Disclosure: This article is sponsored by Proxy-Seller and was drafted with AI assistance and edited by a human author. Benchmarks are real (10,000-request test, May 2026). The promo code SPINOV15 below gives readers a 15% discount; the author has no commission on signups. Residential vs. Datacenter Proxies: Which Should You Use for Web Scraping in 2026? A data-driven comparison with real benchmarks, use cases, and code examples to help you choose the right proxy type for your scraping project. Introduction Every web scraping project hits the same question: which proxy type should I use? Pick wrong and you'll burn through budget on proxies that get blocked instantly — or overpay for premium IPs on sites that don't even check. The difference between residential and datacenter proxies isn't just price. It's the difference between a scraper that runs for months and one that dies in hours. I've tested both types across 50+ websites, from unprotected blogs to heavily guarded e-commerce platforms.…