15 Best Free Proxy Sites to Surf Anonymously Online in 2024

Proxy websites are alternatives to VPNs for masking your IP address, accessing restricted sites, and protecting your internet privacy.

It allows users to enjoy fast and secure browsing experiences without breaking the bank. As such, we have curated a list of 15 best free proxy sites with strong encryption protocols, speed, and user-friendly interfaces, among other features, to allow you bypass internet limitations.

Best free proxy sites – Quick list

How to unblock a website with a web proxy?

Unblocking a website with a web proxy is easy if you follow the correct steps. Thankfully, the free proxy sites on our list can unblock restricted websites. Here are the steps to guide you:

Comparison of the best free proxy sites

Proxy site	Encryption	Locations	DNS Leaks	WebRTC Leaks	Service Ads
ExtremeVPN Proxy	AES 256-bit	Singapore, Netherlands, and Canada	No	No	No
CyberGhost Proxy	AES 256-bit	Germany, Romania, Holland, United States	No	No	No
CroxyProxy	SSL	United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, Israel	Yes	Yes	Yes
Whoer	SSL	Holland	Yes	Yes	Yes
ScraperAPI	SSL	Canada, United Kingdom, United States, France, Germany	No	No	No
Proxyium	SSL	Poland, Singapore, United States, Germany	No	Yes	No
Hide.me	SSL	Germany, Holland, Finland	No	Yes	No
VPNBook	SSL	United States, United Kingdom, Canada	No	Yes	Yes
PlainProxies	–	N/A	Yes	Yes	No
ProxySite	SSL	United States, Canada, Belgium, France	Yes	Yes	Yes
FilterBypass	AES-256 GCM	United States, Germany, Italy, United Kingdom	No	No	Yes
Steganos Proxy	–	United States, Romania, Singapore	No	Yes	Yes
Kproxy	SSL	Canada and France	No	No	No
IPRoyal	AES 256-bit	United States, United Kingdom, Germany, China, India	No	No	No
4EverProxy	SSL	United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Singapore, France	No	No	No

Best free web proxy sites – Our detailed list

Below is a detailed description of 15 of the best free proxy websites we have tested. After learning their features, you can decide which one best suits your preferences.

ExtremeVPN Proxy

ExtremeVPN’s proxy is the latest addition to the free proxy market and has proved reliable and effective, making it the first on our list. This free web proxy offers servers in 3 countries – Canada, Singapore, and the Netherlands, saving you the effort of customising. This proxy effectively disables scripts, cookies, and objects like images and plug-ins to guarantee maximum privacy and anonymity.

In addition, ExtremeVPN’s free proxy allows you to bypass restricted websites and browse the internet anonymously by hiding your IP address and identity. It also works with Google autocomplete searches, which no free web proxy currently supports. This tool is one of our favorites because it is user-friendly and features advanced functionalities.

You don’t need to sign-up to use this free proxy and you won’t find any pop-up ads when browsing websites.

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CyberGhost Proxy

CyberGhost, a premium VPN, provides a free proxy extension that does not require users to register. It is unique because it protects all browser traffic instead of only traffic to a single website. This proxy blocks harmful web content and uses encrypted HTTPS for enhanced security. Its advanced feature blocks any communication that could expose your real IP address, especially when using Public WiFi.

This software is reliable because it operates on a strict no-logs policy. As such, it does not leak your online activities to your Internet Service Providers. With CyberGhost Proxy’s IP addresses, you can easily access geo-restricted websites in the United States, Germany, the Netherlands, and Romania. Furthermore, it offers decent performance and unlimited bandwidth.

However, this free proxy may not bypass government restrictions or workplace firewalls. You may also experience WebRTC leaks, so it may not be suitable for combating advanced cyber threats.

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CroxyProxy

CroxyProxy stands out as a reliable free web proxy that allows users to bypass geo-restrictions without hassles. It also features an auto-suggest tool that recommends relevant websites when you enter a keyword, just like Google. With this tool’s encryption, you’re guaranteed online protection, especially when accessing sites without HTTPS.

However, this proxy is limited as the free version doesn’t allow users to change the proxy server location. Consequently, you must upgrade to a premium plan to access IP addresses in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, Spain, and Israel. In addition, you can only enjoy an ad-free browsing experience with the paid plan.

This tool might cause DNS leaks, so it is not suitable for use with an unsecure network and may not protect you from online threats.

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Whoer

Whoer is a free web proxy that works seamlessly with all major browsers, including Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Vivaldi, Sidekick, Brave, Yandex, and Opera. It allows you to change your IP address while offering adequate security functions. You can easily install the Chrome extension and enjoy this proxy by simply toggling the on/off button to choose a server location.

The free version of this software is only useful with the Netherlands proxy server, which allows users to access Dutch-specific websites and services. However, Whoer secures all of your browser traffic. If you can ignore the glitches associated with this plugin, you can enjoy the benefits of using this web proxy.

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ScraperAPI

ScraperAPI functions intelligently by routing your requests through various IPs to reduce any chances of getting blocked. This program also retries failed requests to ensure smooth web scraping. In addition, its functions do not stop at lightweight browsing. Most companies and developers find it a reliable proxy for heavy web scraping activities.

This free proxy features over 40 million IP addresses, which often guarantees successful data extraction. However, if you’re new to proxies or a non-tech-savvy person, you may find it quite challenging to use ScraperAPI.

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Proxyium

With Proxium, you can easily access restricted digital platforms and websites anonymously. It optimizes your browsing speeds by automatically connecting you to the nearest server. You can easily connect to up to 8 countries, including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Singapore.

Proxium is user-friendly and hosted on a modern website, featuring accessibility options and contact details. While this tool does not have DNS leaks, it comes with WebRTC leaks because of its weak encryption. However, Proxium has no download limits, allowing you to use it anytime without worrying about data limits.

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Hide.me

Hide.me offers adequate security and privacy since it is a SOCKS proxy service from a reliable VPN service. It encrypts your web traffic with HTTPS and unblocks websites like Google, Instagram, and Facebook. It also hides your IP address, making it hard for third parties to intercept your browser traffic.

This user-friendly free proxy service has a no-logs policy, ensuring it doesn’t store browsing history or data. In addition, it doesn’t require you to download an app. You simply open hide.me’s website, type the URL of the website you intend to visit, and click “Go.”

While you may not be able to access some websites with this free proxy, it allows you to tweak your location to Germany, the Netherlands, or Finland, depending on the IP address you need at the time.

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VPNBook

VPNBook is like a proxy browser that allows you to bypass geo-restrictions and access websites without downloading any app. This web proxy protects your online activities on websites that are not secure with SSL encryption. However, it cannot bypass government restrictions or strong geoblocks and firewalls.

In addition, VPNBook’s cluttered web interface is not helped by the disruptive ads. This proxy offers servers in Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom. It also allows users to set the proxy server option to “random” so that VPNBook can choose the best server location for optimal performance.

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PlainProxies

This web proxy is another reliable tool for web scraping because it has strong web scraping APIs and a solid proxy infrastructure. Users can access its proxy servers in over 50 countries, but those with a free plan cannot access IP address options. Consequently, PlainProxies randomly connects users to different servers, but they can’t choose their preferred proxy server location.

Users can enjoy the benefits of using PlainProxies including ad-free browsing. In addition, this software does not have any rate limits, which ensures you can enjoy your internet experience without any worries about DNS requests or bandwidth limits.

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ProxySite

If you want a US IP address, ProxySite should be your first choice. You can access 20 servers from the United States, but they are labeled from 1 to 20, so you can’t identify the exact city you’re connecting to. Consequently, you may get a distant server and experience slow Internet speed.

This web proxy also has servers in Canada, Belgium, and France. You can also choose servers and test them to find one that performs optimally. ProxySite is easy to use; you don’t need to download an app. All you have to do is type the link to the site you want to visit on this free proxy site and click “Go.” 

However, this tool has a private logging policy. As such, it logs some of your data, including your IP address, but automatically deletes it after 14 days.

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FilterBypass

FilterBypass offers users various features, including AES-256 GCM encryption and Google Chrome and Firefox browser extensions. It also has servers in Europe and the United States. This advanced web proxy ensures that your browsing data stays secure while safeguarding your online privacy and identity, especially when visiting websites that aren’t secured with SSL.

This web proxy also allows users to bypass firewalls and access restricted social media platforms. However, it doesn’t encrypt all browser traffic, but only traffic to specific sites. In addition, you cannot choose your proxy server, so you can’t control where your traffic is routed. You only need to specify the domain you intend to proxy, and FilterBypass will route your traffic through a random server designed to bypass restrictions.

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Steganos Proxy

Steganos Proxy is a reliable proxy site that allows you to hide your IP address and browse anonymously for free. With this tool, you can unblock restricted websites and access content in Europe and the United States. It offers IP addresses in the United States, France, Germany, and Spain.

However, Steganos Proxy is not encrypted, making it difficult to unblock streaming services. That’s why these sites often identify your actual location and block your connection. In addition, the website’s large number of service ads clutters the user interface. This software does not leak your DNS requests but may have WebRTC leaks.

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Kproxy

Kproxy is a web proxy, suitable for people who use proxy sites often. It comes with browser extensions for multiple devices and allows users to easily reroute their traffic. This tool also helps you gain access to firewall-restricted devices.

Kproxy’s extensions also provide encrypted connections between a browser and target server, allowing for a secure and private internet experience.

It is essential to note that you may be unable to access some geo-restricted sites with this proxy. Additionally, if you get a distant server, you may experience server overloads and slow speeds.

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IPRoyal

IPRoyal is a popular web proxy with an extensive IP bank. This tool offers various proxy solutions, including datacenter, residential, sneaker, and 3G/4G/5G mobile proxies. With IPRoyal, you get a list of proxies, often updated every 10 minutes. You will find a wide range of HTTPS, HTTP, or SOCKS proxies on the list, carefully tested, selected, and located in various countries. You can connect to multiple proxies at the same time.

Additionally, IPRoyal provides live chat and email assistance around the clock, which is unusual for a free service. The company also offers a free trial of its services, which involve proxy options such as residential and datacenter.

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4EverProxy

4EverProxy has an extensive server bank. It gives users access to countries including Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Singapore. Users can also choose city-level server locations, including New York, Las Vegas, and Virginia. This tool can also enable or disable website cookies.

With 4EverProxy, your data is protected because this program has a DNS service that secures your data from leaks. Additionally, it claims that it doesn’t store any network metadata when using its proxy to access websites.

However, this software has many annoying ads and does not work well with ad blockers. It doesn’t unblock some sites. Users have complained that when they tried to access YouTube, it redirected them to a different site where they had to input the YouTube URL again.

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How we curated this list?

We curated the 15 best free proxies by considering several necessary qualities. Here are some of them to help you choose a reliable proxy website:

• Privacy and security features: Choose a proxy site that uses the highest encryption available, like AES 256-bit.
• Server location: A proxy website must have a range of available servers, preferably in regions where geo-restricted platforms and websites are available.
• Zero logs policy: A free web proxy that doesn’t store browsing history or data is helpful and reliable.
• Reliability and speed: Pick a free proxy site that won’t reduce your connection speed and guarantees a high uptime to ensure access at any time.
• Usage limits: A proxy site with no usage limitations or one with usage limits tailored to your personal requirements is a must-have. For instance, if you intend to send large files, use a proxy that has no file size restrictions. Additionally, if you’re making a lot of online queries, use a free proxy that has no daily request limit. 

What is a proxy server?

A proxy server is a secure middleman between you and the websites you frequently visit. When you browse a website, your device transmits a request to a specific web server that stores, processes and sends web pages to end users. As such, proxies serve as intermediaries between you and any web pages you want to access. In other words, they “converse” with the internet without requiring your devices to do so.

When to use a free proxy site

A free proxy service becomes necessary to use the Internet anonymously, bypass geo-restrictions, and access content on a secure or private network. A free proxy site is often effective in helping users access unavailable or restricted social media platforms or webpages on home WiFi. 

On the other hand, it is not advisable to use a free web proxy on unsecured networks or in countries where VPNs and anonymizers are illegal. Since a proxy website’s weak encryption, you do not have maximum protection against cyberattacks or government surveillance. Therefore, consider a VPN for a private and secure internet experience. 

Pros and cons of using free proxies

Here are the major advantages and disadvantages of using free proxy service providers:

Proxy sites you should avoid

While creating the list of the best free proxy websites, we discovered proxy sites that don’t work well and could be unsafe to use. For this reason, we have listed some of them and why you should avoid them when choosing a new proxy.

Megaproxy

Megaproxy is on our list of proxies to avoid because it features an outdated design and is not user-friendly, making it challenging for users to navigate the site. In addition, it logs your real IP address and imposes a webpage limit.

As a result, this proxy doesn’t guarantee adequate online protection when you browse the internet. During our tests, we found that Megaproxy is slow and does not unblock most URLs, thereby defeating its purpose.

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What’s the difference between a VPN and a web proxy?

While VPNs and web proxies are a bit similar, they function differently. The table below compares both tools and explains how VPNs and proxy websites differ.

Feature	VPN Service	Web Proxy
Logging policy	Varies by VPN provider	Mostly logs your IP address
Price	Usually paid	Usually free
Ease of use	Requires installation	Requires no installation
Encryption	AES-256/ChaCha20	No encryption or HTTPS
Speed	Often varies	Often fast, but varies
Customer service	Email or live chat support	Rare
Streaming	Compatible with streaming services	Unable to stream content
Coverage	Reroutes your devices’ traffic	Reroutes your browser traffic

Alternatives to proxy sites

Web proxies are an excellent solution for hiding your IP address, unblocking websites, and browsing anonymously. However, for maximum privacy and security on the internet and bypassing geo-restrictions, consider the following options:

• Tor Browser: This software is an open-source web browser designed for anonymity. It routes your web traffic across three nodes, each of which adds an additional layer of encryption. However, it requires you to install additional software and can dramatically reduce surfing performance.
• SOCKS5 Proxy: This is a widely used proxy that may be configured to work with specific apps, like torrent clients. SOCKS5 proxies can also be configured to work with VPN software and encryption protocols. 
• Virtual Private Network: A VPN is a tool that establishes an encrypted connection between your device and a remote and secure server. With a VPN, you can spoof your connection and unblock geo-restricted streaming platforms like Netflix and Hulu. VPNs must be installed on a device and typically require users to subscribe.

How to stay safe while using a free proxy server

Since it is no secret that free proxies come with major security and privacy risks, here are some quick tips to help you stay safe on the internet when using these tools:

• Choose reliable providers: Well-known service providers are usually safer because they have a reputation to protect. Opt for reliable proxy servers with good reputations.
• Use HTTPS proxies: Whenever you can, use HTTPS proxies because they encrypt your data, making it more difficult for hackers to compromise your connection or access your information.
• Review privacy policies: It is necessary to carefully read the proxy server’s privacy policy. Using a proxy that isn’t transparent about how it uses your data would be risky.
• Use a firewall and antivirus: Installing a strong firewall and antivirus software will considerably protect you from hackers and malware while using a proxy server.
• Keep your apps updated: Frequently update your browser, operating system, and other security applications to avoid using vulnerable free proxy servers.
• Avoid making sensitive transactions with proxies: To reduce the danger of stolen data, do not use free proxies for online banking or shopping. Additionally, avoid disclosing any personal information while using proxies.
• Try a VPN: A reliable VPN service like NordVPN guarantees internet privacy and security because It encrypts your whole connection and never saves any personal information. So, if you can, consider this tool.

Is it legal to use a proxy site?

It is generally legal to use a proxy site as long as you comply with local laws. However, since some free proxy servers are often used for malicious purposes, like storing data, it is advisable to use only reliable and safe proxy servers. 

In addition, ensure that you don’t breach any terms of use on the service provider you use, especially while trying to access geo-restricted content. If you use a proxy website for illegal purposes, you could face legal consequences.

FAQs