Since its launch in 2016, TikTok has grown into one of the most popular social media platforms and apps in the world. As of 2023, TikTok has over 1.7 billion monthly active users.
However, the social media app is facing increasing limits, restrictions, and bans on a global scale. A growing list of countries have banned the use of TikTok on government phones largely due to cybersecurity and privacy concerns.
If you're a business that relies on collecting data from social media sites like TikTok, you need continuous access to the app. And that's where proxies come in. In this post, we'll look at the 7 best TikTok proxy providers of 2023
The 7 Best TikTok proxies of 2023
1. SOAX
If your business heavily relies on TikTok, you might want to consider SOAX as your proxy provider.
SOAX is known for offering a variety of proxies, including residential, mobile, and ISP proxies, all with support for the SOCKS5 protocol.
Where SOAX truly shines is in its commitment to ethical proxies. Every single IP address is ethically sourced, making it a reliable choice for professional users seeking dependable and uninterrupted access to TikTok.
Key Features
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A proxy pool of over 8M+ IPs
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Pricing starts at $99 for 15GB residential traffic ($6.60/GB)
Pros
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Business-friendly flexible pricing plans
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Extensive filtering options for targeting and custom rotation
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Exceptional customer support
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High-quality proxies
Cons
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No pay-as-you-go option
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No free trial due to security reasons
NetNut
NetNut is a prominent player in the proxy service industry, offering a suite of residential, mobile, and datacenter proxies. Their standout product is their datacenter proxy network, which is, however, only accessible within the US.
While NetNut provides a comprehensive service within the US, its scope is limited to this region. This could pose a challenge for businesses in need of a global reach.
Key Features
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Proxy pool: Over 52 million IPs
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Coverage: 82 countries
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Pricing: Starts at $300 for 15GB of residential traffic (equivalent to $20/GB)
Pros
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Extensive selection of IPs in the US and Canada
Cons
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Limited global coverage
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On the pricier side
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Basic email support only available for cheaper plans
Shifter
Formerly known as Microleaves, Shifter is one of the most seasoned proxy service providers on the Internet. Shifter's primary product is residential proxies - perfect for circumventing geo-restrictions and for web scraping tasks.
Shifter is a good choice for experienced users or those requiring bulk proxies. It's a cost-effective alternative, but some users have reported performance issues. Hence, it's a trade-off between cost and quality.
Key Features
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Proxy pool: Over 50 million IPs
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Coverage: 186 countries
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Pricing: $99.98 for 200GB of traffic limited to 5 basic proxies (equivalent to $0.50/GB)
Pros
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24/7 customer support
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Unlimited sessions
Cons
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Inconsistent proxy performance
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Limited session control
Smartproxy
Next, we have Smartproxy, a service that's particularly beginner-friendly. Offering the same variety of proxies as other companies, it also provides dedicated datacenter proxies for exclusive use, ensuring optimal speed and performance.
Key Features
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A Proxy pool of over 55M+ IPs
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Global coverage
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Pricing starts from $14 for 2GB of residential traffic ($7/GB)
Pros
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Excellent option for beginners
Cons
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No free trial is offered
Bright Data
Bright Data, formerly known as Luminati Networks, is a heavyweight in the proxy service industry. It boasts a diverse range of proxy types: residential, mobile, datacenter, and ISP.
BrightData's extensive service offerings and large scale make it a leading choice. However, it's also one of the more expensive options on the market. Therefore, it caters to enterprises.
Key Features
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Proxy pool: Over 72 million IPs
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Coverage: Global
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Pricing: Starts from $500 for 62GB of residential traffic (equivalent to $8.04/GB)
Pros
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Pay-as-you-go model
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24/7 customer support
Cons
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Expensive
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Not ideal for beginners
IPRoyal
If you're a small user seeking an economical option for proxies, IPRoyal might be your best bet. Offering residential, mobile, and datacenter proxies, it's one of the most cost-effective services around. But remember, the cheapest option isn't always the best. It's important to weigh the potential trade-off in service quality against the cost-saving benefits.
Key Features
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Proxy pool: Over 8 million
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Locations: Accessible in 185 countries
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Pricing: $7 for 1GB of residential traffic
Pros
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Budget-friendly
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Round-the-clock support
Cons
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Some users have reported performance issues
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The proxies might not be of the highest quality
ProxyEmpire
Established in 2020, ProxyEmpire is a relatively new player in the proxy scene. Like IPRoyal, it provides residential, mobile, and datacenter proxies. However, it offers a pay-as-you-go plan, which, while convenient, can be costly per GB. So, before deciding on this service, consider if the price matches the value you're getting.
Key Features
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Proxy pool: A significant pool of over 25 million IPs
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Locations: Available in 147 countries
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Pricing: $40 for 3GB of residential traffic (equivalent to $13.3 per GB)
Pros
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Convenient pay-as-you-go option
Cons
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On the pricier side
Wait, What is a TikTok Proxy Again?
A TikTok proxy, much like other proxies, serves as a middleman between you and your desired website—in this case, TikTok.com. Think of it as a bridge your internet traffic uses to reach TikTok.
When you connect to TikTok via a proxy, your internet traffic gets rerouted through a proxy server. This server uses an IP address and geographic location that TikTok deems friendly.
So, even if your personal IP address or location is incompatible with TikTok, you can still access the platform by directing your traffic through the proxy server. It's similar to taking a detour around a roadblock.
To simplify, let's use an analogy. Imagine you need to mail a letter to a friend, but the postal service doesn't deliver to their area. So, instead of giving up, you send your letter to another friend who lives in a delivery-friendly area. They then forward your letter to the intended recipient.
That's pretty much how a TikTok proxy operates!
Why Should You Use One?
Having defined what a TikTok proxy is, let's delve into why you might consider using one.
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Access TikTok from Anywhere: Unfortunately, TikTok isn't globally accessible. Certain governments or internet service providers block access to it. A TikTok proxy helps you circumvent these barriers by making your traffic appear to originate from a TikTok-friendly location, allowing you to unblock TikTok and enjoy the app globally.
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Manage Multiple TikTok Accounts: If you're a digital marketer or social media manager handling multiple TikTok accounts for various clients or campaigns, using a proxy is advised. Without one, TikTok might flag your activities as suspicious, leading to account bans. A TikTok proxy enables you to manage multiple accounts smoothly, without raising any red flags.
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Scrape TikTok Data: If you're a researcher or business owner wishing to scrape TikTok data for insights, a TikTok proxy can be instrumental. It allows you to gather data without risking your IP address being blacklisted.
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Enhance Your Online Privacy: Lastly, a TikTok proxy enhances your online privacy. Your real IP address and location remain hidden when using a proxy, making it difficult for third parties to track your online activities.
Whether you're a digital marketer, a researcher, or a TikTok enthusiast, a TikTok proxy can unlock a plethora of possibilities
Understanding Different Proxy Types for TikTok
In your journey to TikTok automation or scraping, you'll inevitably bump into the task of choosing the right proxy type.
The main contenders in this field are residential, datacenter, mobile, shared, and dedicated proxies.
While they all serve the same purpose, their modus operandi varies. Understanding these differences is key to making an informed decision.
Residential proxies use IP addresses that originate from real devices and Internet Service Providers. They're essentially the IP addresses of everyday households, making them less suspicious to TikTok's security systems. However, their high cost, limited location availability, and scarcity can be restrictive.
Datacenter proxies utilize IP addresses that come from server-based data centers. These proxies are generally cheaper and faster than residential proxies, offering unlimited bandwidth and a wide choice of locations. But they're not without drawbacks.TikTok can easily detect data center proxies and block them due to their lack of association with a real user, and their quality can be somewhat lacking.
Mobile proxies, as the name suggests, employ IP addresses from mobile devices and cellular networks. Like residential proxies, they are of high quality and hard to detect. But they are typically very expensive, limited in location options, and offer restricted bandwidth.
Shared proxies can be used by multiple users simultaneously. While this makes them affordable and readily available, they fall short in terms of quality, reliability, and security.
Dedicated proxies are proxy servers for the exclusive use of a single user. They're reliable, secure, and exclusive, but can be expensive and if not chosen wisely, detectable by TikTok.
Residential proxies emerge as the top choice for TikTok owing to their genuine IPs, connected to real ISPs and devices.
This makes it difficult for TikTok to mark your script as a bot. In contrast, datacenter proxies can be easily flagged by anti-bot systems due to their server-assigned IPs and lack of pairing with legitimate users.
Evaluating Your TikTok Proxies
After selecting your TikTok proxies, it's crucial to assess their performance. Here are some useful tips to do so:
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Employ online proxy checkers or speed testers: These tools can gauge the speed, reliability, and security of your TikTok proxies, giving you a comprehensive understanding of their performance.
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Test with TikTok API or web scraping tools: These tools can confirm the compatibility and functionality of your TikTok proxies. This ensures that your proxies can handle what you need them to.
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Compare proxy providers and plans: Don't forget to contrast the results from different proxy providers and plans. This will guide you to the most suitable and cost-effective solution.
Remember, a high-performing proxy can significantly enhance your TikTok automation or scraping experience. So, invest time in testing your proxies and selecting the best fit.
Avoiding Common Pitfalls and Mistakes with TikTok Proxies
Harnessing the power of TikTok proxies can be a game-changer in managing multiple accounts or scraping data. However, this terrain is riddled with pitfalls that can impact your performance and security if not navigated with care. Let's take a closer look at these common missteps:
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Falling into the free proxy trap: While the allure of saving money is strong, opting for low-quality or free proxies can do more harm than good. These proxies are often sluggish, unreliable, and insecure, making them easy targets for TikTok's security systems.
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Overusing a single proxy: Using the same proxy for several accounts is a straight ticket to account bans. TikTok can detect multiple accounts springing from the same IP address and flag them as suspicious.
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Mismatched proxy locations: If your proxy's location doesn't align with your target audience, it can send alarm bells ringing for TikTok. Likewise, proxies from regions notorious for malicious activities can result in account suspension.
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Overlooking authentication or encryption: Proxies lacking username/password or IP authentication and SSL/TLS encryption leave your data exposed to interception.
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Ignoring TikTok’s terms of service: Whether you're using proxies or not, breaching TikTok's rules can lead to account suspension or banning.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Use Free Proxies for TikTok?
While it's technically feasible, free proxies come with their own set of hazards, including privacy risks and inconsistent performance. It's wiser to invest in premium proxies for a seamless experience.
How Can I Avoid a Ban While Using Proxies?
Opting for rotating proxies and top-tier proxies from trusted providers can notably lower ban risks. Also, avoid spamming and always stick to TikTok’s guidelines.
