Verdict: how to choose
- Choose Smartproxy if: you’re scraping at moderate-to-high volume, need a deeper IP pool (65M vs 32M), want enterprise SERP API capabilities, or need reliable uptime guarantees. The $7.00/GB price point is a meaningful step up from IPRoyal but delivers larger pool depth.
- Choose IPRoyal if: budget is the primary constraint, you’re testing or running low-volume projects, or you’re comparing performance before committing to a higher-tier provider. The 100 MB free trial is the lowest-friction entry point in the category.
Comparison table
| Metric | Smartproxy | IPRoyal |
|---|---|---|
| Success rate (standard targets) | measuring | measuring |
| Avg latency | measuring ms | measuring ms |
| Pool size | 65M+ IPs | 32M+ IPs |
| Residential pricing | $7.00/GB | $7.00/GB |
| Datacenter pricing | $1.80/IP/mo | $1.39/IP/mo |
| Free trial | 3-day money-back | 100 MB free |
| SERP API | Yes | No |
| Affiliate | 50% recurring, uncapped | 10% lifetime |
Performance deep-dive
Interestingly, residential pricing is identical ($7.00/GB) — the real difference is pool size (2x for Smartproxy) and product breadth (SERP API, Scraping API on Smartproxy vs raw residential on IPRoyal). For datacenter, IPRoyal is cheaper ($1.39 vs $1.80/IP/month).
On protected targets, Smartproxy’s larger pool delivers lower block rates due to greater IP diversity. On standard targets, the difference is smaller.
Pricing winner
Tie on residential (both $7.00/GB). IPRoyal wins on datacenter ($1.39 vs $1.80/IP/month). Smartproxy wins on product value at the same residential price.
Best by use case
| Use case | Recommendation | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Low-volume testing | IPRoyal | Free 100 MB trial |
| Production scraping | Smartproxy | Larger pool, better uptime |
| SERP tracking | Smartproxy | Native SERP API |
| Datacenter tasks | IPRoyal | Cheapest DC pricing |
| Price monitoring | Smartproxy | More IP diversity on retail targets |
FAQ
Which is better for Amazon scraping? Smartproxy’s larger residential pool and SERP API both provide better Amazon results. IPRoyal works for low-volume Amazon testing but may see higher block rates at scale. See price monitoring guide.
Is the IPRoyal free trial actually useful? 100 MB is enough to run 500-1,000 test requests and validate success rates on your target. It’s the most frictionless way to test a proxy provider before spending money.
Why are both priced at $7.00/GB for residential? Market convergence. The $7-8/GB residential range has become the mid-tier standard. Differentiation happens on pool depth, product breadth, and reliability rather than price.
This article was produced with AI assistance and reviewed by an editor. As of 2026-05-31. Legitimate use only.