Basics
Beginner
8 min
What Are Proxies? Complete Beginner's Guide
Learn what proxies are, how they work, and why millions of people and businesses use them every day.
What is a Proxy Server?
A proxy server acts as an intermediary between your device and the internet. When you send a request through a proxy, it forwards your request to the target website using its own IP address, then sends the response back to you. This masks your original IP address and can provide anonymity, security, and access to geo-restricted content.
How Do Proxies Work?
When you connect through a proxy: 1) Your device sends a request to the proxy server, 2) The proxy server receives your request and forwards it to the target website, 3) The website sees the proxy's IP address instead of yours, 4) The proxy receives the response and sends it back to you. This process happens in milliseconds.
Why Use a Proxy?
Common reasons include: hiding your IP address for privacy, accessing geo-restricted content, web scraping without getting blocked, managing multiple social media accounts, verifying ads in different locations, and bypassing network restrictions.
Proxy vs VPN: What's the Difference?
While both mask your IP, proxies work at the application level (usually browser only), while VPNs encrypt all your device's traffic. Proxies are faster and better for specific tasks like scraping, while VPNs offer better security for personal use.