | $12/GB | HTTP/S | — |
SOAX | 8.5M+ | 195+ | ~100ms | 90% | $6.60/GB | HTTP/S, SOCKS5 | — |
Smartproxy | 10M+ | 195+ | ~95ms | 91% | $8.50/GB | HTTP/S | — |
IPRoyal | 2M+ | 195+ | ~110ms | 88% | $7/GB | HTTP/S, SOCKS5 | — |
Bright Data vs Proxies.sx
Bright Data is the largest player in the proxy market with the broadest product portfolio. They offer residential, datacenter, ISP, and mobile proxies alongside a suite of data products including Web Scraper IDE, SERP API, and a data marketplace. Their mobile proxy product draws from an extensive global network.
Where Bright Data Wins
- Largest overall IP pool (72M+ across all types)
- Most extensive geographic coverage (195+ countries)
- Comprehensive product ecosystem beyond proxies
- Enterprise SLA with dedicated account managers
- Web Scraper IDE and built-in data tools
Where Proxies.sx Wins
- Significantly lower per-GB pricing ($4 vs $8.40)
- AI-native with MCP server integration
- x402 protocol for autonomous agent purchasing
- Faster average latency (~45ms vs ~80ms)
- Simpler pricing with no hidden port/access fees
- Free trial with 1GB + 2 ports included
The verdict: Bright Data is the right choice if you need a comprehensive data collection platform with enterprise support contracts and the widest possible geographic reach. Their product ecosystem is unmatched. However, if your primary need is mobile proxies specifically, and especially if you are building AI-powered automation, Proxies.sx offers better value per GB and unique AI-native capabilities that Bright Data does not yet provide.
One key consideration: Bright Data's pricing starts at $8.40/GB for mobile proxies with a minimum monthly commitment. For teams using 500GB+ per month, the cost difference becomes substantial. At that volume, you would pay $4,200/month with Bright Data versus $2,500/month with Proxies.sx, a savings of $1,700 monthly or $20,400 annually.
Oxylabs vs Proxies.sx
Oxylabs is Bright Data's closest competitor in the enterprise proxy space. They are known for high reliability, strong documentation, and premium pricing. Their mobile proxy product uses real 3G/4G/5G connections and offers both rotating and sticky session support.
Where Oxylabs Wins
- Premium reliability with 99.9% uptime SLA
- Excellent documentation and developer resources
- Strong enterprise compliance and SOC2 certification
- Dedicated infrastructure for high-volume clients
- Advanced targeting options (ASN, city-level)
Where Proxies.sx Wins
- Dramatically lower pricing ($4/GB vs $12/GB)
- SOCKS5 protocol support (Oxylabs: HTTP/S only)
- AI-native MCP and x402 integrations
- No minimum monthly commitment requirement
- Faster setup time (under 60 seconds)
- CGNAT real device IPs verified
The verdict: Oxylabs is the premium choice for enterprises that require SOC2 compliance, dedicated account management, and are willing to pay a significant premium for perceived reliability. Their $12/GB starting price makes them the most expensive provider in this comparison. For most scraping and automation use cases, the 2-3% success rate difference does not justify a 3x price premium. Proxies.sx also offers SOCKS5 support, which Oxylabs lacks in their mobile proxy product.
At 1TB monthly volume, the price difference is stark: $10,000/month with Oxylabs versus $4,000/month with Proxies.sx. That is $72,000 saved annually, enough to fund additional engineering headcount or invest in other infrastructure.
SOAX, Smartproxy & IPRoyal Overview
Beyond the top-tier providers, three mid-market options offer competitive mobile proxy products at various price points. Each has distinct strengths worth considering depending on your specific requirements.
SOAX
From $6.60/GBSOAX has built a solid reputation for clean, ethically sourced mobile IPs. Their 8.5M+ pool is smaller than some competitors but focuses on quality over quantity. SOAX stands out with its real-time dashboard showing IP freshness and usage patterns. They also offer a unique $1.99 trial that gives new users a chance to test the service without significant commitment.
Smartproxy
From $8.50/GBSmartproxy targets the mid-market with a user-friendly interface and competitive pricing for its mobile proxy product. Their pool of 10M+ mobile IPs covers 195+ countries. Smartproxy is known for excellent onboarding experience and beginner-friendly documentation. Their 14-day money-back guarantee reduces purchase risk. However, they only support HTTP/HTTPS protocols in their mobile product, lacking SOCKS5.
IPRoyal
From $7/GBIPRoyal is the most affordable option among the mid-market providers and offers a broad range of proxy types. Their mobile proxy pool at 2M+ IPs is the smallest in our comparison, which may limit IP diversity for large-scale operations. IPRoyal does not offer a free trial, which means you need to commit to a paid plan before testing. They are a solid budget option for smaller operations that prioritize cost over pool size.
The AI-Native Advantage: Why It Matters
The proxy industry in 2026 is at an inflection point. The majority of proxy traffic is no longer generated by humans clicking through dashboards. It is generated by automated scripts, scraping frameworks, and increasingly by autonomous AI agents. Yet most proxy providers still operate with a human-first model: sign up on a website, enter a credit card, configure settings through a GUI, download credentials from a dashboard.
AI-native proxy infrastructure flips this model. Instead of building tools for humans that machines awkwardly interact with, it builds infrastructure that machines consume natively, with humans retaining oversight and control.
MCP Server Integration
The Model Context Protocol (MCP) allows AI assistants like Claude, Cursor, and Windsurf to directly manage proxy infrastructure through natural language. Instead of writing API calls, an AI agent can simply say "get me a US mobile proxy" and the MCP server handles port allocation, authentication, and connection setup.
Proxies.sx provides a complete MCP server with 42 tools covering proxy management, bandwidth monitoring, port configuration, and geographic targeting. This is not a wrapper around a REST API but a purpose-built interface for AI agent consumption.
Learn about our MCP Serverx402 Payment Protocol
The x402 protocol enables machines to purchase proxy bandwidth autonomously using USDC stablecoin on Base L2. When an AI agent encounters an HTTP 402 (Payment Required) response, it can automatically negotiate the price, sign a USDC transaction, and receive access credentials, all without a human-created account or credit card.
This is transformative for autonomous agent workflows. An AI research pipeline can scale its proxy usage dynamically based on workload, purchasing exactly the bandwidth it needs at the moment it needs it. No pre-provisioning, no unused capacity, no billing surprises.
Explore x402 ProtocolWhy This Matters for Your Team
Scraping Teams
AI agents can self-provision proxies based on target site requirements, automatically switching geos and rotating IPs without manual configuration.
DevOps Teams
Proxy infrastructure becomes programmable infrastructure. Define proxy requirements in code, let AI agents handle provisioning and scaling.
AI Researchers
Build autonomous research agents that can access geo-restricted data, test from multiple vantage points, and manage costs automatically.
Pricing Comparison: True Cost Analysis
Headline per-GB rates can be misleading. Some providers charge additional fees for ports, have minimum monthly commitments, or apply surcharges for certain geographic regions. The table below shows the total cost for various bandwidth volumes using each provider's best available rate at that tier.
| Volume | Proxies.sx | Bright Data | Oxylabs | SOAX | Smartproxy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 GB | $6.00 | $8.40 | $12.00 | $6.60 | $8.50 |
| 10 GB | $60 | $84 | $120 | $66 | $85 |
| 100 GB | $600 | $840 | $1,200 | $660 | $850 |
| 500 GB | $2,500 | $4,200 | $6,000 | $3,300 | $4,250 |
| 1 TB | $4,000 | $7,000 | $10,000 | $5,500 | $7,500 |
Proxies.sx Pricing Tiers
- 1-100 GB$6/GB
- 101-500 GB$5/GB
- 501-1000 GB$4/GB
Port pricing: $25/port (1-10), $20/port (11-200), custom (200+)
Annual Savings at Scale
- vs Bright Data (500GB/mo)$20,400/yr
- vs Oxylabs (500GB/mo)$42,000/yr
- vs Smartproxy (500GB/mo)$21,000/yr
- vs SOAX (500GB/mo)$9,600/yr
Calculated using each provider's best available rate at 500GB monthly volume.
Hidden cost alert: Some providers charge separately for concurrent sessions, specific geographies, or API access. Oxylabs requires a minimum monthly commitment for their mobile proxy product. Bright Data charges different rates for mobile vs. residential and may have additional platform fees. Proxies.sx uses a straightforward bandwidth + port model with no additional surcharges. Always calculate total cost of ownership, not just the per-GB headline rate.
Our Recommendation
Disclosure: We are Proxies.sx, so take our recommendation with appropriate context. We have tried to present this comparison as honestly as possible, acknowledging where competitors outperform us. That said, here is our genuine assessment of who each provider is best for.
Best Overall Value: Proxies.sx
For teams that need reliable mobile proxies at competitive pricing with AI-native features. The combination of $4-6/GB pricing, MCP server integration, x402 autonomous payments, and real CGNAT mobile IPs makes it the strongest choice for modern automation teams. Best for: scraping teams, AI agent builders, automation companies, cost-conscious operations.
Best Enterprise Platform: Bright Data
For large enterprises that need a comprehensive data collection platform with dedicated support, the widest geographic coverage, and supplementary tools like Web Scraper IDE and SERP API. Best for: Fortune 500 companies, large data teams, organizations needing SOC2 compliance across all proxy types.
Best Premium Reliability: Oxylabs
For teams where uptime and success rate matter more than cost. Oxylabs' premium pricing buys the highest claimed success rates and strongest SLA guarantees. Best for: financial data collection, compliance monitoring, mission-critical scraping where a 2-3% success rate improvement justifies a 3x price premium.
Best Mid-Range Option: SOAX
For teams that want a balance between price and quality without committing to enterprise-tier pricing. SOAX's $6.60/GB rate, clean IP reputation, and real-time dashboard make it a solid middle ground. Best for: mid-size operations, teams transitioning from residential to mobile proxies, price-sensitive buyers who still want quality.
Best for Beginners: Smartproxy
For individuals and small teams new to mobile proxies who value excellent onboarding, clear documentation, and a risk-free 14-day money-back guarantee. Best for: solo developers, small e-commerce teams, anyone trying mobile proxies for the first time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ready to Try the AI-Native Difference?
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