Rayobyte vs Webshare for Node.js: Agents, Lists and Gateways

Agents on both

import { HttpsProxyAgent } from "https-proxy-agent";
const agent = new HttpsProxyAgent(process.env.PROXY_URL);
const res = await axios.get(url, { httpsAgent: agent, proxy: false });

This works with Rayobyte gateways and Webshare backbone or direct IPs. See Rayobyte with Node.js, Webshare with Node.js and Node.js and Axios proxies.

Rotation

• Webshare: a rotate suffix on the backbone username, or cycle through your downloaded list and create an agent per IP.
• Rayobyte: the gateway rotates per connection; add a session ID to hold an IP.

Differences

Which to choose

Webshare for cheap lists and free development; Rayobyte for residential at volume and drop-in unblocking. With Geonode: Node.js across all three.

A real-world example

A Node.js service checks product availability for a reseller every 15 minutes across 60 shops. It keeps one HttpsProxyAgent for a Webshare backbone URL with a rotate suffix and another for Rayobyte Premium Residential. Eight shops that block datacenter IPs are mapped to the Rayobyte agent; the rest use Webshare. A p-limit queue keeps 40 requests in flight at most.

Retry helper

async function withRetry(fn, tries = 3) {
  for (let i = 0; i < tries; i++) {
    try { return await fn(i); } catch (e) { if (i === tries - 1) throw e; }
  }
}

Pass the attempt number into fn so later attempts can switch to a new session or a different provider.

Pros and cons for Node.js

Rayobyte

• Rotating pools and a drop-in unblocker.
• Cheaper residential at volume.

Webshare

• Cheap lists and a simple backbone gateway.
• Node.js samples in its docs.

Bottom line

Use two agents, one per provider, and route by domain.

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.

Key takeaways

• Proxy agents work identically on both.
• Webshare rotates via backbone suffixes or your list; Rayobyte via gateway sessions.
• Webshare is cheaper per IP; Rayobyte for residential volume and unblocking.

FAQ

Why does Axios ignore my proxy agent?

Set proxy: false.

Do both work with native fetch?

Yes, via undici's ProxyAgent.

Which supports SOCKS5 in Node.js?

Both, via socks-proxy-agent.

How do I keep one IP for several requests?

Reuse the same agent with a sticky session in the username; create a new agent to change IP.

Can I use Got or undici instead of Axios?

Yes; both accept proxy agents.

Which proxy agent package should I use?

https-proxy-agent for Axios and Got, undici's ProxyAgent for native fetch.

Does Node.js support SOCKS5 with both?

Yes, through socks-proxy-agent.