Every proxy provider has a say on why users should avoid free proxies. The privacy and security risks they cite are real and should be a concern, especially when you need proxies to achieve the opposite. But the position of those who sell proxies is obviously biased. It’s in their best interest if you will purchase proxies instead.

So, are free proxies really that dangerous, and if they are, is there a way to minimize the risks? This article will answer such questions and present three ways to get free proxies while reducing the risk. But let’s start with why you would want proxies in the first place.

The benefits of proxies

Proxies are intermediary devices, usually servers, computers, or smartphones, that can route your internet connection while performing various actions on your behalf.

Once you connect to a proxy server, it starts concealing your IP address. It’s a special string of characters uniquely identifying each device on the internet. IPs are assigned by Internet Service Providers (ISPs), which tie them to a specific geo-location. 

Your IP address might change if it’s dynamic or you use a mobile device, but it always tells everyone your ISP name and approximate location. This is problematic because of two reasons.

• Anonymity. In combination with cookies and fingerprinting measures, logging your IP address allows websites to track your activity for targeting ads, restricting access, or snooping around your browsing history.
• Geo-restrictions. Since IP addresses are tied to locations, knowing them allows web servers to filter the information available to users from different regions. E-commerce shops use it to adjust pricing, streaming services restrict access to content, and some websites are simply inaccessible from specific areas.

Employing a proxy solves both of these issues, and if you have a well-performing one, the internet connection isn’t that much slower. What’s even better is that proxy servers, unlike VPNs or TOR implementations, can be used both for casual browsing and with advanced software, such as web scraping tools or anti-detect browsers.

A proxy server gives a lot of freedom for tinkering and integration while you are hiding your original IP address. Unfortunately, free proxies lose a lot of such potential, and the main reason for this is that maintaining powerful proxies is expensive. 

The risks of free proxies

It’s not possible to use a proxy server without routing the whole or a part of your internet traffic through a third party device. If the proxy you are using is untrustworthy, there is a risk of them snooping around your data. It’s not that hard for a bad actor providing proxies to intercept all of your conneciton.

What’s even worse is that it’s possible for bad actors to infect you with malware or do other harm to your network. These are rare and extreme cases, but these risks are much higher if you use free proxies from untrustworthy sources.

In most cases, the risks of using free proxies are associated more with bad performance and lack of transparency. Since you are not paying for a product, you are unlikely to know what type of proxy you are using, whether the connection is shared with other people, or whether the IP address isn’t banned on half the internet. 

Most often, free proxies are of Datacenter type since they are created virtually and are the cheapest. Such proxies are also great for sharing with multiple users, so they won’t crash when many users connect concurrently. Unfortunately, even the powerful servers behind datacenter proxies start to lag behind in performance when they are given out for free.

A bigger problem for free proxies is that most websites will instantly block their access. That is the reason why some proxy providers or IT companies give out free proxies. They might be set up well and used for testing, but if they got banned on websites needed for the company, they could be given away for free.

Ways to get free proxies

The below list of acquiring free proxies is by no means exhaustive. There are more methods of acquiring proxies with little financial costs, but they all require know-how that most are unlikely to have. The time it would take you to set up your own proxies, for example, is better spent on using the proxies instead. 

Proxy lists and free trials

A proxy list is a collection of credentials – IP addresses and ports. Most ports in such lists are open, so you don’t need a password. Sometimes, a password is provided as well. Usually, such proxies are from a proxy provider that offers a list or a free trial for promotional purposes. 

I recommend using only such free proxy lists to minimize the risks of getting your data leaked. Proxy lists from forums or shady websites might do you more harm than good. I found proxies from free lists best for testing proxy compatibility with software. If you need to target a popular website, these proxies are likely to be blocked. In such cases, I would suggest using a free trial from the same provider.

Web proxies

A web proxy is a website that allows you to enter the URL of another website and access it via a proxy server. It gives less freedom than a traditional proxy server, but it’s a sure way to bypass geo-restrictions and hide your IP address when surfing the web.

The lack of freedom means heightened risks of malware and other attacks on your device. That’s why these websites are rarely recommended, but if you have a good antivirus, it is a viable option for a short while. Just don’t use it for entering any passwords or banking details.

Conclusion

As a general rule of thumb, it’s best to avoid doing anything important with free proxies – accessing financial services, entering passwords, or transferring important data is off-limits. A reputable provider with a free list or a free trial is a good option for everything else.