The proxy world is diverse and full of opportunities, provided you have the means of navigating it and finding the best services to meet your needs. A simple Google search will reveal a plethora of proxy providers, and if you wait a couple of hours and perform the same search with the same keywords, you are likely to come across more proxy options.
Therefore, it is critical to select a reliable proxy provider to meet all your expectations without compromising your personal data. When it comes to making a choice, most people will go for private proxies, not knowing that public proxies have a lot to offer.
Therefore, this post contains a detailed guideline on selecting a reliable public proxy.
Public Proxies: Making the Right Choice
First off, why would you go for a public proxy instead of a private one? In truth, these tools offer several benefits that might sway you in their direction. Public proxies are:
- Free
- Widely available
- Compatible with most software that supports proxies
Despite their benefits, you should not employ a public proxy without performing your due diligence. Accordingly, there are some factors you need to check instead of using the first free proxy you come across.
Always Do Your Research
Before using any public proxy, you need to set aside some time, sit down, and research. Visit well-known blogs and websites to check what people have to say about the public proxy you are interested in.
It is worth noting that you should not stick to one website for research as some platforms are heavily biased. You need to perform an extensive survey and weigh your options.
Read the Terms of Service
Before utilizing any public proxy, be sure to check the terms of service. You should not just peruse but instead do an in-depth analysis to ensure you understand what you are getting yourself into. This way, you can note dodgy clauses, meaning the provider might be intentionally trying to compromise your data.
Use a Proxy Checker
A proxy checker should be your right-hand tool if you want to utilize a public proxy you can trust. These tools are efficient since they can tell you if the proxy is working or not. However, their functionality extends far beyond just checking whether a proxy is functional or not.
In fact, an advanced proxy checker will scan thousands of proxies in a minute and return results based on parameters such as speed, accessibility, and more. Read more here for a reliable and efficient proxy checker you can utilize.
Check for the Domain’s Age
This is one of the most important things you should do before using any public proxy. Head on to any website that allows you to check for domain age and verify the date when the website was created.
If it is less than two years old, it would be best to steer clear of its services. This is because older proxies have more reviews and user feedback, meaning you will be better suited to determine if they are reliable.
Look for User Reviews
This is another efficient strategy you can use to find a reliable public proxy server. All you have to do is head on to review sites and check for genuine user opinions on the same. A good idea would be to check Reddit, as it has a large user base. You will notice that some users post brutally honest reviews that can help make your decision.
If you can’t make up your mind, find a list from a reliable premium proxy provider. You can head on to our free proxy list and access reliable public proxies.
Conclusion
From the information above, before you find a reputable public proxy, you have to conduct some extensive research and in-depth checks. While there are reliable public proxies on the internet, they are rare and far between. What’s more, the risks of these proxies mostly outweigh the benefits.
Hence, it is best to use a private proxy that is more reserved and offers better anonymity and security. Even though you have to pay for the services, you will notice that these proxies offer much in the way of functionality compared to public proxies.
