# Using Custom Proxies to Monitor Pages
Source: PageCrawl.io Help Center
URL: https://pagecrawl.io/help/features/article/custom-proxies
---
PageCrawl provides built-in proxy locations and supports custom proxy servers for pages that require specific geographic access or have IP-based restrictions.
### Built-in Proxy Locations
PageCrawl offers multiple proxy locations across North America, Europe, and the Middle East, plus a residential proxy option. Select a proxy location per page from the **Location** dropdown, or apply one to multiple pages via [Bulk Edit](/help/features/article/bulk-edit-pages.md). You can also choose **Random** to rotate between locations automatically.
[Image: Crawling Preferences with the Location dropdown for choosing a proxy location per page]
### Proxy Pools (Bring Your Own Proxies)
When the built-in locations are not enough, bring your own proxies as a **Proxy Pool**: a reusable, named set of proxy servers you manage in one place and reference from any page or template.
**1. Create a pool.** Go to **Settings → Proxy Pools → Add New**, give it a name, and paste your proxy servers, one per line:
```
host:port
username:password@host:port
```
**2. Use it.** Open the **Location** dropdown on a page (or a template, or via [Bulk Edit](/help/features/article/bulk-edit-pages.md)) and pick your pool. PageCrawl rotates across the pool on each check and automatically rests proxies that are currently failing, so a few bad proxies do not take down your monitoring.
**3. Keep it healthy.** Open a pool to see each proxy's recent success rate and status. You can **disable** or **remove** individual proxies that are failing; removed proxies are kept for reference so you have a record of what you took out. Add proxies at any time and every monitor using that pool picks them up immediately.
| Apply to | How |
|----------|-----|
| **A single page** | Edit the page → set **Location** to your pool |
| **Multiple pages** | Select pages → [Bulk Edit](/help/features/article/bulk-edit-pages.md) → **Location** → your pool |
| **A template** | Set the template's **Location** to your pool; pages using the template inherit it |
If you set the same proxy list on several monitors, PageCrawl links them to a single shared pool automatically, so you maintain the list once.
### Automatic Engine Switching
When a page is blocked (timeout, 403, or 401), PageCrawl automatically switches to [Stealth mode](/help/features/article/what-is-real-browser-page-monitoring.md) in addition to the proxy configuration. This combination resolves most access issues.
### Premium Residential Proxies
For pages that require residential proxies, PageCrawl offers [Premium Residential Proxies](/help/features/article/residential-proxies.md) with pay-as-you-go bandwidth starting at $10/GB. Purchase bandwidth in your account settings and select "Premium Residential" as the proxy location on your monitors. See the [residential proxies guide](/help/features/article/residential-proxies.md) for details on pricing, geo-targeting, and setup.
### Choosing a Proxy Provider
Most pages work fine without any proxy configuration. You only need a custom proxy if a website is actively blocking bots or restricting access by geographic location. Start without a proxy, and only set one up if you are seeing access errors (403, bot protection blocks, empty pages).
If the built-in proxy locations are not enough for your needs, you can use a third-party proxy provider. Here is what to look for and some popular options.
**Understanding bandwidth usage:**
Each page check downloads the full page without caching, so bandwidth adds up quickly. An average web page uses 2-3 MB per check. Heavier pages (news sites, e-commerce, image-heavy pages) can use 5-10 MB or more. For example, monitoring 50 pages every 30 minutes at 3 MB each would use roughly 7 GB per day, or around 216 GB per month. Because of this, avoid proxy providers that charge per GB of traffic. Those plans are designed for one-off scraping, not ongoing monitoring.
**What to look for:**
- **Unlimited bandwidth** - This is the most important factor. Look for plans priced per proxy/port or as a flat monthly rate, not per GB.
- **Username/password authentication** - PageCrawl connects to proxies dynamically, so IP-based allowlists will not work. Choose a provider that supports `username:password@host:port` authentication.
- **Rotating IPs** - Providers that rotate IPs automatically reduce the chance of being blocked over time.
- **Geographic coverage** - Pick a provider with servers in the regions your monitored pages target.
- **HTTP/HTTPS support** - PageCrawl requires standard HTTP proxies. SOCKS proxies are not supported.
**Datacenter vs. residential proxies:**
Datacenter proxies with unlimited bandwidth are the most cost-effective option for monitoring. They work well for most websites. Residential proxies (using real ISP addresses) are only needed for sites with strict bot detection that blocks datacenter IPs. If you need residential proxies, look for providers that offer them with unlimited bandwidth or per-IP pricing rather than per-GB billing.
**Popular proxy providers that work with PageCrawl:**
| Provider | Type | Pricing Model | Notes |
|----------|------|---------------|-------|
| [Webshare](https://www.webshare.io) | Datacenter, Residential | Per proxy, unlimited bandwidth | Free tier available, good for testing. Paid datacenter plans include unlimited bandwidth. |
| [IPRoyal](https://iproyal.com) | Datacenter, Static residential | Per proxy (datacenter) | Datacenter proxies with unlimited traffic. Static residential proxies available per IP. |
| [Proxy-Cheap](https://www.proxy-cheap.com) | Datacenter, Static residential | Per proxy, unlimited bandwidth | Budget-friendly static residential and datacenter proxies with no traffic limits. |
| [ProxyRack](https://www.proxyrack.com) | Datacenter, Residential | Flat monthly rate | Unlimited bandwidth on most plans. Rotating and geo-targeted options. |
These are independent providers and not affiliated with PageCrawl. Prices and features may change.
**Not every provider works for every website.** A proxy that works perfectly for one site may get blocked on another. This depends on the website's bot detection, the proxy provider's IP reputation, and the type of proxies used. Always test a provider against your specific pages before committing to a long-term plan. Most providers offer short trial periods or small starter plans for this purpose.
**Country-specific access:** Some websites restrict content to visitors from a specific country (geo-blocking). Government portals, local news sites, and region-locked services often require an IP address from that country to load correctly. If you are monitoring pages like these, make sure the proxy provider offers proxies in the required country. Check the provider's location list before purchasing, as coverage varies significantly between providers, especially for smaller countries.
Note: Most providers give you a proxy endpoint in the username:password@host:port format. Paste it into a Proxy Pool under Settings → Proxy Pools. If the provider offers rotating proxies through a single gateway endpoint, you only need to add one line.
### Avoiding Free Proxies
Free proxy servers are unreliable, slow, and frequently stop working. They should not be used for monitoring pages where uptime matters. Use the built-in proxy locations, your own paid proxy service, or contact us for residential proxy options.
### Related Articles
- [Real Browser Mode](/help/features/article/what-is-real-browser-page-monitoring.md) - Engine selection including Stealth mode
- [Monitoring Pages Behind Bot Protection](/help/features/article/monitoring-pages-behind-cloudflare-bot-protection.md) - Handling bot-protected pages
- [Bulk Edit](/help/features/article/bulk-edit-pages.md) - Apply proxy settings to multiple pages at once
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