Proxy Hub offers affordable private proxies with unlimited bandwidth. You can choose between dedicated and semi-dedicated private proxies for SEO tasks, data scraping, advertising, etc. But how does Proxy Hub compare to some of the best VPN services in the market?
All the reviews I found only outlined Proxy Hub’s features, but there was no actual testing. So, I decided to thoroughly test it myself. I mainly focused on how fast and safe it is, how easy it is to download and use, and how likely it is to get detected and blacklisted.
After thoroughly testing the service, I can’t recommend Proxy Hub. While it can unblock most streaming sites, it’s unsafe, extremely slow, and has a limited server network. Plus, it stores your sensitive information, and its support agents are hard to reach. If you’re looking for a hassle-free, secure, fast service, take a look at this list of the best VPNs available today.
Short on Time? Here Are My Key Findings
Pros
Cons
Proxy Hub Features — 2024 Update
2.4
💸
Price
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10 USD/month
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📆
Money Back Guarantee
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3 Days |
🖥
Number of servers
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200+ |
🗺
Based in country
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United States |
🛠
Support
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Skype |
Streaming — Works With Most Popular Streaming Services
6.4
Proxy Hub unblocked almost every streaming service I tested. It works with Netflix but can’t access some libraries. I easily unblocked other streaming platforms as well. However, the speeds aren’t fast enough to watch movies and shows without buffering.
Streaming sites are a bit tricky to access with a VPN or a proxy, so I was surprised to see Proxy Hub unblock most of them. However, the server network is limited, so you won’t be able to access content from Africa, Asia, Australia, or South America.
Unblocked: Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, and HBO Max
Proxy Hub works with Netflix, but I didn’t get access to the correct regional content. Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, and HBO Max worked without issues.
I also got the Polish library when I used servers from the United States or Sweden
So, while Proxy Hub can be used for streaming Netflix, I wouldn’t recommend it. As you probably already know, Netflix provides different local libraries for each country. Since Proxy Hub gave me random libraries, it’s possible I could get blocked from my favorite show at any time. If you want to access a specific Netflix region, take a look at this list of the best VPNs for streaming.
Blocked By: Disney+
I couldn’t unblock Disney+ with Proxy Hub. Usually, when I can’t access a streaming platform with a VPN or a proxy, I get a notification that my password is incorrect. Sometimes I also get an error message saying I need to disconnect from my VPN to access the site. However, this time the page just loaded indefinitely during all my tests.
Speed — Huge Speed Losses on All Servers
2.0
Proxy Hub is extremely slow. It slowed me down by 95% on average, which is one of the worst results I’ve experienced so far.
We test all VPNs from the same location with the same connection so the results are fair. Our expert speed tester also tests each server at least 10 times at different times of the day. They then compile average speeds to make our results even more accurate. While examining Proxy Hub’s speeds, I mainly looked at these 3 categories:
- Download speed shows you how much time it takes for data to reach your device. It’s measured in megabytes per second (Mbps) and helps you stream without buffering and download files quickly.
- Upload speed is the time required to send information. It’s important when you’re uploading an image or a video. It’s also measured in Mbps.
- Ping rates are measured in milliseconds (ms) and tell you how long before your system can react to a command. It’s most important during gaming.
It reduced my download speeds by 95% on both nearby and faraway servers
While these download rates are terrible, my upload speeds only dropped by about 2% on most servers. Additionally, my ping rates were pretty good on nearby proxies — I had ping rates under 50 ms on all servers in Europe. However, my ping rates on US proxies were all 120+ ms, which is not fast enough for smooth gaming.
This means you’ll still be able to send data at almost the same speeds
It’s good that Proxy Hub doesn’t affect your ping rates and upload speeds as drastically as the download speeds. However, with the download speeds being so slow, you might only be able to scrape one page with static content. If you need to scrape lots of data, I suggest getting one of the fastest VPNs available.
Gaming — Unable to Game Without Lag
2.0
Proxy Hub is not a good choice for gaming. Although its ping rates on nearby servers are under 50 ms, which should work great for fast-paced games, its unstable connection ruin the experience. I tried playing CS:GO and waited nearly 10 minutes for my match to load, just to get disconnected immediately.
I could play on servers in Europe, but servers in the US were too slow
All the US servers have ping rates of over 120 ms, so the delay was clearly visible. It’s possible to use Proxy Hub for gaming on nearby servers. However, if you want to enjoy online gaming without lag, I recommend you get one of the best VPNs for gaming from this list.
Server Network — Limited to Europe and the US
2.0
Proxy Hub offers servers in Europe and the US. There are three options to choose from upon buying your subscription — Europe, the US, or a mix of the two. However, until you get your list of servers, you won’t know the specifics. The exact country/state or city your servers will connect you to is random. That’s frustrating because you might want to access German or French content, for example. But there’s no way to be sure you’ll get locations in those countries.
Additionally, the proxies aren’t labeled. Once you get your list, you can only see IP addresses. If you want to know the location of a specific IP, you need to check it yourself using an IP lookup tool. After looking up the IP addresses assigned to me, I learned that I got 3 servers in Sweden, 2 in the Netherlands, 2 in Texas, and 3 in Washington.
Proxy Hub claims to offer dedicated servers for social media, SEO, data scraping, market research, and classified ad posting. However, these are 4 specific server options:
- Dedicated proxies. If you’re using a proxy to collect large amounts of data from a website, these proxies are less likely to be identified as a bot. That’s because you’re the only person using them.
- Semi-dedicated proxies. You share these with 3 people. So, there’s a slightly higher risk of blacklisting, but they’re also twice as cheap.
- Ticketing proxies. These proxies are recommended if you’re looking to buy tickets in bulk from popular ticketing sites. Without a proxy, these sites will only sell you one ticket.
- Shopping & sneaker proxies. If you want to buy multiple pairs of limited-edition sneakers before they’re sold out, these proxies help you place multiple orders at once without getting banned.
I find it strange that these servers aren’t visible on the VPN’s pricing page
If you want to renew your subscription, you can choose to keep the same IPs each month. This is supposed to help you see fewer CAPTCHAs. Right now, when I connect to Proxy Hub, I frequently get asked to confirm that I’m a human. This can make it difficult to use Proxy Hub for scraping and other activities advertised by the vendor.
I’ve had a better experience with premium VPNs. While Proxy Hub has its uses for serious marketers, its random locations aren’t convenient. Take a look at this list of VPNs with global servers that lets you pinpoint your location.
Security — Lacks Basic Security Features
4.0
Proxy Hub is not a secure proxy provider. The proxies are private, which is more secure than public ones. However, it doesn’t use encryption or any other security feature that most VPNs have. Additionally, its website was infected with malware, which I noticed when I tried getting my subscription for the first time.
This immediately showed me that Proxy Hub is not a secure proxy provider
Premium VPNs employ sophisticated technology to safeguard their users on the internet. Top-tier providers implement military-standard AES 256-bit encryption along with highly secure VPN protocols such as OpenVPN. This protects you from cyber threats and any third parties attempting to access your confidential data. A few even offer protection against malware.
While you can change your IP with Proxy Hub, your connection will stay unsecured leaving your online data vulnerable. You might even get a Trojan virus just by visiting its website. So, I strongly recommend getting a premium VPN with high-level security features that can keep you safe online. Most have a similar price to Proxy Hub, and they’re considerably safer.
Privacy — Doesn’t Have a Proper Privacy Policy
0.5
Proxy Hub’s privacy policy consists of only two sentences. It doesn’t disclose any information about the type of user data it logs. The provider only claims not to sell your data to anyone. This is very concerning, so there’s no way I can call Proxy Hub a privacy-friendly service.
Most premium VPNs and proxies have detailed privacy policies that clearly outline the types of data they collect. Some even delete your data if you request it. So, if you care about your privacy, I suggest avoiding Proxy Hub. Choose a provider with a verified no-logs policy instead.
Does Proxy Hub Keep Logs? Yes
While many privacy policies can be vague and unclear to regular users, most (if not all) services provide more details than Proxy Hub. Nearly every VPN or proxy provider collects at least some technical data required for running their service. So, I was sure that Proxy Hub collects something. However, there’s absolutely no information about it on the website or in its policy.
The data that Proxy Hub logs can easily be traced back to you
As you can see above, a customer support agent confirmed that Proxy Hub does keep sensitive information.
Was Proxy Hub Audited? No
Proxy Hub has never undergone an independent audit. Most premium VPNs undergo regular audits by reputable companies to verify their logging policies. Considering the lack of details regarding data logging and sharing, I wouldn’t trust Proxy Hub with my sensitive information. For a similar price, you can get a VPN with an audited no-logs policy that protects your privacy.
Based in Ajman, the UAE
This isn’t the most favorable location for a VPN/proxy company’s headquarters. The country has recently adopted a data protection law, so the situation is a bit better than it used to be. However, the UAE demands businesses make all their confidential data available to the authorities upon request.
The UAE also monitors internet use in the country. According to FreedomHouse, there have even been reports of online activists being tortured and harassed in retaliation for their online activities. So, I strongly recommend getting a VPN that’s based in a privacy-friendly country where companies are not legally required to share their data with anyone.
Does Proxy Hub Work in China? Unsure
It’s unclear whether Proxy Hub works in China. The provider doesn’t mention anything about it on its website. Unfortunately, I can’t test it as I’m not in China. However, I assume it doesn’t work in China because it doesn’t use obfuscation or any other technology that can avoid the country’s great firewall. If you decide to use encryption in the country, get a VPN that's confirmed to work in China.
The support agent didn’t seem to know if Proxy Hub works in China
China has strict regulations regarding VPN use in the country. However, it usually goes after the technology rather than individual users. Still, to avoid breaking any laws, make sure you read up on the current laws before using a VPN in China.
Torrenting — To Slow and Unsafe for File Sharing
0.5
Proxy Hub allows P2P transfers on all its servers, but I don’t recommend using it for torrenting. It doesn’t encrypt your data, and I don’t feel comfortable with the personal information it stores. Proxy Hub is also super slow, which is annoying when you’re downloading files. To stay safe while torrenting, I recommend using a VPN with robust security features that won't compromise your speed.
While torrenting is legal in most countries, downloading copyrighted material is not. My team and I don’t condone any illegal activities, so I advise you to only download files that are in the public domain.
Installation & Apps
3.0
Proxy Hub isn’t as easy to install and use as a regular VPN. At first, I couldn’t download it because my antivirus software kept detecting a Trojan virus. After a discussion with customer support (which lasted for days), they finally seemed to solve the issue, and I was able to try subscribing. There were also several payment issues (explained below), and it’s frustrating that you don’t get immediate access after paying. You might need to wait up to 48 hours.
After you receive your list of proxies, you can set them up manually in your device’s proxy settings. By downloading its browser extensions, you can switch between proxies more easily, or enable automatic server rotation. This, however, only works on the browser level, so all other apps will use your regular IP.
The IPs aren’t labeled, so I never knew the location I was connected to
If you’re looking for a quick and easy solution, this isn’t it. Proxy Hub doesn’t offer anything that’s worth enduring the tedious setup. Instead, consider getting one of the VPNs from this list. They have a straightforward setup process, so you can get thousands of new IPs in less than a minute.
Setup & Installation
The installation process was quite frustrating. After solving the Trojan virus issue and entering my payment details, I received an invoice and an email reminder to pay. I tried several times, and the payment never went through. I contacted support for help, but they took days to reply. Finally, I was able to buy a sub with PayPal, but still wasn’t able to use the service.
I couldn’t get a hold of customer support to ask them for help
My payment confirmation and my list of proxies arrived a day later. However, my subscription is only valid for one month starting from my first attempted payment. It took around 20 days before I managed to pay. So, I could only use the service for 10 days even though I paid for a month. Worst of all, there’s no option to cancel.
Device Compatibility
Unlike a VPN, Proxy Hub doesn’t have a native app. After subscribing, you get a list of proxy servers which you can then manually set up in your device’s proxy settings. To make it easier to switch servers, you can install the Proxy Switch browser extension for Chrome and Firefox.
Browser Extensions for Chrome and Firefox
You can install “Proxy Switch by Proxy Hub” browser extensions for Chrome and Firefox. The extensions make it easy to switch between servers, but I didn’t like that the server locations aren’t labeled in any way. You only see IP addresses. You can pick one, or let the extension auto-rotate your IP every 60 seconds.
The extensions have a couple of additional useful options. You can use the Cleaner function to delete specific data (like cookies or your cache) on every proxy change. Site Blocker lets you block specific websites, and “By Pass Lists” is similar to split tunneling (you can choose websites you want to access using your regular IP). With Data Saver, you can choose not to load images, objects, or Google Adsense, so websites will load faster.
Simultaneous Device Connections
Proxy Hub allows a maximum of 100 threads per IP. This means that you get 1000 simultaneous connections with the cheapest package of 10 proxy servers. Most premium VPNs offer 5 to 10 device connections, so this is quite generous.