Side by side
| Protocol | Rayobyte | Geonode | Webshare |
|---|---|---|---|
| HTTP | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| HTTPS (CONNECT) | Yes | Yes | Yes (via HTTP proxy) |
| SOCKS5 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| SOCKS5 UDP | Yes (residential) | Not listed | Not listed |
| HTTP/3 | Yes (HTTP/3 proxies) | Not listed | Not listed |
At the time of writing. See SOCKS5 proxies.
What it means
HTTP and SOCKS5 cover nearly every scraping and automation tool, so for most buyers protocols don't separate these three. Rayobyte's SOCKS5 UDP and HTTP/3 matter for games, voice apps, QUIC traffic and browser realism on modern sites. See Rayobyte SOCKS5, UDP and protocol support and HTTP/3 proxies.
Avoiding problems on all three
- Use
socks5h://so DNS resolves through the proxy. - Chromium can't send SOCKS5 credentials; use HTTP or IP-based access in browsers.
- Use the right port for each protocol and product.
Residential tip: You can test all three for little or nothing: Rayobyte has a no-card free trial, Webshare a free plan and Geonode a low-cost residential trial. Run the same script through each. See Rayobyte SOCKS5, UDP and protocol support.
Which protocol for which tool
| Tool | Protocol to use | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Python Requests, HTTPX, aiohttp | HTTP | SOCKS5 works with extra packages |
| Scrapy | HTTP | No native SOCKS5 |
| Node.js (Axios, Got, fetch) | HTTP via an agent | socks-proxy-agent for SOCKS5 |
| Puppeteer, Playwright, Selenium | HTTP | Chromium can't send SOCKS5 credentials |
| cURL | HTTP or --socks5-hostname | Use the hostname form to avoid DNS leaks |
| Games, voice, UDP apps | SOCKS5 UDP | Rayobyte residential only, and the client must support it |
| Antidetect browsers | HTTP | Most compatible on all three |
Debugging protocol problems
- Test the same proxy with cURL using HTTP. If that works, the proxy is fine and your tool's configuration is the issue.
- If SOCKS5 fails but HTTP works, check the port (it may differ by protocol) and whether your tool needs a separate package.
- If the exit location is wrong only on SOCKS5, you're resolving DNS locally; switch to
socks5h://. - In browsers, if an authentication dialog appears, switch to HTTP or IP-based access.
See common proxy errors and DNS leaks and proxies.
Strengths and watch-outs
| Provider | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Rayobyte | UDP apps, games, HTTP/3 realism | Client must support SOCKS5 UDP |
| Geonode | Standard HTTP, HTTPS and SOCKS5 | No UDP listed |
| Webshare | Standard HTTP and SOCKS5 | No UDP listed |
Proxy tip: If your residential usage comes in bursts, Geonode is worth a look: purchased GB doesn't expire and sticky sessions can last up to 24 hours. More in our complete Geonode guide.
Bottom line
For scraping, protocols are a tie; for UDP or HTTP/3, pick Rayobyte.
Not sure this is the right proxy type for the job? The best proxies in 2026 guide compares residential, ISP, datacenter and mobile options, and our cheap proxies guide covers budget picks that still work. To understand the IP type behind this, read our residential proxies guide.
For head-to-head versions of this comparison, see Rayobyte vs Geonode Protocol Support, Rayobyte vs Webshare Protocol Support, Webshare vs Geonode Protocols.
Budget tip: For jobs where a fixed IP list is enough, Webshare is one of the cheapest options: shared datacenter proxies are sold by the IP, and static residential (ISP) proxies cost well under a dollar per IP per month at the time of writing. More in Webshare authentication options.
Key takeaways
- All three support HTTP and SOCKS5.
- Rayobyte adds SOCKS5 UDP and HTTP/3.
- Those extras matter for UDP apps and browser realism.
- Resolve DNS through the proxy everywhere.
FAQ
Which supports UDP?
Rayobyte.
Do all three support SOCKS5?
Yes.
Do I need HTTP/3 proxies?
Rarely for scraping; sometimes for browser automation on protected modern sites.
Is SOCKS4 supported?
SOCKS5 is the standard choice on all three; see SOCKS4 vs SOCKS5 for the differences.
Do HTTPS sites need an HTTPS proxy?
No. HTTP proxies tunnel HTTPS traffic with CONNECT, so your traffic stays encrypted end to end.
Which protocol avoids DNS leaks?
Either, if DNS resolves through the proxy; with SOCKS5 use socks5h://.
Editorial note: Proxy providers change their pools, features and prices often, so treat any figures here as typical ranges at the time of writing and confirm current terms with the provider before you buy.