How to check proxies online
Three steps, up to 100 proxies per checkThe ProxyEmpire proxy checker tests every proxy on your list live, through the proxy and on to a website you choose. For each line it shows whether the proxy works, how fast it answered, and the country, IP and ISP behind it. It's free and there's nothing to sign up for. The protocol applies to the whole list, so check HTTP and SOCKS proxies in separate runs.
- Paste your proxiesOne proxy per line, up to 100 per check. Use IP:PORT for open proxies, or add the username and password for private ones (formats below).
- Pick protocol and targetChoose HTTP/HTTPS, SOCKS4 or SOCKS5 for the whole list. Then swap google.com for the site you actually use, such as a store or search engine.
- Check and exportResults fill in as each batch finishes. Export CSV saves proxy, status, response time, country, IP and ISP for your scripts or spreadsheet.
Supported proxy formats
Paste them exactly like this| Format | Example | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| IP:PORT | 203.0.113.10:8080 | Open proxies with no login |
| USER:PASS@IP:PORT | user:[email protected]:8080 | Private proxies, URL style |
| IP:PORT:USER:PASS | 203.0.113.10:8080:user:pass | Private proxies, list style |
| HOST:PORT | gate.example.com:7000:user:pass | Gateways with a hostname, with or without a login |
Leave off http:// and socks5://. Lines that start with a scheme, or have no port, come back as Invalid Format. Remove the prefix and choose the protocol from the menu instead.
Checking ProxyEmpire proxies? Copy the host, port, username and password from your dashboard into either private format. Location and session settings are part of the username, so keep the whole username on the line.
How to read your proxy check results
What each column tells you| Column | What it shows | What to look for |
|---|---|---|
| Status | Working, Failed, Invalid Format or Invalid Port | Working means the proxy connected and the target answered. Failed means no answer came back. Invalid rows need fixing before they can be tested. |
| Response time | How long one request took, through the proxy to the target | Lower is better. Compare proxies against the same target, because distance to the website adds time. |
| Country | Where the proxy's IP is located | It should match the location you bought or targeted. A US proxy that shows another country is a list or settings problem. |
| IP | The IP address the check reported | On a rotating proxy, run the check again: a new IP means rotation works. A static proxy should show the same IP every time. |
| ISP | The network that owns the IP | The quickest way to tell a residential, mobile or datacenter proxy apart (see below). |
Is it residential, mobile or datacenter? Check the ISP
A residential proxy checker in one columnProxy lists are often sold as "residential" when they aren't. The ISP column settles it, because every IP belongs to a network, and the network tells you what kind of connection it is.
Home broadband ISP
Names like Comcast, Deutsche Telekom or BT mean a household connection: a residential proxy. Websites treat these like ordinary visitors.
Mobile carrier
Names like T-Mobile, Vodafone or Verizon Wireless mean a 4G or 5G phone network: a mobile proxy. Many real users share these IPs, so sites trust them the most.
Hosting or cloud
Names like Amazon, OVH, Hetzner or DigitalOcean mean a server: a datacenter proxy. Fast and cheap, but easy for websites to recognise.
IP databases can take a few days to catch up after an address changes hands, so treat one odd label as a reason to recheck, not a verdict.
Why a proxy fails the check, and how to fix it
The usual causes of Failed and Invalid rows| What you see | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Every line fails | The wrong protocol is selected | Run the list again as SOCKS5 or HTTP/HTTPS. A SOCKS5 proxy won't answer an HTTP check. |
| Only private proxies fail | Wrong username or password, or a mistyped line | Copy the login again from your provider and use one of the formats above. See fixing proxy authentication (407) errors. |
| Works on google.com, fails on your site | The website blocks that IP or its whole network | Common with datacenter and free proxies. Use residential or mobile IPs for that site. |
| Slow or only some rows work | Overloaded public proxies, or proxies far from the target | Pick a location closer to the website, and don't rely on free lists for real work. |
| Invalid Format | A scheme prefix, a missing port or a broken line | One proxy per line, in one of the supported formats. |
| Invalid Port | The port is outside 1 to 65535 | Check the port number in your list. |
Seeing an HTTP error code in your own tool? The proxy error checklist explains each one.
What a proxy checker doesn't test
Three more checks before you go liveA working row means the proxy connects and the website answers. Before you put proxies into production, check these too:
- Leaks in your browser. WebRTC and DNS can reveal your real IP even when the proxy works. Test from the browser or profile you'll actually use.
- Headers and anonymity. Some open proxies pass your real IP on in request headers. Here's how the proxy anonymity levels differ.
- Behaviour under load. One good request isn't a load test. Run a small real job before you scale up. Our guide to testing and using proxies the right way covers the rest.
Proxies that pass the check
Clean residential and mobile IPs from ProxyEmpireTired of lists where half the rows fail? ProxyEmpire's network runs on real home and mobile connections, with 99.9% uptime, HTTP(S) and SOCKS5 on every plan, and targeting down to the city and ISP. Test any of them here, free.
Rotating residential
30M+ real home broadband IPs that websites treat as ordinary visitors. The all-round choice for scraping, research and account work.
- Country, region, city, ZIP, ISP and ASN targeting
- New IP per request or sticky sessions
- Residential IPs in 179 countries and territories
Rotating mobile
4M+ IPs on real 4G and 5G carrier networks, shared by many ordinary phone users. The most trusted IP type for tough targets and apps.
- Country, region, city, carrier and ASN targeting
- Rotate on demand or keep a sticky session
- Mobile IPs in 174 countries and territories
Static residential (ISP)
A fixed residential IP that stays yours all month, and shows the same IP every time you check it.
- The same IP for as long as you keep it
- Country-level targeting, sold in 19 countries
- From $3.50 for a single IP
Also available: rotating datacenter proxies from $0.35/GB, unlimited residential proxies and dedicated 4G and 5G mobile proxies. Every plan is on the pricing page.
More proxy checker questions
Quick answersHow do I check if a SOCKS5 proxy is working?
Paste the proxy, choose SOCKS5 in the protocol menu and click Check Proxies. A Working status means the SOCKS5 handshake succeeded and the target website answered. If a SOCKS5 proxy fails, check its login and port first, then try HTTP/HTTPS in case it's actually an HTTP proxy. All ProxyEmpire plans support SOCKS5.
How do I check a proxy's location?
Look at the Country column. It shows where the proxy's IP is located, which is the location websites see. If it doesn't match what you ordered, check the location setting in your proxy username or dashboard, then check again.
How do I test a rotating proxy?
Run the same line through the checker twice. A different IP on the second run means the proxy is rotating. If you need the same IP for a while, use a sticky session: here's how sticky sessions work on ProxyEmpire.
Can I use it as a proxy speed test?
Yes, for latency. The response time column shows how long one request took through each proxy to your target, which is the right way to compare proxies with each other. It doesn't measure download bandwidth, so test large transfers in your own tool.
Does the checker find new proxies?
No. It's a proxy checker, not a proxy scraper: it tests the proxies you paste in. Free public lists are easy to find, but most entries are dead, slow or shared with thousands of people, so expect many Failed rows, and never log in to an account through one.
Can I check ProxyEmpire proxies before I buy?
Yes. The $1.97 trial gives you 100 MB of residential and 50 MB of mobile data that never expires. Generate a few proxies in the dashboard, paste them here, and see the results for yourself.
Looking for a desktop app or other online tools? Compare the best proxy checkers.
Stop checking dead proxies
Real residential and mobile IPs in 179 countries and territories, sticky or rotating sessions, SOCKS5 on every plan, and 24/7 support from real people. Try it for $1.97.
