Decodo (formerly Smartproxy) vs Brightdata: Which One is Best for You?

Imagine this: You need a proxy service to scrape data, access geo-blocked content, or boost your online privacy. You start searching, and two big names pop up—Decodo and Bright Data. Sounds familiar?

Choosing between Decodo vs Brightdata feels tricky, right? Both promise great features, big IP pools, and reliable service. But which one is better for you?

Don’t worry. I’ll break it down step by step. We’ll compare everything—pricing, performance, ease of use, and more.

By the end, you’ll know exactly which one fits your needs.

Let’s figure this out together!

Quick Comparison Table

Here’s a quick table comparing Decodo and Brightdata.

Feature	Decodo	Bright Data
Variety of services	☆☆
Proxy pool size
Proxy features	☆☆
Performance
User experience		☆☆
Customer service		☆
Price	☆☆	☆☆☆☆

At a glance,

Choose Decodo if you want good value for money with easy-to-use features.
Choose Bright Data if you need lots of options and are ready to pay more.

What are Proxies, and Why Do You Need Them?

Before we compare, let’s quickly talk about what proxies are and why they’re so important.

A proxy acts like a shield between you and the internet. It:

Hides your IP address, keeping you anonymous.
Lets you bypass geo-restrictions (e.g., accessing a website that’s blocked in your country).
Helps with web scraping (collecting data from websites without getting banned).
Improves security by adding a layer of privacy.

Both Decodo and Bright Data specialize in providing these services, but they do it differently.

Decodo vs Brightdata: Which One is Best for You?

To make a more informed decision, let's compare Decodo and Bright Data based on some key features:

1. Proxy Pool Size and Coverage

Let's talk about the proxy pool size. This is super important because it shows how many different IP addresses you can use for your tasks.

Bigger pools mean more options, which is great for scraping, bypassing restrictions, or keeping things private.

Proxy Pool Comparison:

Feature	Decodo	Bright Data
Residential IPs	55+ million	72+ million
Other IP Types	Datacenter, Mobile	Datacenter, Mobile, ISP
Geo-Targeting	Country & city-level	Country, city, and ISP-level

So, What Does This Mean for You?

Decodo has over 55 million residential IPs, which is a lot! This is more than enough for most regular users.

You can target specific countries and cities, which is great for accessing content from different regions or doing local scraping.

Bright Data, on the other hand, has a massive 72 million residential IPs. This is the largest pool out there. Plus, they offer ISP-level geo-targeting.

That means you can get even more precise, going beyond just countries and cities and targeting specific internet service providers.

Does Size Matter?

If you’re doing big, high-demand tasks—like scraping data on a huge scale or needing very specific IPs for a super tight location—Bright Data's massive pool and extra targeting options may be your go-to.

But for most people? Decodo’s 55 million IPs and its reliable geo-targeting should cover all your needs just fine.

So, which one is right for you?

If you're working on small to medium projects, Decodo is perfect.
But if you need high precision or have a very large-scale project, Bright Data is your best bet!

2. Pricing and Value for Money

Which one is more affordable?

Cost is a major factor when choosing a proxy service.

Here’s a breakdown:

Plan Type	Decodo	Bright Data
Residential Proxy	Starts at $7.00/GB	Starts at $8.4/GB
Monthly Plans	Affordable for small users	Better for large-scale users
Pay-As-You-Go	Available	Available

Key Takeaways:

Decodo is budget-friendly and great for small-to-medium businesses.

Bright Data is expensive but offers more features for enterprise users.

Pro Tip: If you’re new to proxies, start with Decodo to save money.

Want to learn, “Can residential proxies be detected?” Then, you can check out this insightful blog now!

3. Ease of Use: Which One is More Beginner-Friendly?

Now, let’s talk about ease of use. How easy is it to get started with these proxies? If you're a newbie, this is really important.

Decodo	Bright Data
Super easy to use. No need for technical skills. They have a simple interface. You can set everything up quickly. Decodo even gives you pre-configured tools to make your life easier. You don’t have to worry about complex settings. It’s ready to go with just a few clicks.	More advanced features. It offers tons of customization and control. Great for users who know what they’re doing and want to tweak every little setting. But, here’s the catch: It can feel overwhelming for beginners. It’s designed for tech-savvy people who are familiar with proxies and need more flexibility.

So, if you're just starting, go for Decodo. If you're experienced and need more options, Bright Data is your pick.

Simple, right?

4. Performance: Speed and Reliability

When you’re choosing between Decodo and Bright Data, performance is a big deal, right?

You want fast and reliable proxies, especially if you need them for long or complex tasks.

Let’s break down how both perform.

Bright Data Performance

Bright Data Reliability & Performance Metrics

Reliability: Bright Data is almost always online, with 99.99% uptime.
Connection Drops: Only 2 failed out of 168 tests.
Latency (Delay): It’s quick with 50ms average, meaning no noticeable lag.

Test Results:

Success rate: 99% globally.
Response time: 1.1 seconds globally and 0.75 seconds in the UK.
Amazon success rate: 96.8%.
Social Media success rate: 72.5%.

Decodo Performance

Smartproxy Reliability & Performance Metrics

Reliability: Decodo is also very reliable, with 99%+ success rate for most requests.
Response time: It’s super fast at around 0.54 seconds globally, with the US at 0.49 seconds.

Test Results:

Success rate: 99%+ globally.
Response time: 0.54 seconds on average.
Amazon success rate: 97.29%.
Social Media success rate: 98.31%.

Verdict

Comparison of Smartproxy and Bright Data

Speed: Decodo is a bit faster, especially in most regions.
Reliability: Both are super reliable, but Bright Data has slightly better uptime.
Pool Size: Bright Data has more IPs, but Decodo' pool is still huge and works great.
Performance with Popular Sites: Decodo does a bit better with Amazon and social media.

If you want faster proxies and good performance, Decodo is the way to go. But if you need more IPs and better geo-targeting, Bright Data is a solid choice.

Plus, Bright Data has the edge for enterprise-level tasks due to its infrastructure. But for smaller tasks, you won’t notice much difference.

5. Customer Support: Who Helps You Faster?

What happens if you run into issues?

Both providers offer 24/7 support, but here’s the difference:

Decodo: Friendly and fast support for all users, no matter your plan.
Bright Data: Prioritizes premium users. If you’re on a lower plan, you might not get quick help.

**Verdict: For smaller users, Decodo's support feels more accessible.

6. Features for Web Scraping

Which one is better for scraping data from websites?

Both services excel at web scraping, but their approach differs:

Feature	Decodo	Bright Data
Scraping Tools	Browser extensions, API	Advanced APIs, AI tools
Captcha Handling	Yes	Yes
Customizable Settings	Limited	Extensive

Here, Bright Data wins for advanced scraping projects. But if you’re scraping basic data, Decodo works perfectly.

I ran a test on Instagram-post-scraper to compare how well they work.

Let’s break it down.

Bright Data for Web Scraping

I tested Bright Data using the “Collect posts by URL” feature to gather Instagram posts.

Here’s what I found:

Feature	Result
URLs Scraped	500 Instagram posts
Success Rate	98.9%
Average Response Time	4 seconds per request
Data Accuracy	99%
Task Completion Time	20 minutes

Decodo for Web Scraping

Next, I tested Decodo with the same Instagram-post-scraper tool. Here’s the result:

Feature	Result
Data Accuracy	99% clean data
Success Rate	99.48%
Response Time	23.46 seconds per request
CAPTCHA Bypass	Yes, it bypassed CAPTCHA
Errors	1 minor error (network delay)

Verdict

Speed: Bright Data is way faster, with a response time of 4 seconds compared to Decodo's 23.46 seconds.
Success Rate: Both are similar, with Decodo having a slightly better success rate at 99.48%.
Data Accuracy: Both have 99% accuracy.

**If you need speed and accuracy, Bright Data is the winner for scraping tasks. But if CAPTCHA bypass is crucial for you, Decodo is a great option, too!

7. Security and Anonymity

How safe are they?

Both Decodo and Bright Data prioritize user security:

Encryption: Both use strong encryption to keep your data safe.
Anonymity: Both mask your IP effectively.

What’s the difference? Bright Data offers more transparency about its IP sources, which can be important for compliance in large organizations.

Which One Should You Choose

Here’s how to decide:

On a budget? Pick Decodo.
Need advanced geo-targeting? Go for Bright Data.
Are you a beginner? Stick with Decodo for ease of use.
Handling a large-scale project? Bright Data offers more power.

Wrapping Up: Still Unsure? My Recommendation

If you’re just starting or have a small-to-medium project, Decodo is your best bet. It’s cheaper, easier to use, and perfect for most tasks.

If you’re running a big enterprise or need super-specific features, Bright Data is worth the investment.

What’s your choice between Decodo vs Brightdata?

Let me know which one you’d pick and why!

FAQs

Are Decodo and Bright Data good for social media automation?

Yes, but be careful. Using proxies for spamming or breaking the rules can get your account banned.

What's the difference between rotating and static proxies?

Rotating proxies change your IP often, while static proxies give you one fixed IP. Rotating is best for scraping; static works well for stable access.

Can I use these proxies for streaming blocked content?

Yes, both can help you access geo-blocked streaming sites, but the speed may vary.

Do Decodo and Bright Data offer free trials?

Yes, both offer trials or money-back guarantees.

Decodo offers a 3-day free trial for residential proxies and a 7-day free trial for scraping APIs with 1K requests. You can also get a 14-day money-back guarantee if not satisfied.

On the other hand, Bright Data offers a free trial of its residential proxies, allowing users to test their network and features before subscribing.

How do I set up proxies on my browser?

Both give easy-to-follow guides for setting up proxies in your browser’s network settings.

Are these proxies legal?

Proxies are legal to use, but don’t use them for illegal activities. Be responsible.

How do I choose the best proxy location?

Choose a location based on the website. If the site is from the US, use a US proxy for better results.

About the Author

Jayden Sprent is a distinguished expert in Cybersecurity, Proxies, and Web Scraping. He graduated from California University with a strong foundation in Cybersecurity. With extensive experience and a deep understanding of digital security, Jayden is dedicated to protecting online environments and optimizing web data extraction. His expertise in proxies ensures efficient and secure internet connections, while his proficiency in web scraping enables valuable data acquisition. Jayden's commitment to excellence and personalized approach has made him a trusted professional in the field.

Share 0

JUMP INTO THE CONVERSATION