State of Public Proxies 2026: Data from 500,000+ Verified Endpoints
An annual data-driven report analyzing 500K+ verified proxy endpoints — trends in availability, protocol distribution, geographical spread, and performance metrics.
The Public Proxy Landscape
Every year, the Pineapple Proxy infrastructure processes hundreds of thousands of proxy endpoints. This report aggregates data from over 500,000 verified proxies collected and tested throughout 2025 — giving you an unbiased look at the state of public proxies.
Methodology
Our data pipeline works as follows:
- Collection — Proxies are gathered from 50+ public sources, including GitHub repositories, proxy lists, and community submissions
- Verification — Each proxy undergoes multi-protocol testing (HTTP, HTTPS, SOCKS5, CONNECT)
- Classification — We test anonymity level, response time, protocol support, and geographical location
- Aggregation — Validated data is stored and analyzed for trends
Only proxies that passed at least one protocol test are included in this report.
Key Findings
1. Total Availability
Of the 500,000+ endpoints tested, approximately 32% passed at least one protocol check at the time of verification. This means about 160,000 proxies were functional — a number consistent with previous years.
2. Protocol Distribution
HTTP: 42% — Most common, easiest to set up
HTTPS: 28% — Growing year over year (+5% vs 2024)
SOCKS5: 22% — Steady, preferred for P2P
SOCKS4: 8% — Declining, legacy protocol
The HTTPS share is growing steadily as more proxy operators adopt encryption.
3. Geographical Distribution
| Region | Share of Proxies | Avg Response Time |
|---|---|---|
| United States | 31% | 340ms |
| Europe | 28% | 280ms |
| Asia-Pacific | 22% | 420ms |
| South America | 10% | 510ms |
| Africa | 6% | 620ms |
| Oceania | 3% | 380ms |
4. Anonymity Breakdown
Only 18% of proxies that claim to be elite actually pass our header inspection test. The reality:
- Transparent: 45% — Leak your IP
- Anonymous: 37% — Mask your IP but reveal proxy usage
- Elite: 18% — True high anonymity
Always test anonymity — don't trust labels.
Performance Trends
Average Uptime
The average functional proxy stays alive for approximately 6.2 hours. This is why proxy pools need constant replenishment and rotation.
Response Time by Protocol
SOCKS5: avg 380ms — Slightly faster due to less header processing
HTTP: avg 410ms — Moderate, benefits from caching
HTTPS: avg 490ms — TLS handshake adds latency
Port Popularity
8080: 34% — Default alternative HTTP
3128: 22% — Squid default
1080: 18% — SOCKS default
80: 12% — Direct HTTP
Others: 14% — Non-standard ports
Year-over-Year Changes
| Metric | 2024 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total endpoints | 420K | 500K+ | +19% |
| HTTPS share | 23% | 28% | +5% |
| Elite % | 15% | 18% | +3% |
| Avg uptime | 5.4h | 6.2h | +15% |
| US share | 35% | 31% | -4% |
| Asia growth | 18% | 22% | +4% |
What This Means for Users
- Public proxies are unreliable by nature — less than a third work at any given time
- Anonymity is often exaggerated — verify headers, don't trust labels
- Geographic diversity is increasing — more options outside the US
- HTTPS is becoming standard — good for security
- Pool size matters — with 6-hour average uptime, you need thousands of proxies for sustained operations
Methodology Notes
Data was collected between January 1 and December 31, 2025. All proxies were tested from a single US-East location, which may favor North American endpoints. Response times are approximate and vary by network conditions.
For real-time data on currently available proxies, visit our Statistics page or browse the proxy list.