--- title: "Proxy Guides: Residential, Datacenter, ISP, SOCKS5 and More" description: "Plain answers to the questions people ask before buying proxies: residential vs datacenter, rotating vs static, ISP vs residential, SOCKS5 vs HTTP, and…" url: "https://serpproxies.com/guides" --- Guides # Proxy Guides Straight answers to the questions people ask before they buy proxies — each with a comparison table and the products it applies to. [Claim the free trial](https://app.serpproxies.com/sign-up?product=residential) [Browse guides](#guides) 6 guides ## Start with a question - [Residential vs Datacenter Proxies Residential proxies look like real home users; datacenter proxies are faster and cheaper but easier to detect. How they differ in trust, speed, price and billing, and which to use for which job.](https://serpproxies.com/guides/residential-vs-datacenter-proxies) - [What Is a Residential Proxy? A residential proxy routes your requests through a real home internet connection, so websites see an ordinary visitor. How it works, where the IPs come from, why consent matters and what it's used for.](https://serpproxies.com/guides/what-is-a-residential-proxy) - [Rotating vs Static Proxies Rotating proxies change IP on every request or after a set time; static proxies keep one IP for days or months. How each works, sticky sessions in between, and which fits scraping, accounts and checkouts.](https://serpproxies.com/guides/rotating-vs-static-proxies) - [SOCKS5 vs HTTP Proxies HTTP proxies understand web traffic; SOCKS5 proxies forward any TCP or UDP connection. How they differ in protocol support, UDP, DNS resolution, authentication and speed — and when to use each.](https://serpproxies.com/guides/socks5-vs-http-proxy) - [Are Proxies Legal? Using a proxy is legal in most countries; what you do through it is what counts. The main legal questions — computer-misuse law, website terms, personal data and local restrictions — with the court decisions behind them.](https://serpproxies.com/guides/are-proxies-legal) - [ISP Proxies vs Residential Proxies ISP proxies are residential-registered IPs hosted in datacenters: fixed, fast and billed per IP. Residential proxies rotate through real homes and bill per GB. How they compare and which to use.](https://serpproxies.com/guides/isp-vs-residential-proxies) Free trial ## Learn by doing — the trial is free Up to 2 GB of residential traffic with no card. Every guide here works on it. [Claim the free trial](https://app.serpproxies.com/sign-up?product=residential) ## SerpProxies is for teams that move. Make your move. [Get Started](https://app.serpproxies.com/sign-up) [Claim Free Trial](https://app.serpproxies.com/sign-up)