Billing models
| Rayobyte | Webshare | |
|---|---|---|
| Residential | Pay-as-you-go tiers; Scale Residential monthly | Monthly plans |
| Static lists | Per IP monthly; prepay 5% to 15% off on datacenter | Per IP monthly; yearly billing discounts (up to about 30% on datacenter) |
| Plan configuration | Product and size | Proxy count, bandwidth, threads, countries, access level |
| APIs and tools | Per successful request or GB | None |
| Free | No-card trial and allowances | Permanent free plan |
At the time of writing. See Rayobyte pricing explained and Webshare billing and refunds.
Refunds and payments
Webshare describes refunds within a short window (2 days) when usage is very low and the plan is small, and accepts major cards plus Google Pay and Apple Pay on mobile at the time of writing. Check Rayobyte's current terms for refunds and payment methods before buying.
Discounts
- Webshare: yearly billing on many plans, plus volume tiers.
- Rayobyte: volume tiers on everything, 5% to 15% prepay on static datacenter IPs, and enterprise floors well below list.
Read before you buy
- Renewal and cancellation steps.
- What happens to unused residential bandwidth (Webshare's resets; confirm Rayobyte's terms).
- Fair use on unlimited or unmetered bandwidth.
- Invoicing for businesses.
Residential tip: Both sides of this comparison can be tested at no cost: Rayobyte has a free trial with no card, and Webshare has a permanent free plan with 10 datacenter proxies. See Rayobyte pricing explained.
Budgeting tips
- Start on free options: Webshare's free plan, Rayobyte's trial.
- Use monthly billing until usage stabilizes, then consider yearly or prepay discounts.
- Keep irregular residential use on pay as you go.
- Track cost per successful result, not just invoices.
A real-world example
A small agency's proxy spend in its first year: months one to three on Webshare's monthly plans and Rayobyte's pay-as-you-go residential while usage settled; month four, it switched its stable Webshare datacenter list to yearly billing for a discount; month six, it prepaid six months of Rayobyte static datacenter IPs for 10% off. Residential stayed pay as you go because client work kept fluctuating. By the end of the year, the agency had cut its proxy bill by about a fifth without changing a single target's routing.
Billing checklist
- Monthly or yearly? Only commit once usage is stable.
- What happens to unused residential allowance?
- How do you cancel or downgrade?
- Which payment methods and invoices are available?
- What are the refund conditions?
Pros and cons on billing
Rayobyte
- Pay-as-you-go residential tiers.
- Prepay discounts on static datacenter.
- Success-based billing on managed tools.
Webshare
- Configurable monthly plans and yearly discounts.
- A permanent free plan.
- Residential reported to reset monthly.
Budget tip: If the job only needs a fixed list of IPs, Webshare sells datacenter and static residential proxies by the IP, often for less than a per-GB plan would cost. More in our complete Webshare guide.
Bottom line
Use monthly billing while usage settles, then take each provider's long-term discount only on products you're sure to keep.
Rayobyte, Geonode and Webshare are three options among many. Our best proxies in 2026 guide explains how to match a proxy type to each task, and cheap proxies that work shows where budget providers fit.
Proxy tip: For a second opinion on hard targets, run the same test through Geonode residential proxies, which support sticky sessions up to 24 hours and ASN targeting. We compare the two in Rayobyte vs Geonode vs Webshare.
Key takeaways
- Webshare's configurable monthly plans and yearly discounts suit steady per-IP needs.
- Rayobyte's pay-as-you-go tiers and prepay discounts suit residential and static datacenter.
- Read refund, renewal and reset terms on both.
- Move to long-term billing only once usage is stable.
FAQ
Does Webshare refund purchases?
It describes refunds within a short window for small, barely used plans; check current terms.
Does Rayobyte offer yearly discounts?
It offers prepay discounts of up to 15% on static datacenter IPs.
Which is better for irregular use?
Rayobyte's pay-as-you-go residential.
Can I get an invoice for my company?
Business invoicing is commonly available; check each provider's billing settings or ask sales.
Do they offer refunds?
Webshare describes a short refund window for small, barely used plans; check Rayobyte's current terms.
Can I pause a plan?
Usually you cancel or downgrade rather than pause; pay-as-you-go products avoid the issue.
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.