Targeting options side by side
| Webshare | Geonode | |
|---|---|---|
| Residential countries | 195 | 150+ |
| Residential state/region | Yes | Yes |
| Residential city | Yes | Yes |
| Residential ZIP | Yes | Not listed |
| Residential ASN | Yes | Yes |
| Datacenter location | Countries chosen per list (50+ countries) | Geo-targeting on rotating datacenter |
| ISP / static location | Chosen per plan | Chosen per order |
| How it's set | Username parameters or endpoint generator | Username parameters or dashboard endpoint generator |
Figures are from the providers' pages at the time of writing.
Country coverage
Both cover every major market. Webshare lists more countries for residential traffic. In practice, what matters is how many IPs are online in your target countries when you run; small countries can be thin on any network. Test the specific countries you need.
City and ZIP
Both support city targeting, which covers most local SEO, local ads and regional pricing work. Webshare also supports ZIP targeting, which helps with hyperlocal jobs: delivery availability, store-level stock, or US ZIP-based pricing. Remember that narrower targeting means fewer IPs to rotate through. See Webshare geo-targeting.
ASN
Both support ASN targeting, which lets you choose a specific internet provider. Use it to test how a site treats users of a given ISP, to match an expected carrier, or to diversify traffic across networks.
Datacenter and ISP locations
For fixed IPs, location is decided when you buy: Webshare lets you choose countries for datacenter lists and static residential plans; Geonode lets you choose locations for ISP proxies and offers geo-targeting for its rotating datacenter traffic. ISP locations are limited at every provider, so check availability for your countries.
Proxy tip: If you need managed scraping rather than raw proxies, Geonode also sells a Scraper API with a free monthly allowance, which Webshare doesn't offer. More in our complete Geonode guide.
Accuracy
No provider controls how third-party geolocation databases classify an IP. An IP can be "Chicago" in one database and "Illinois" in another. To check accuracy:
- Query two or three geolocation services through the proxy.
- Check the target site's own signals (currency, store, local results).
- Sample several IPs per location.
Which to choose by job
| Job | Suggestion |
|---|---|
| National rank tracking or pricing | Either |
| Local SEO, city level | Either |
| ZIP-level delivery or stock checks | Webshare |
| ISP-specific testing | Either (ASN) |
| Many-country QA with fixed IPs | Compare available countries on both |
See SEO compared and ad verification compared.
Testing targeting accuracy on both
- Pick 5 cities you care about.
- For each provider, run 50 rotating requests per city to two geolocation services.
- Record the share of IPs that match the city, the region and the country.
- Repeat at a different time of day.
| Result | Interpretation |
|---|---|
| High city match | Targeting works well for that city |
| Region match but not city | Fine for regional work; databases may disagree on city |
| Frequent errors | Thin pool in that city; widen targeting |
ZIP-level work
If you need ZIP precision, test Webshare's ZIP targeting in your actual ZIP codes; small areas can have few IPs online. Often a city IP plus an explicit delivery postcode in the site's settings gives equally accurate results with fewer failures.
Budget tip: Many teams end up using both: Webshare for cheap per-IP datacenter and static residential lists, Geonode for per-GB residential traffic that doesn't expire. Start with Webshare geo-targeting.
Targeting and sessions together
On both providers, location and session options are combined in the username. Generate the string with each dashboard's endpoint generator to avoid format errors, and log the exact targeting used with each result.
A real-world example
A grocery delivery comparison service needs prices and fees at ZIP level in 30 US metros. City targeting from either provider is close, but some sites calculate fees from IP location as well as the entered address. Webshare's ZIP targeting makes IP and address agree, which removes inconsistencies on those sites. For metros where ZIP pools are thin, they fall back to city targeting with the address set explicitly.
If you're still shortlisting, compare this setup with the options in our best proxies guide, and use our cheap proxies guide to estimate what a sensible budget looks like.
Key takeaways
- Both support country, state, city and ASN targeting on residential traffic; Webshare adds ZIP.
- Webshare lists more residential countries; check depth in your specific countries.
- Narrow targeting means fewer IPs and more failures; use the broadest level that works.
- Verify location with several databases and the target's own signals.
- Generate targeting usernames with each dashboard's endpoint generator.
FAQ
Which provider has more countries?
Webshare lists 195 for residential; Geonode lists 150+.
Does Geonode support ZIP targeting?
Its published targeting options are country, state, city and ASN. Check its current documentation for anything finer.
Is city targeting accurate?
Usually close, but geolocation databases disagree. Verify with the target's own signals.
Can I target non-US regions by state?
Both support region-level targeting where it's available; check coverage per country.
Which is better for country-level work?
Both are suitable; choose on price and success rate.
How do I verify a proxy's location?
Check several geolocation services and the target site's own location signals.
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.