Can it detect residential proxies?

Yes. Residential proxies are the hardest to catch, so we use network reputation and pool intelligence rather than relying on ASN alone.

Is there a free tier?

Yes — 100 lookups per month on the Free plan, scaling up through paid tiers.

What endpoint do I call?

GET /v1/proxy/{ip} with your API key. The response includes the proxy verdict, type and confidence score.

How current is the data?

Proxy and Tor data is refreshed continuously so newly spun-up nodes are caught quickly.

IPScanner

Proxy Detection API

Identify proxies and Tor exit nodes behind any IP address in real time. One endpoint covers HTTP, SOCKS, residential and datacenter proxies.

Overview

What is a proxy detection API?

A proxy detection API tells you whether an IP address is acting as an intermediary — an HTTP or SOCKS proxy, a residential proxy network, a datacenter proxy or a Tor exit node. IPScanner classifies the proxy type and returns a confidence score so you can decide whether to block, challenge or allow the request. It removes the need to maintain proxy blocklists yourself.

Signals

How proxy detection works

Different proxy types leak different signals — we look for all of them.

Open proxy fingerprints

Detection of exposed HTTP/HTTPS and SOCKS4/5 proxy endpoints.

Residential proxy networks

Identifies IPs sold through residential proxy pools despite looking like home connections.

Datacenter ranges

Hosting and cloud ASNs commonly used for proxying at scale.

Tor exit nodes

Live correlation against the public Tor exit list.

Header & latency anomalies

Forwarding headers and timing patterns typical of relayed traffic.

Proxy type & score

Each result names the proxy type and a 0–100 confidence value.

Use cases

Where teams use it

Bot & scraping defense

Block scrapers that rotate through proxy pools.

Ad fraud

Filter invalid traffic coming from proxy infrastructure.

Account integrity

Catch multi-accounting hidden behind residential proxies.

Compliance

Verify the true origin of a request for KYC and licensing.

More tools

Explore related detection tools

VPN Detection APIReal-time VPN detection API. Send any IP and get back whether it belongs to a commercial VPN, with a confidence score. Free tier, simple REST, fast global lookups.Residential Proxy DetectionDetect residential proxies that disguise traffic as ordinary home connections. Real-time residential proxy detection by IP with confidence scoring and a free tier.Datacenter Proxy DetectionDetect datacenter and cloud-hosted proxies by IP in real time. Identify hosting ASNs used for proxying and scraping with confidence scoring and a free API tier.How to Detect a VPNLearn how to detect whether an IP address is using a VPN. Try the free VPN checker below, understand the signals, and automate it with the VPN detection API.

Explore the Suite

Try Our Other Tools

VPN DetectionIdentify IPs that route through encrypted VPN tunnels to mask their real location.Proxy DetectionFlag HTTP, SOCKS, residential and data-center proxies plus Tor exit nodes.IP GeolocationMap any IP to country, region and city with ISP and timezone data.ASN DataLook up the Autonomous System Number and organization that owns an IP range.WHOIS InfoRetrieve registration and ownership records for domains and IP ranges.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

HTTP/HTTPS, SOCKS4/5, residential proxies, datacenter proxies and Tor exit nodes — each reported with its own type label.

Why Choose IPScanner

Trusted by thousands of businesses worldwide to provide reliable IP intelligence

Industry-Leading Accuracy

Our AI-powered detection achieves 99.8% accuracy, significantly outperforming traditional methods.

Enterprise-Grade Performance

Built for scale with high reliability and 99.99% uptime SLA for business-critical applications.

Comprehensive Coverage

We maintain the largest database of VPN services, proxies, and anonymizers with daily updates.

Simple Integration

Easy-to-use REST API for all major programming languages and frameworks.

Transparent Communication

Clear documentation and regular updates on our detection capabilities and improvements.

Expert Support

Dedicated technical support team with deep expertise in IP intelligence and cybersecurity.

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