Infatica vs Bright Data – A detailed comparison of IP count, features, offerings, pricing, ethical compliance, developer experience, and customer service. Choose the ideal provider for your needs.
Residential Proxies
Residential proxies are a top choice among the various proxy services available. With a number of proxy providers on the market, selecting the ideal one to meet specific needs can be tough. Moreover, understanding the nuances of their features, dependability, and performance level adds another layer of complexity.
To simplify this, we will dive into and compare two prominent contenders in the residential proxy service: Bright Data and Infatica.
In this article, we will examine their offerings, including features, pricing, ethical practices, and user experience for developers. Our goal is to underscore their distinct attributes to assist you in identifying the most suitable provider for your requirements.
Introduction to Infatica and Bright Data
Infatica
Founded in 2019, Infatica has become a popular choice among companies. It is based in Singapore, and in the initial days of its launch, Infatica offered only premium residential proxies. But as the market grew, they expanded to provide mobile and datacenter proxies along with web scraping APIs.
Infatica also says it doesn’t sell its proxies to anyone else. If this is true, it helps stop misuse. Also, when you buy from them, you need to perform a KYC process to prevent the misuse of their services.
Bright Data
Bright Data started as a leader in residential proxies when most companies were focused on datacenter proxies. Now, it’s a giant in the proxy market, known for ethically sourcing and using residential proxies, making it a very reliable and trusted service.
Currently, 95% of what Bright Data offers are residential and datacenter proxies. Although they mainly serve big business clients, including Fortune 500 companies, they offer a variety of services. These include customizable proxies, dependable web scrapers for different websites, and tailored and customized datasets that many different users can benefit from.
Infatica aims to be a top proxy provider and has grown a lot since its launch. However, Bright Data still offers a more comprehensive, reliable, varied, and adaptable range of proxy services. We’ll compare both providers in more detail in the next sections to help you decide which one is better for you.
Infatica vs Bright Data: Points of Comparison
IP Count and Proxy Pool Size
Bright Data shows better numbers in this area. They claim to have over 72 million residential IPs and more than 7 million mobile proxies in over 195 countries. On the other hand, Infatica has only 15 million residential IPs and 5 million mobile proxies in 150 countries.
When actually tested, Bright Data showed a wide variety of proxies across many countries. For example, they have more than 350,000 different IPs just from the US. When they sent out 1 million requests without picking a specific location, they got back over 800,000 unique IPs.
But Infatica, which works in more than 150 countries, only got about 450,000 unique IPs in a similar test. That’s much less than Bright Data. When using specific location filters, Infatica got even fewer IPs, especially from the US, where it only got around 40,000 different IPs, and many were marked as non-residential proxies.
So, Bright Data offers a huge and varied range of IPs, giving strong and dependable proxy services, even when you want IPs from specific places. Infatica, however, doesn’t offer as many or as varied IPs, and many of its proxies seem to come from regular phones or ISPs.
| Criteria | Infatica | Bright Data |
|---|---|---|
| Total Residential IPs | Over 15 million | Over 72 million (6.5 million IPs daily) |
| Geographic Distribution | Not as extensive as Bright Data, spread over 150 countries, with 225K IPs from the US | Spread over 195+ countries; well-balanced pool over several countries, with more than 3.9M IPs from the US |
| Random IP Pool (1M requests) | ~450,000 unique IPs | ~800,000 unique IPs |
| Country IP Pool (500K requests) | Infatica returned considerably fewer unique IPs from the US, UK, Germany, India, France, and Australia | Bright Data returned more unique IPs from the US, UK, Germany, India, France, and Australia |
Bright Data is the clear winner here. Its sheer number of residential proxies and its high unique IP count gives it a considerable edge over Infatica.
Response Time and Success Rate
Bright Data did really well when working with a worldwide network, achieving a success rate of 99.17% and responding in about 1.02 seconds on average. Infatica also did fine, with a success rate of 95.95% and an average response time of 1.20 seconds. But Bright Data slightly edges past Infatica in terms of its response time and success rate, therefore proving to be the better option.
| Criteria | Infatica | Bright Data |
| Average Response Time | 1.20 s | 1.02 s |
| Average Success Rate | 95.95% | 99.17% |
Bright Data performs better in terms of response and success rate, as seen above.
Features
ASN/ZIP Targeting
When comparing features, we look at IP Targeting first. Both Bright Data and Infatica offer targeting by city, country, region, and ASN (Autonomous System Number), but there’s a key difference. Bright Data has a bigger network, so it can target specific locations, which Infatica can’t do. Also, ZIP targeting is not available with Infatica, which can be considered as a downside.
ZIP targeting is about choosing internet traffic based on specific network providers or ZIP codes. This gives users more control, letting them access online content as if they were in those specific locations.
Here’s why detailed targeting like this is useful:
- Load Balancing: Spreading out internet traffic over different ASNs or ZIP codes can help keep servers running smoothly and reliably.
- Getting Local Content: For tasks like gathering information from the web, targeting by ASN or ZIP code lets users collect data that are specific to a certain area or network, which is more efficient and cuts down on unnecessary information.
- Checking Ads: Websites might check if their ads are showing correctly in certain places or on specific networks by using ASN or ZIP code targeting.
- Security and Privacy: Some organizations use network filters for safety. By targeting specific ASNs or ZIP codes, users can pick proxies that meet a website’s access rules, reducing the chances of being blocked or detected.
This detailed targeting allows for more precise strategies in web scraping or data collection, ensuring the data gathered is not only accurate but also relevant.
Here’s how Infatica and Bright Data differ when it comes to IP targeting, in general.
| Criteria | Infatica | Bright Data |
| IP Targeting Features | City and country-based targeting, with additional ASN targeting | City and country-based targeting, with additional fine-grained ASN/ZIP targeting |
| ASN/ZIP Targeting | Only ASN targeting | Both ASN and ZIP targeting options, available to all, providing detailed control and customization for internet traffic |
| Coverage | Can’t access certain regions because of its less diverse IP pool | Can access almost any location on the planet since its network consists of IPs from almost every region |
Hence, both companies offer a comparable level of granularity when it comes to IP targeting, but Bright Data edges past Infatica because of its wider coverage and ZIP targeting feature.
Scalability
Both services let you use credentials and IP whitelisting for security without limiting the number of IPs you can whitelist. This allows for secure, scalable, and customizable access management. Users can seamlessly integrate proxies into their systems without the constraints of IP address limitations.
Bright Data stands out because it has a better system for sub-user management. It lets you set specific rules and permissions for each sub-user, like custom TTL and IP whitelisting. This is helpful for big companies with many teams, as it lets them use proxies more efficiently without needing separate accounts for everyone.
When it comes to pricing plans, Infatica has a fixed plan where you buy a set amount of bandwidth, and once you run out, your service stops until you buy more. Bright Data uses a credit system where, if you consume all your monthly credits, you can still keep going on a pay-as-you-go basis, so your work isn’t interrupted. Bright Data automatically shifts to PAYG when your whole bandwidth is consumed.
Bright Data also allows more detailed settings for each user, which is better for security.
Overall, Bright Data is the better choice because it keeps your service running smoothly without interruptions and offers more detailed control at the sub-user level.
| Criteria | Infatica | Bright Data |
| Limitations | Traffic-based plans only. Once used up, service stops unless you buy more. | Credit-based plan, and once they’re used up, it switches over to pay-as-you-go per GB of traffic, meaning your operations are never hindered or require manual topping up. More convenient. |
| Individualized Settings | Limited individualized settings for each access point. | Allows tighter, individualized settings for each access point via the Proxy Manager app. |
| Flexibility in Plans | Traffic-based plans only. | Open-ended approach – can have PAYG as well as credit-based plans with PAYG fallback. |
Configuration
Infatica has a simple way to set up proxies. You go to its control panel and choose your settings like location preset, proxy type (SOCKS5 or HTTP), how often the proxy changes, and your login details. Then, you can download a list of proxies in the format you want, ready to use in any way you need. The ability to customize settings such as location, proxy type, and rotation frequency ensures that users can tailor the service to their specific requirements. Moreover, the convenience of downloading a ready-to-use proxy list in various formats further demonstrates Infatica’s commitment to providing a straightforward and effective solution for diverse proxy needs.
The proxy list offers as many as 1000 ports for simultaneous use. For simultaneous requests, you can use ports in the range 10000-10999.
Bright Data also has an easy-to-use control panel for setting up proxies. You can use its Proxy Manager app if you need more detailed control or have to handle complex setups. This app is great for any situation because it has many advanced options, such as:
- Choosing specific countries or regions for your proxy.
- Controlling who can use each proxy with white or blacklists.
- Setting up how often your IP changes, even changing the type of device or browser it looks like you’re using.
- Keeping detailed records of how each proxy is performing.
- Using different proxy networks and rules to save money.
- Blocking unnecessary data to save bandwidth.
If you need more proxies, you can add them from other providers to Bright Data’s app to control all your proxies in one place.
You can install the Proxy Manager app on your own Windows or Linux computer, giving you complete control. Or, you can use it on Bright Data’s cloud service, as a managed app, giving you the privilege of live, 24×7 server status monitoring by Bright Data, guaranteeing uptime.
| Criteria | Infatica | Bright Data |
| Configuration Approach | Streamlined proxy configuration. | Advanced proxy management and rotation strategies are possible via the open-source Proxy Manager app |
| Configuration Features | Choose between HTTP/HTTPS and SOCKS5 proxies, location preset, rotation period | Fine-grained country and region targeting, user access control, customizable IP rotation, robust metrics/logging, waterfall rotations, efficient bandwidth management |
| Proxy Manager App | Not available | Available for advanced customization and management of proxies |
| Export Options | Copy or download proxy list in TXT format, with the proxy format in your preferred choice | Proxy Manager app handles everything; can run on-prem (Windows/Linux) or as a managed solution on Bright Data’s Cloud as a web app. |
Bright Data gives you an easy way to set up and manage your proxies with its simple settings and Proxy Manager app. This gives you more options and control compared to Infatica, which has more limited choices.
Auto-Rotation
If you need to regularly gather data or keep an eye on something online, you’ll want a stable IP address that doesn’t change too often. Bright Data offers just that with its reliable residential IP connections. You can choose to change your IP with each request or keep the same one for a whole session, making your data collection more effective.
Infatica also lets you change your IP with each request or keep the same one for 5 to 60 minutes or until the IP isn’t available anymore.
Bright Data stands out because it has a high number of quality IPs. Whether you’re changing your IP with each request or for each session, you’re likely to get a better proxy each time. Bright Data also offers dedicated IPs, providing even more consistency for long-term projects.
| Criteria | Infatica | Bright Data |
| Session Stability | Depends on IP availability, configurable auto-rotation per request or per session (5 to 60 minutes) | Non-time limited sessions with configurable auto-rotation per request, or per session |
| Suitable for | Not ideal for enterprise-grade data extraction because of a limited pool of stable IPs | Ideal for consistent data extraction or monitoring tasks requiring stable IPs for extended periods |
| Flexibility and Adaptability | Offers a certain degree of flexibility but hurt by a lack of a high number of superior proxies. | Offers a higher level of flexibility and adaptability with auto-rotation, providing dynamic proxy performance |
| Dedicated IPs | Absent | Present |
Simply put, Bright Data gives you more options to change your IP address automatically, either with every new request you make or at the start of each session. This flexibility is something Infatica doesn’t fully match. While Infatica does let you change your IP address automatically, it doesn’t offer the same stability for long periods because it doesn’t have as many high-quality IP addresses as Bright Data does.
User/Developer Experience
Infatica offers documentation, covering the fundamental parts of their proxy service. They have a blog about web scraping and how-tos, etc., and a frequently asked questions (FAQ) section that addresses common issues. However, their resources are not as comprehensive as Bright Data’s.
Bright Data provides a lot of helpful materials, including detailed guides, masterclasses on web data, videos, blogs, webinars, and sample code for various programming languages. They also offer many presets to assist developers, making their information resources very thorough.
Although Infatica has affordable pricing plans based on the amount of data you use, their number of IP addresses, particularly unique IP addresses, is lower than Bright Data’s, leading to potential stability issues. This might not matter much for small tasks, but it could be a big drawback for larger, business-level needs.
Infatica’s dashboard for monitoring your usage is quite basic, showing only your data usage in simple charts.
On the other hand, Bright Data introduces “Zones,” which are shared environments where users can manage different plans for various services in one place.
You can monitor your usage in detail with customizable charts for each zone and proxy, making it easier to manage your plans and understand your usage.
| Criteria | Infatica | Bright Data |
| User-Friendliness | Not much customization beyond rotation settings and location-based targeting (Only ASN-based targeting available. No ZIP targeting available) | Granular proxy management, especially beneficial for enterprise users with experienced developers |
| Documentation and Support | Lack of proper documentation, configuration instructions, and troubleshooting guides. API documentation is well-maintained. | Extensive documentation, web data masterclass, videos, blogs, webinars, and code snippets; may be too detailed for regular users |
| Subscription and Proxy Management | Traffic-based plans, proxy management via their dashboard which lets you manage rotation duration, set location, and choose connection protocol | Uses the concept of “Zones” for multiple active plans, providing a unified dashboard for easier management and tracking of usage |
| Tracking and Usage Statistics | Provide basic stats on the dashboard with simple visualizations | Uses “Zones” for tracking usage across multiple plans, offering detailed statistics on a per-proxy and per-zone level in one screen |
Pricing
Both Infatica and Bright Data offer different plans for their residential proxy services.
Infatica’s prices are moderate, not too high or too low. Their plans start at $3.50 per GB if you get 1000GB on a monthly plan. However, you need to buy at least 8GB of data, which costs $96. Infatica also lets you pay with cryptocurrency and has a 20% discount on yearly plans.
However, even though Infatica’s prices might seem appealing, the service doesn’t offer many features or customization options compared to other companies.
Bright Data, in contrast, offers a lot of flexibility. Most of their plans allow you to pay for what you use as you go. You only need to commit to a fixed plan if you’re using their services on a larger scale. Their pricing starts with a flexible pay-as-you-go plan at $10 per month and offers a free trial.
Bright Data stands out because you can customize your plan by choosing the features you need and adjusting the cost based on what you add. While Bright Data might be pricier, the extra cost brings more features and functionality, which can be worth it.
They also have a special offer where their proxy network is available at a 40% discount, making it more affordable.
| Criteria | Infatica | Bright Data |
| Pricing Model | Tiered per traffic, the price gets lower as you go up the tiers, more profitable if you buy higher-tier plans. | Pay-as-you-go with customizable plans |
| Starting Price | $96 for 8GB of data | $10 per month for a micro plan (capped at 1GB) |
| Plan Flexibility | Larger plans increase traffic and not much else | Highly customizable plans, add-ons available for fine-grained control over features |
| Cost vs. Functionality | Besides more traffic, higher tiers offer not much else in terms of features. Only ASN targeting is available. ZIP targeting is not available | More expensive, but offers extensive customization and additional features, currently available at a 40% discount, also free trial option available for testing |
Ethical Compliance
Infatica strictly follows an ethical code to ensure they use their proxy network without violating privacy or rights. They get permission from their network participants, set rules to prevent issues, carefully check their clients to avoid wrong use, don’t gather personal information, watch for misuse, allow only proper use of proxies, and follow GDPR for protecting data.
Bright Data is also committed to using residential proxies ethically for data gathering. They have lots of information and articles that describe how they ethically get IP addresses and their approach to collecting data responsibly.
Infatica gets its proxies through its Infatica SDK. People who join their network agree to share their resources. They check every client to ensure proper use of their services.
Bright Data provides a lot of details about its ethical practices on its website. They get IPs through Bright SDK, informing potential participants and allowing them to opt-out anytime.
While Infatica shares some information about its ethical standards, Bright Data’s openness and detailed information are more noticeable.
| Criteria | Webshare | Bright Data |
| IP Sourcing | Using Infatica SDK | Uses Bright SDK, providing full details beforehand, and allows users to opt-out |
| Incentives | Based on monthly active users, 3 – 6 cents per user | Offers payment per GB, ad-free experiences, and ensures traffic routing doesn’t disrupt device functionality |
| Security/KYC | KYC is mandatory. It is also GDPR-compliant | Bright Data includes compliance officers for rigorous checks and approval of peers, requires compliance officer approval before onboarding |
| Usage Policy | Limits usage to specific cases like market research, education, travel, social media, e-commerce, etc. | Similar usage limitations, prohibits fraudulent activities |
| Abuse Prevention | Checks to prevent misuse | Automated checks, manual checks by compliance officers, and https://brightdata.com/brightbot to prevent network abuse |
| Reseller Policy | Prohibits proxy or service reselling. Blocks if someone is reselling | Prohibits network or service reselling, detects violations promptly, and terminates accounts accordingly |
| Data Protection Laws | Complies with GDPR | Complies with GDPR and CCPA |
If Bright Data accidentally collects someone’s personal information, they quickly inform the person and help them remove their information from Bright Data’s system. They also let people with verified emails search a database to control or remove their personal information from the internet.
Customer Service
Both Infatica and Bright Data have customer support available 24/7.
You can reach out to Infatica through email or live chat. On the other hand, Bright Data offers help through a ticket system, email, WhatsApp, and Telegram.
Infatica offers support only in English. In contrast, Bright Data provides support in several languages to help users worldwide and gives special account managers for some plans. Both companies have tools to help you track how well your network is working and how much you’re using it.
Bright Data does more by regularly updating features and offering custom solutions for your specific needs, like special datasets, requests for scraper features, or help with proxy questions. Infatica is improving quickly, but currently, it’s more suitable for smaller tasks and might not be the best choice for larger projects.
Conclusion
Bright Data’s residential proxy service is better than Infatica’s in terms of the number of IP addresses, the variety of features, the availability of dedicated IPs, and an ethically sourced network of real residential IP addresses. Infatica is still a decent choice. However, for large-scale data extraction, Bright Data’s comprehensive features, detailed proxy settings, and commitment to transparency and ethics stand out as the top option.
What is the rest of the industry saying?
- According to the G2 Score on the Proxy Network category, Bright Data is ranked 4th, which makes sense since Fortune 500 companies use it. Infatica is ranked 8th, which is a decent position in the industry but Bright Data is significantly ahead.
- On Trustpilot, Bright Data has a high rating of 4.5/5 from 628 reviews, showing that many users think highly of it and trust its services. Infatica has a slightly lower rating of 4.4/5, but from only 33 reviews, which reflects its smaller, more niche user group.
