What agents need
Agents read pages, search, and sometimes operate websites. They need reliable fetching, realistic browsers and guardrails.
Side by side
| Capability | Rayobyte | Webshare |
|---|---|---|
| Read a page | Scraping API (HTML, per success) | Raw proxies with your fetcher |
| Interact with pages | rayobrowse hosted stealth browsers | Your own browser with proxies |
| Proxies for your browser | Residential with HTTP/3, sticky up to 120 min | Residential and static lists |
| Cheap fixed IPs | Static ISP | Static residential and datacenter lists |
At the time of writing. See Rayobyte for AI agents.
Rayobyte's managed tools
Rayobyte's Scraping API makes a good "read" tool, and rayobrowse gives agents hosted stealth browsers without running a fleet. See rayobrowse.
Webshare's raw proxies
Webshare suits teams that already run their own agent browsers and want cheap, stable IPs: static residential IPs at about $0.30 each are an inexpensive way to give each agent session a consistent identity.
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 for AI agents.
Guardrails on either
- Rate-limit per domain.
- Use allow and block lists.
- Require confirmation for purchases and submissions.
- Log every action.
A real-world example
A team building a shopping research agent gives it three tools. read(url) calls Rayobyte's Scraping API and converts the HTML to text. browse(task) drives a rayobrowse session for sites that need clicks. For its own internal browsers that check prices on a fixed list of partner sites, the team uses cheap Webshare static residential IPs, one per browser session. A per-domain rate limit and a human confirmation step for anything that looks like a purchase keep the agent safe.
Cost controls
- Cache pages the agent has read.
- Convert pages to text before passing them to the model.
- Cap pages and browser minutes per task.
- Log every tool call.
Choosing between reading and browsing
Most agent steps only need to read a page, and a read through an API is far cheaper and faster than a browser session. Reserve browsing for steps that genuinely need interaction, such as filtering a listing or expanding hidden content.
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 Webshare for AI training data.
Pros and cons for agents
Rayobyte
- Scraping API for reading and rayobrowse for interaction.
- HTTP/3 for realistic browser traffic.
Webshare
- Cheap static IPs for self-hosted agent browsers.
- No managed tools.
Bottom line
Build agent tools on Rayobyte's managed products, and use Webshare IPs where you run your own browsers.
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.
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
- Rayobyte offers managed read and browse tools for agents.
- Webshare offers cheap raw IPs for teams running their own agent browsers.
- Use sticky sessions for multi-step tasks.
- Build guardrails regardless.
FAQ
Which is easier for building agents?
Rayobyte, because of its Scraping API and hosted browsers.
Can agents use Webshare proxies?
Yes, through your own browser or HTTP client.
Do agents need residential IPs?
For protected sites, usually.
Can agents use static IPs?
Yes, for consistent identities on known sites; use rotating residential for broad browsing.
How do I stop agents from overloading a site?
Per-domain rate limits and a cap on concurrent requests.
Do agents need sticky sessions?
For multi-step tasks, yes, so the IP stays the same through the task.
Can agents run on Webshare's free plan?
For light testing on lenient sites, yes; production agents need more capacity.
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.