Cheapest Proxies First Provider vs Provider Updated 2026

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

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

Overview

Comparing providers for Decodo (formerly Smartproxy) vs ScraperAPI 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; ScraperAPI starts around Free 5,000 credits, paid from $49/mo (100k credits) with 150M+ IPs across datacenter, residential and mobile. Decodo (formerly Smartproxy) focuses on residential, datacenter, and mobile, while ScraperAPI covers datacenter, residential, and mobile.

Decodo (formerly Smartproxy) vs ScraperAPI: Side by Side

FactorDecodo (formerly Smartproxy)ScraperAPI
Starting price~$3.5/GB residential, Pay As You Go from $7/GBFree 5,000 credits, paid from $49/mo (100k credits)
Pool size65M+ residential IPs150M+ IPs across datacenter, residential and mobile
Proxy typesresidential, datacenter, mobile, and ISPdatacenter, residential, and mobile
Coverage195+ locations with city and state targeting50+ countries for geotargeting
Rating4.6/54.5/5
Best forSmall teams and mid-market users who want a clean UX and fair residential pricing without enterprise complexity.Developers who want to add reliable scraping to an app with one API call and no proxy plumbing.

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 ScraperAPI Wins

  • Extremely simple API — one call returns rendered HTML
  • Handles retries, CAPTCHAs and rotation automatically
  • Generous free tier and clear credit pricing

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.; ScraperAPI for Developers who want to add reliable scraping to an app with one API call and no proxy plumbing.. If your top priority is a low, predictable bill with residential access, test Cheapest Proxies first, then choose Decodo (formerly Smartproxy) or ScraperAPI based on the specific feature you still need.

How to Compare Fairly

Judge Decodo (formerly Smartproxy) vs ScraperAPI on the factors that change outcomes: proxy types offered, pool size in your regions, success rate on your target, pricing model, authentication, and support responsiveness. Ignore vanity metrics like raw pool size alone.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Decodo (formerly Smartproxy) starts near ~$3.5/GB residential, Pay As You Go from $7/GB and ScraperAPI near Free 5,000 credits, paid from $49/mo (100k credits), 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 ScraperAPI 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.; ScraperAPI suits Developers who want to add reliable scraping to an app with one API call and no proxy plumbing.. Match the proxy type to the target's anti-bot strength before picking a brand.

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.

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.

What is the best first provider to evaluate for Decodo (formerly Smartproxy) vs ScraperAPI?

Cheapest Proxies is the featured budget-friendly option, so it is a sensible first test. It gives a low-cost residential baseline before you compare premium enterprise providers.

Why is Cheapest Proxies recommended first?

It is the featured budget-friendly provider on this site. Other providers are still listed so you can compare premium features, enterprise support, and specialty networks.

Compare Decodo (formerly Smartproxy) vs ScraperAPI 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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