Ever grappled with digital roadblocks while surfing the internet or struggled to maintain online privacy? Enter the realm of proxy browsers – tools designed to bypass restrictions and guard your anonymity. By disguising your IP address and directing your traffic through an intermediary server, proxy browsers not only give you the key to unlock restricted content but also offer a significant layer of privacy in a world increasingly aware of data security.

In this comprehensive guide, we’re setting our sights on the best proxy browsers of 2023. From those offering the highest level of encryption (or at least as much as a proxy browser can offer) to those excelling in user-friendly interfaces, we’ll highlight the services that are taking the lead in offering free and unimpeded access to the web. 

Related links:

• Proxy browsers for iPhone and iOS users
• Proxy browsers for Android users

Sounds good?

Let’s jump right in.

Key Takeaways

• Epic Privacy Browser: Best for VPN-like functionality
• Bright Data Extension: Best for comprehensive solution
• Hide.me: Best for Free Web Proxy Version
• Tor Browser: Best for general online anonymity
• IPRoyal Extension: Best for managing proxies

Best Proxy Browsers: Side-by-side Comparison

Here’s a quick comparison of each provider:

Best Proxy Browsers for 2023

In this section, we’ll be looking at the top 5 proxy browsers for 2023. We’ve analyzed key details, features, and pricing to help you make the most informed decision for your specific needs. Whether your priority is privacy, access to geo-blocked content, or overall security, this review will guide you to find the best fit. Let’s dive into the specifics.

1. Bright Data Browser Extension

Bright Data is a well-known player in the world of data collection, offering a range of tools and services to cater to the varying needs of businesses and individuals, including those that can help users mask their own IP addresses. While they don’t have their own dedicated browser, they do have a handy browser extension. This Chrome add-on allows users to operate their proxies directly from their browser, similar to a VPN, making it easy for an encrypted connection, you can choose a location, and perform tasks like visiting websites or running searches. 

This extension stands out due to its high configurability, allowing for customizable DNS and user-agent settings. Conveniently, users can let others use the extension without giving up their Bright Data login credentials, which helps when they need to collaborate.

For advanced needs, Bright Data has an open-source Proxy Manager that lets you automate and optimize proxy projects with features like rotating proxies, custom routing rules, and automatic failure handling. It’s important to note however that Bright Data’s pricing is higher than many competitors and the setup process can be a bit more complex, for the less tech-savvy.

Top Features

• Easily integrates with all major browsers 
• IP rotation with a simple click – straightforward to get going
• Overcome geographical limitations with wide location coverage
• Switch between any proxy type and protocol as needed

Pricing

If you want access to Bright Data’s proxy browser extension, you’re going to need to sign up for one of their plans.

Plans start with the “Pay As You Go” option, which is a flexible, commitment-free plan costing $15.00 per GB for residential proxies.

If you opt for the “Growth” plan at $500, you’ll pay less per GB for residential proxies, at $12.75, and you’ll have a traffic limit of 39 GB. An even better deal per GB is the “Business” plan, which costs $1000 and offers residential proxies at $11.25 per GB and a higher traffic limit of 88 GB.

Finally, for large-scale needs, Bright Data offers the “Enterprise” plan. This option provides unlimited scaling, a premium SLA, and a free Proxy Manager. The pricing for this plan is customized, so interested customers should contact Bright Data for a quote.

More plans are available for Datacenter, ISP, and mobile proxies.

Bright Data Pros

• Wide range of products in addition to their browser extension
• The extension lets Bright Data users change the location for manual data collection
• Easy to set up and use
• Supports browsing for residential, datacenter, and mobile IP
• Browse from any country
• Large IP pool
• Advanced Proxy manager 
• High proxy IP speeds (99.99% network uptime) and fast output
• 10% discount for annual plans

Bright Data Cons

• Must have a Bright Data account to use the browser extension
• Some of the features can be more technically complex, like the proxy manager
• Higher cost than competitors

At A Glance

2. Hide.Me Browser

Hide.Me offers a free web proxy browser that allows users to unblock and access any website they want with some level of security (not as much as their VPN, of course). Their proxy browser serves as an intermediate server between the user and the website they wish to browse, fetching the website, and making it accessible.

The service prides itself on its robust security, offering access-controlled servers that only they operate. Hide.Me doesn’t store IP addresses or logs. It’s easy to get started and they support everything from Windows and Mac to Smartphones and Apple TVs.

With over 25 million users worldwide, Hide.Me is a trusted name in the industry. Their commitment to zero logs, high server standards, and user-friendly applications make it a solid choice for anyone looking for a free service.

Top Features

• Free web proxy browser
• Easy to upgrade to their fast and more secure VPN product
• Options to allow cookies, encrypt the page, remove objects, Encrypt URL, and remove scripts

Pricing

Their proxy browser is free to use. 

If you want to upgrade to their VPN plans, they offer a free plan with 10 GB per month, 5 locations, 1 connection and no logs. The “Premium Plan” starts at $2.43 a month when buying for 39 months. This plan comes with unlimited data traffic, access to 79 locations / 21000 servers, 10 simultaneous connections and more. 

Hide.Me Pros

• Free proxy service that’s easy to use
• Free VPN
• No logs
• Locations in Finland, German, and the Netherlands

Hide.Me Cons

• No additional encryption
• Low level of security
• Slower connection

At A Glance

3. Tor Browser 

The Tor Browser, developed by the Tor Project, is a powerful tool for online privacy and freedom. It shields you from tracking and surveillance and bypasses censorship, allowing you to browse freely. Each website you visit is isolated, effectively blocking third-party trackers and ads, and automatically clearing cookies and browsing history once you’re done.

The Tor Browser is a great way to connect to the Tor Network, but users can also use the browser for any HTTPS sites. While it can be a bit sluggish, it’s a good option for general anonymity, and the best part – it’s open-source and completely free to use. 

Unlike most companies offering proxy servers and proxy web browsers, the Tor Browser doesn’t have a fixed IP pool size. Instead, it leverages the network of volunteer-operated servers (known as nodes or relays) that make up the Tor network.

Top Features

• Blocks trackers and cookies automatically clear
• Defends against surveillance
• Resists fingerprinting
• Multi-layered encryption

Pricing

Tor is a free web proxy service there are no paid versions.

Tor Browser Pros

• Free and open-sourced
• Focus on security and anonymity
• Supports multiple languages
• Big community

Tor Browser Cons

• Not available for Chrome OS
• Can be slower than other browsers
• Too many Captcha challenges

At A Glance

4. Epic Privacy Browser

Epic Privacy Browser is a security-focused web browser that protects users from online tracking techniques, like ads, trackers, fingerprinting, crypto mining, and ultrasound signaling. According to their website, they thwart over 600 tracking attempts in a typical browsing session. 

In addition to some nice privacy features, it Epic Privacy Browser offers improved speed, claiming to load webpages 25% faster than other browsers by blocking tracking scripts and ads. 

Epic’s built-in encrypted proxy provides additional privacy and you can access blocked websites. It’s powered by Chromium, ensuring solid performance and rendering. Every tab is processed separately for enhanced security, and it offers a free VPN service with servers in 8 countries for that added security, should you need it. 

It’s also a solid choice for users interested in accessing content that’s region-blocked, as the built-in VPN can often bypass such restrictions. And since Epic is built on Chromium, it’s also a good choice for those who like the interface and functionality of Google Chrome but want more privacy. 

Top Features

• WebRTC protection
• Free built-in VPN
• Blocks core browser privacy leaks
• No website address bar and url address tracking
• Installation and error tracking removed
• Many additional default privacy browser proxy settings
• Ad and tracker blocked
• Easy encrypted proxy turn-on
• Fingerprinting protection

Pricing

Free to download and use.

Epic Browser Pros

• Variety of privacy features and browser proxy settings
• Access blocked websites
• Free VPN servers in the US, Canada, Singapore, France, Germany, India, the Netherlands, and the UK
• Faster than some competitors

Epic Browser Cons

• Blocks some but not all fingerprinting techniques and scripts
• Default privacy settings only provide partial protection from tracking

At A Glance

5. IPRoyal Browser Extension

Similar to Bright Data, IPRoyal is a comprehensive web proxy service that provides a wide proxy network to individuals and businesses. These services are designed to enhance online privacy, bypass geographical restrictions, and circumvent IP blocks. 

They also offer a Google Chrome Proxy Manager extension, which is what we’ll focus on here. This tool isn’t a standalone proxy browser like Tor or Epic in the sections above, but a browser extension designed to manage and switch between proxies effortlessly within your existing browser. It lets users handle diverse proxies for each protocol, construct and manage profiles for smooth switching, and it’s compatible with proxies from any provider, not just their own. 

This makes the complex process of using and managing proxies a lot easier while ensuring users’ browsing activities are secure and private.

Top Features

• Simplified web proxy management
• Gets you around geo-restrictions and IP blocks
• Wide variety of proxy plans and proxy types, including residential, static residential, datacenter, sneaker, and mobile
• Create profiles for proxies and easily switch between them

Pricing

IPRoyal’s browser extension is free to use. 

When it comes to their proxy product pricing, they have one residential plan. How it works is you buy as much data as you need which gives you access to the pool of proxies. Pricing starts at $7 for 1 GB (with no expiration), with the price discounting significantly the more data you buy. So buying 100 GB’ll cost $455, coming out to $4.55 per GB. They also offer further bulk pricing for those who need more data (their website advertises $1.75 per GB, but this is only for bulk buying.)

IPRoyal Browser Extension Pros

• Free Proxy Manager extension
• Easily manage your proxies
• They offer their own proxies but you can use proxies from other providers
• Makes it easy to purchase and use their own proxies
• Affordable pricing for proxies

IPRoyal Browser Extension Cons

• Smaller IP Pool than some of their competitors, like Bright Data
• It’s only a tool to manage proxies and doesn’t come with its own privacy features

At A Glance

Summary

Proxy browsers can be incredibly useful tools, giving you enhanced privacy features that surpass those found in standard ‘incognito’ or ‘private’ browsing modes. But it’s important to remember that while these browsers are great for general browsing privacy, they don’t encrypt your data in the way that a VPN does. Nevertheless, for everyday browsing and enhanced privacy, proxy browsers are a great solution.

Bright Data’s extension (while not an actual proxy browser itself) excels in configurability and advanced features, though its complexity and cost might be prohibitive for some. 

Hide.Me’s browser is free and easy to use, but lacks more advanced security measures, if that’s what you’re going for. 

The Tor Browser is a strong contender for those who value privacy and anonymity above all else, despite being a bit slower. It’s especially useful when connecting to the Tor Network. 

Epic Privacy Browser offers robust security features and a built-in VPN while maintaining good speed and performance. 

Lastly, IPRoyal’s extension (also not an actual browser) simplifies proxy management and offers affordability. Each solution has its strengths and potential drawbacks, so ultimately you’ll have to decide which is best for you.

FAQs

Jessica Cotzin

Jessica Cotzin is a Senior Engineer at a global digital agency. She is also a freelance writer in the tech industry, offering insights into the ever-evolving digital landscape.

Related posts:

A Guide to the Best Proxy Browsers for Android A Guide to the Best Proxy Browsers to Unblock Websites A Guide to the Best Proxy Browsers for iPhone and iOS Users A Guide to the Best Rotating Proxies of 2023 A Guide to the Best Free Proxy Browsers (in 2024) A Guide to the Top Proxy Browser Extensions for Chrome in 2024