PacketStream is a new addition to the proxy market. Started some time in 2018, this American provider is still in toddler shoes: building up features, wooing customers, and strengthening its proxy network. Still, even now things aren’t half bad.

For companies, PackStream is a residential proxy service. It’s business as usual here: You pay money and receive a slew of IP addresses to sate your scraping, social media automation, or other needs.

But you see, PacketStream isn’t merely a service – it’s a marketplace. And here’s the interesting part: On the provider’s website, you can not only buy proxies, but also sell your own traffic; in other words, your device effectively becomes a proxy itself.

It’s the first time I’ve seen a proxy provider be so upfront about its business model. Usually, residential proxies are made by burying SDKs in some free apps, or using even less charitable methods. Not here.

This straightforward business model has allowed PacketStream to collect an impressive number of residential IPs in short notice. It’s also dumped the prices to impressive lows – with no entry threshold, mind you. But at the same time, it’s extremely reliant on the so-called ‘packeters’, or bandwidth sellers – their whims can make or break the whole network.

At this point, PacketStream is still very raw, with only email support, no SOCKS, and no city targeting. But for those who don’t need these features, or simply want to see what proxy networks are all about, the provider presents a very tempting deal.

 

PROS

• Low price
• Global locations
• Good performance

CONS

• Lacking customer support
• No SOCKS5
• No city targeting

KEY FEATURES

• Proxy types: Residential (rotating)
• Protocols: HTTP, HTTPS
• Locations: Global
• Targeting: Country
• Authentication: User:pass
• Sub-users: Not available

• Dashboard: Yes
• Support: Email
• Pricing: From $50/50GB ($1/GB)
• Payment options: PayPal, Stripe
• Trial: Yes