What is an HTTP Proxy?
An HTTP proxy is an intermediary server that handles HTTP requests between your client (browser, script, application) and web servers. It operates at the application layer (Layer 7) of the OSI model and understands HTTP protocol semantics.
How HTTP Proxy Works
Unlike SOCKS5 proxies which work at a lower level, HTTP proxies understand and can modify HTTP headers, making them ideal for web-specific use cases like web scraping.
HTTP vs HTTPS Proxy
๐ HTTP Proxy
- โข Port 80 or 8080 typically
- โข Unencrypted connection to proxy
- โข Proxy can read all traffic
- โข Faster (no TLS overhead)
- โข Not secure for sensitive data
๐ HTTPS Proxy
- โข Port 443 typically
- โข Uses CONNECT method for tunnel
- โข End-to-end encryption maintained
- โข Proxy sees hostname only (SNI)
- โข Secure for banking, accounts
๐ก PROXIES.SX Tip: Our mobile proxies support both HTTP and HTTPS. For social media and account management, always use HTTPS.
Best Use Cases for HTTP Proxies
๐ Web Scraping
HTTP proxies are perfect for web scraping because they understand HTTP headers. Use rotating IPs to avoid rate limits. Combine with tools like Scrapy orPython Requests.
๐ค Browser Automation
Playwright,Puppeteer, andSelenium all support HTTP proxies natively. Great for testing, automation, and AI agents.
๐ฐ E-commerce Monitoring
Price monitoring andstock tracking work great with HTTP proxies. The protocol overhead is minimal for simple GET requests.
๐ SEO & SERP Tracking
Track search rankings across locations with HTTP proxies. Perfect forAI SERP tracking andGoogle SERP scraping.
Configuration Examples
Python Requests
import requests
proxies = {
"http": "http://user:pass@gate.proxies.sx:8080",
"https": "http://user:pass@gate.proxies.sx:8080"
}
response = requests.get("https://example.com", proxies=proxies)
print(response.status_code)cURL
curl -x http://user:pass@gate.proxies.sx:8080 https://example.com
Node.js (axios)
const axios = require('axios');
const HttpsProxyAgent = require('https-proxy-agent');
const agent = new HttpsProxyAgent('http://user:pass@gate.proxies.sx:8080');
axios.get('https://example.com', { httpsAgent: agent })
.then(res => console.log(res.data));See our complete setup guides for more configuration examples including Chrome,Firefox, and mobile devices.
HTTP vs SOCKS5: When to Use Each
| Use Case | HTTP | SOCKS5 |
|---|---|---|
| Web scraping | โ Best | Works |
| Gaming | โ No UDP | โ Best |
| Browser automation | โ Best | Works |
| Torrents/P2P | โ No | โ Best |
| Streaming | Works | โ Better |
For a complete comparison, see our protocols guide or the dedicated SOCKS5 deep-dive.
Summary
- โHTTP proxies are best for web traffic (scraping, browsing, APIs)
- โUse HTTPS for secure traffic (accounts, banking, social media)
- โUse SOCKS5 for gaming, streaming, or non-HTTP protocols
- โCombine with mobile proxies for highest trust scores