On this page
- Verdict
- Side-by-side comparison
- About Bright Data
- About Decodo
- Pricing compared
- Performance compared
- Pool & coverage
- Features face-off
- Trials & support
- Where Bright Data wins
- Where Decodo wins
- Bright Data pros & cons
- Decodo pros & cons
- Consider the alternative
- Switching between them
- Comparison FAQ
- Related comparisons
- Full reviews
- Related searches
- Make the call
Verdict
Bright Data wins this matchup. It ranks #2 to Decodo’s #4 in our weighted benchmark, pairing massive 72m+ residential pool with stronger overall scores. Decodo still makes sense where easiest onboarding of any network we tested is the deciding factor.
Side-by-side comparison
| Criterion | Bright Data | Decodo |
|---|---|---|
| Our rank | #2 of 15 | #4 of 15 |
| Rating | 4.6/5 | 4.5/5 |
| Entry price | $4.20/GB | $2.20/GB |
| IP pool | 72M+ | 55M+ |
| Success rate | 98.9% | 98.5% |
| Proxy types | 4 | 4 |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes |
| City targeting | Yes | Yes |
| Support | 24/7 with dedicated account managers | 24/7 live chat |
About Bright Data
Bright Data is the heavyweight of the industry, wrapping an enormous network in compliance tooling and unblocking tech that big corporations are happy to pay a premium for.
It pioneered much of the modern residential proxy model and has since layered scraping browsers, dataset products and strict KYC on top of its core network.
About Decodo
Decodo is the network most often recommended to first-time buyers, thanks to an interface that makes proxies feel as simple as any consumer SaaS product.
Formerly known as Smartproxy, it rebranded while keeping the same mid-market positioning: serious capability without enterprise friction.
Pricing compared
Bright Data starts at $4.20/GB against Decodo’s $2.20/GB. Raw stickers favour Decodo, but success rates adjust the picture: at 98.9% vs 98.5%, effective cost per successful request narrows the headline difference.
Performance compared
Speed indexes land at 95 (Bright Data) vs 92 (Decodo) in our 100-point scale; pools of 72M+ and 55M+ respectively shape how each absorbs concurrency. For sustained high-volume work, both hold up.
Pool & coverage
Coverage: 72M+ (Bright Data) vs 55M+ (Decodo). For geo-sensitive work note that city targeting is available on both.
Features face-off
Bright Data: Web Unlocker and scraping browser products; Industry-leading compliance and KYC controls.
Decodo: Solid 55M+ pool with good uptime; 14-day money-back window.
Trials & support
Bright Data support: 24/7 with dedicated account managers; trial: yes. Decodo support: 24/7 live chat; trial: yes. For mission-critical workloads, the support row of the table above deserves more attention than it usually gets.
Where Bright Data wins
- You are large enterprises with compliance requirements and big budgets.
- Industry-leading compliance and KYC controls.
- Web Unlocker and scraping browser products.
Where Decodo wins
- Solid 55M+ pool with good uptime.
- You are beginners and SMBs who want a smooth first proxy experience.
- Easiest onboarding of any network we tested.
Bright Data pros & cons
- ✅ Massive 72M+ residential pool
- ✅ Web Unlocker and scraping browser products
- ✅ Industry-leading compliance and KYC controls
- ⚠️ Among the priciest options per GB
- ⚠️ Onboarding and KYC take real effort
Decodo pros & cons
- ✅ Easiest onboarding of any network we tested
- ✅ Solid 55M+ pool with good uptime
- ✅ 14-day money-back window
- ⚠️ Mid-tier pricing, not the cheapest
- ⚠️ Mobile pool smaller than specialists
Consider the alternative
Before settling this matchup, price in our overall #1: Cheapest Proxies undercuts both ($0.80/GB) while posting a 99.4% success rate — the highest of the fifteen networks we benchmark.
Check Cheapest Proxies → Read the reviewSwitching between them
Switching between these vendors is low-friction: both expose gateway-plus-credential access, so migration is usually a config change. Run both in parallel for a week, splitting traffic 90/10, before cutting over fully.
Comparison FAQ
Is Bright Data cheaper than Decodo?
Entry pricing: $4.20/GB vs $2.20/GB. No on stickers — but compare cost per successful request after a pilot on your own targets.
Can I use both Bright Data and Decodo together?
Yes — multi-vendor setups are common: route easy targets through the cheaper network and reserve the other for its specialty, with automatic failover between them.
Which is better, Bright Data or Decodo?
Bright Data wins our weighted benchmark (#2 vs #4), combining massive 72m+ residential pool with stronger value scores. Decodo remains the right call when beginners and SMBs who want a smooth first proxy experience matches your situation.
Which has the bigger pool, Bright Data or Decodo?
Bright Data — 72M+ versus 55M+. Pool size matters most for high-concurrency rotation.
Do Bright Data and Decodo offer free trials?
Bright Data: yes. Decodo: yes. Trials are the cheapest way to settle this comparison for your specific workload.
Full reviews
Deep-dive both sides: Bright Data review · Decodo review — or browse all 15 provider reviews.
Related searches
Make the call
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