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Three Reasons You Might Reconsider Getting a Free Proxy Server for Web Scraping

· 13 min read
ScrapingAnt Team

Three Reasons You Might Reconsider Getting a Free Proxy Server for Web Scraping

When we hear free things, each one of us will tend to be interested. Free things are good. They can be outstanding significantly if they will save you money that you probably are not ready to spend. However, some of these free things may have a risk attached to the package. Our free proxies are not an exception.

We offer free proxies for web scraping. These proxies are good, but why settle for good when you can get so much more at a pocket-friendly price.

What is The Use of Proxy Server?

Essentially, a proxy server is the in-between server of the site you are trying to visit and yourself as an internet user — the proxy server requests on behalf of you when you visit the internet and search for something. Proxy servers help in upgrading your browsing experience.

The functions of a proxy server include:

  • They offer security. These proxy servers change the IP address of a user, making them anonymous. Therefore, making it difficult for a hacker to locate a device on a specific network. Also, if the person using the network doesn't want anyone to know their true location, they can hide with a proxy server
  • Proxy servers block and filter content by ensuring that their outgoing traffic does not land on sites that are not safe. Although, savvy users can compromise this with their proxy servers
  • They block access to websites that are inappropriate or distracting. Some organizations use proxy to prevent their employees from accessing sites contrary to the organizing principles.
  • Proxies can help reduce latency by caching websites. With proxy, you will be able to access websites faster
  • They host a firewall that protects your network from external threats. Firewalls prevent the installation of malware onto your system

How to Get a Proxy

There are two types of proxy: hardware and software. The hardware version connects your network and the internet. Their function is to receive and send information from the Web.

Software proxies either inhabit the web cloud or a provider hosts them. To facilitate the interaction of the computer and the proxy, you install an app on the computer.

Software proxies can be paid for monthly or can be gotten free. Like we offer free proxies. However, there are restrictions with the free proxies.

Benefits of Our Free Proxy

There are two benefits of using free proxies:

  • You do not need money to hide who you are when using the internet
  • They are readily available, and anyone can use them

If you need free proxies, you can reach out to us here. And we will gladly serve you.

Web Scraping

Web scraping is the practice of acquiring or extracting data from websites. Web scraping allows one to get as much information and they may need without enduring the trouble of doing it manually.

Web scraping is essential because it helps ease the burden of extracting data. A good example is when a website has restrictions on acquiring data, such as copy-pasting or downloading a video or a picture. In such an instance, web scraping works as perfectly for this.

Web scraping is also essential in: market research, price intelligence, lead generation, brand monitoring, etc.

Why Use Proxies for Web Scraping

If you know what web scraping is, you know that you need either software or a written code for that process to run smoothly.

Our proxy services improve data output and the effectiveness of your web scraping.

Benefits of using proxies for your web scraper

  • Proxies allow reliable scuttling of your website. Reducing any chances of being banned or blocked
  • Proxies allow you to use a specific geographical location, and this is very important when scarping data, especially from online retailers
  • With Proxy, you can make several requests to a website without getting blocked or banned
  • A proxy permits you to make unrestricted parallel sessions to either the same website or a different one

The Risks of Using Free Proxies

As tempting as the benefits of using proxies, maybe there are risks that follow. These cons may discourage you from going the freeway.

These risks are:

  • Security. Since these services are free, the protection may not be of high quality. Meaning that your computer is susceptible to hacking, malware, and cyber-attacks leading to damage and theft of information.
  • Slow speed. Most people choose a free proxy. The saturation may lead to slow internet connections, which is not a problem if you do not use it often. If you do use the internet frequently, the speed could be frustrating.
  • A good percentage of free proxies do not use HTTPS, which could leave you prone to attacks.
  • The overcrowding of the service means that the service is at times unstable, and you may go offline from time to time.
  • Poor service configuration may lead to an open proxy on your computer without a service provider's knowledge. The frequency at which this happens may shock you.
  • The service may crash at any time. Many people try to get these free services. Hence, when overused, the servers crash.
  • Most free proxies depend on the advertisement. That is in two ways, one, through a different page when you connect, two, by injecting an ad into your page. Some of these ads may introduce malware.

Before settling for free proxies, you should be able to pay for a service provider that you can trust. Our service proxy is safe.

If possible, we would advise opting for a different method other than the free proxy. This way, your data will be more secure, and you won't have to keep changing from one proxy server to another, and you won't have to handle headless browsers.

We have a better option for Web scraping API over 50,000+ high-quality proxies worldwide that will serve you better.

Web Scraping API

What is an API, you ask? API stands for an application programming interface.

An API is anything that performs a crossing point to the outside world or external program. API processes provide access to the information in an operating system or other services.

Examples of an API are things like Facebook and Google. These companies create an API and have allowed other developers to access it and create whatever they want. Such as an app.

Since we already know what web scraping is, and now we know what an API is. What is Web scraping API? A web scraping API, also known as WSAPI, is a web interface that extracts data. With web scraping API, you can access website data. WSAPI enables companies and organizations to spread out their existing systems and services that support mobile applications and developers, coming up with new business channels and ensuring that partners have integrated better.

API does not extract data. Therefore, it only allows access to that data, making data extraction tedious if you have no tool for converting the raw data into information. For experienced programmers, this is easy, but for anyone without much idea, they might have a hard time conceptualizing this concept. We come in and offer web scraping API services when you face such difficulties.

When you consult with us at ScrapingAnt, we create a web scraping API for you, allowing you to access data and extract that data efficiently easily. We have a straightforward process to follow for you to get the service.

Importance of Web Scraping API

Why would we recommend web scraping API? Well, here are some of the reasons:

  • Web scraping API provides spotless and well-arranged data from present websites. Therefore assisting disparate systems in indulging in the data easily
  • It is easy to observe, transform and regulate the data exposed through web scraping APIs
  • Developers in-corporate website changes without touching the mining logic when moving them to configurations, because of the essential design of Web scraping APIs
  • The market share expands. Revealing of data available in websites of different business partners will lead to the opening up of new channels and expansion of the market share
  • Through scraping an organization or company access refreshed and reorganized and upgraded data through scraped API's

Uses of Web Scraping API

  • Get images of products and specific documents that are complex to access
  • Extract the online pricing information and use it on your online shop
  • Collect bookings for any resort, restaurants, hotels, or places that you could visit
  • Bring up-to-date on internal systems with the latest exchange rates and how the stock market is running. May help on data about forex, cryptocurrency, and the likes

The Features of Web Scraping API

  • Easy development of routes
  • Intelligent agent and test-driven development
  • Custom token
  • Data caching strategy
  • Identifies any form of change in a website and alerts the shareholders
  • Planned data mining

The basics of Web Scraping API that we offer

  • We are offering reliability
  • The API will be safe and well-documented
  • With our over fifty thousand high-quality proxies, we create a gateway that's a proxy, and that helps in the management of the number of requests
  • We will offer high quality, convenient, and readily available services
  • Successful mobile app strategy
  • Easy setups for developers
  • Data cache strategy

Benefits of choosing us for Web Scraping API

Web scraping API benefits its users in so many positive ways. The following are some of the main advantages.

It is easy to be incorporated

It is effortless to integrate an API into a developer's application. This feature is what makes it very appealing. You can call us or go through our website to get it and see how easy it can be. You do not even need to be a master programmer or to understand coding intensely. All you need is a set of identifications and an elementary understanding of the API papers. After this, you can now dive into the parts that you find interesting.

Built-in Solutions

Another significant advantage of Web scraping APIs is this one. The tools have inbuilt solutions, an easily noticeable benefit. They assist you to triumph over some complicated problems you may face by offering you JavaScript interpretation, a variety of proxies, convention headers, IP rotations, and many more features.

Customization

You do not want to be stuck with something bland and a cliché. The good thing with a web scraping API is that it gives you permission to customize or personalize it and maximize its competencies. It ensures that you realize its full potential to attain all of your scraping goals by using every feature at your disposal.

Saves on Time

They say that time is money. We know that time is the most valuable resource one could ever have. If you share the same sentiments, you understand that Web scraping API is just what you require. The process is concise, so you will worry less about constructing, downloading, and installing it after you are done with the integration process and have followed all the start steps. What is left for you to do is to start scraping. As simple as that, you will have saved a lot of time and therefore saved yourself equal amounts of frustrations.

Cost-Effective

Time is valuable. Money, too, is a valuable source. Something that can save you both money and time is a precious tool you should consider. Choosing us to get you a web scraping API is going to save you a lot of money. Settling for a free proxy can be costly differently, but agreeing with our affordable, high-quality Proxy will save you from a lot of hustle. APIs are not always a cheaper solution. Even so, they are not the most expensive. In weigh of the benefits they provide to you, we could say it is. What determines prices is the number of API calls you make every month and the amount of bandwidth you need. What makes API worthwhile is the return on investment. The output encourages you to even invest further in Web scraping API.

The Speed

If anything, no one wants to tolerate a slow network. It can be very tiring to the mind and may lead to unnecessary frustrations. Imagine the work that you usually do in weeks or even months did within hours. Web scraping API is fast and easy to develop. This speed could save you a lot of time and, therefore, a lot of money.

Accuracy

Our web scraping solutions help you get the most accurate and fast results extracted. The data collected is correct and precise. There's no wrong information disbanded.

Reliability

You can rely on the effectiveness and accuracy in the extraction of data.

Security

These Web scraping API's are very secure, and therefore data is protected from any risk such as malware or hacking attacks.

Other cons not mentioned are how innovative these tools are, their ability for easy monitoring and monetization. These and many more are what make Web scraping APIs famous. The advantages outdo the disadvantages. When you weigh the options, you realize you are better off settling for a Web scraping API.

If you need these solutions and want to join the happy clients who are enjoying web scraping API, you can reach out to us at support@scrapingant.com.

Cons of Web Scraping API

It would be misinformation not to mention the cons of this solution. Like every good thing, there is a flip side to it. The disadvantages may not be adverse, but they exist. We've found out only one:

Learning Curve

Learning how to use an API may be one of the drawbacks of this tool. There's no assurance that you can start using API without learning and assume it will automatically work correctly. An API's lightness or difficulty depends on how complex the documentation is. If the document is not there, then it might take a little bit longer for you to learn how to use the API.

ScrapingAnt Web Scraping API

I know that by now, you are pretty aware of proxies and their role in web scraping. The free which we offer on our website are equally good. Nevertheless, they have their share of disadvantages and risks that may lead to losses. As the saying goes, cheap is expensive. Our high-quality, not accessible, but affordable Web scraping API is here to help you take away worries that come with data extraction, data mining, data installation, and data storage.

If you are looking for a place to source the best high-quality Web scraping API tools, reach out to us.

Forget about getting blocked while scraping the Web

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