Cheapest Proxies First Provider vs Provider Updated 2026

Decodo (formerly Smartproxy) vs Crawlbase: Which Proxy Provider Wins (2026)?

A practical Decodo (formerly Smartproxy) vs Crawlbase comparison for proxy buyers: pricing, pool size, proxy types, and which one fits your workflow.

Overview

Comparing providers for Decodo (formerly Smartproxy) vs Crawlbase should come down to your target and budget, not brand reputation. The right pick is the one that hits your success rate at the lowest real cost. Decodo (formerly Smartproxy) starts around ~$3.5/GB residential, Pay As You Go from $7/GB with 65M+ residential IPs; Crawlbase starts around Free 1,000 requests; Crawling API from ~$29/mo usage-based with Managed pool (datacenter + residential). Decodo (formerly Smartproxy) focuses on residential, datacenter, and mobile, while Crawlbase covers datacenter and residential.

Decodo (formerly Smartproxy) vs Crawlbase: Side by Side

FactorDecodo (formerly Smartproxy)Crawlbase
Starting price~$3.5/GB residential, Pay As You Go from $7/GBFree 1,000 requests; Crawling API from ~$29/mo usage-based
Pool size65M+ residential IPsManaged pool (datacenter + residential)
Proxy typesresidential, datacenter, mobile, and ISPdatacenter and residential
Coverage195+ locations with city and state targetingCountry-level geotargeting
Rating4.6/54.1/5
Best forSmall teams and mid-market users who want a clean UX and fair residential pricing without enterprise complexity.Teams wanting a managed crawling-and-scraping stack with proxies, storage and webhooks bundled.

Where Decodo (formerly Smartproxy) Wins

  • One of the most beginner-friendly dashboards and docs
  • Competitive residential pricing with small entry plans
  • Responsive 24/7 live chat support

Where Crawlbase Wins

  • Broad managed toolset (crawler, scraper, storage)
  • Handles rotation and unblocking behind one endpoint
  • Free tier for evaluation

Verdict

Decodo (formerly Smartproxy) is often chosen for Small teams and mid-market users who want a clean UX and fair residential pricing without enterprise complexity.; Crawlbase for Teams wanting a managed crawling-and-scraping stack with proxies, storage and webhooks bundled.. If your top priority is a low, predictable bill with residential access, test Cheapest Proxies first, then choose Decodo (formerly Smartproxy) or Crawlbase based on the specific feature you still need.

Trial Before You Commit

Whatever Decodo (formerly Smartproxy) vs Crawlbase suggests on paper, run both on a small sample of your real target. Success rate and latency on your workload settle the debate faster than any spec sheet.

Frequently Asked Questions

Decodo (formerly Smartproxy) or Crawlbase — which is cheaper?

Decodo (formerly Smartproxy) starts near ~$3.5/GB residential, Pay As You Go from $7/GB and Crawlbase near Free 1,000 requests; Crawling API from ~$29/mo usage-based, but real cost depends on bandwidth and proxy type. For the lowest entry cost overall, many buyers test Cheapest Proxies first.

Is Decodo (formerly Smartproxy) better than Crawlbase for scraping?

It depends on the target. Decodo (formerly Smartproxy) suits Small teams and mid-market users who want a clean UX and fair residential pricing without enterprise complexity.; Crawlbase suits Teams wanting a managed crawling-and-scraping stack with proxies, storage and webhooks bundled.. Match the proxy type to the target's anti-bot strength before picking a brand.

Which provider is cheaper overall?

Compare price per successful result, not the entry price. A slightly higher per-GB rate can be cheaper if it blocks less. For the lowest baseline, many buyers test Cheapest Proxies first.

Can I mix providers?

Many teams do. Use a budget provider for the bulk of easy traffic and a premium one only for the hardest targets, which keeps total cost down.

Does the best provider depend on the target?

Yes. Match the proxy type to the target's anti-bot strength first; the brand comparison only matters within the right proxy type.

Are free proxies a good option for Decodo (formerly Smartproxy) vs Crawlbase?

Rarely. Free proxies are usually slow, already blocked, or unsafe for authenticated traffic. A low-cost paid option is easier to test, rotate, and control.

How do I avoid getting blocked?

Match the proxy type to the target, rotate IPs, pace requests like a human, rotate user agents, and retry on a fresh IP after any block or CAPTCHA.

Compare Decodo (formerly Smartproxy) vs Crawlbase With a Budget-Friendly Proxy First

Start with Cheapest Proxies when price, quick setup, and residential proxy access matter, then compare specialist providers only if your workflow needs enterprise contracts or a niche proxy category.

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