Side by side
| Check | Rayobyte | Webshare |
|---|---|---|
| National, light | Static or semi-dedicated datacenter | Datacenter lists, cents per IP |
| National, heavy | Rotating datacenter, then residential | Large lists, then residential |
| Local packs | Premium Residential by city or ZIP | Rotating residential by city or ZIP |
| Mobile SERPs | Device OS targeting, US mobile | Mobile user agents only |
| Managed | Scraping API | None |
At the time of writing. See Rayobyte for SEO rank tracking and Webshare for SEO rank tracking.
National tracking
Both providers trace their roots to cheap datacenter proxies, and both work for light national tracking. Webshare's lists are the cheapest per IP. Rayobyte's unmetered static IPs and rotating datacenter pool are alternatives.
Local SEO
Both offer ZIP targeting on residential, which is ideal for local pack tracking. At volume, Rayobyte's residential tiers are cheaper.
Mobile
Rayobyte's device OS targeting and mobile proxies help when mobile SERPs differ from desktop.
Residential tip: Both sides of this comparison can be tested at no cost: Rayobyte has a free trial with no card, and Webshare has a permanent free plan with 10 datacenter proxies. See Rayobyte for SEO rank tracking.
Cost per 10,000 local checks
About 2 GB of residential traffic: roughly $7 on either at small-volume rates. At 100,000 checks (20 GB) the two remain similar; at a million checks (200 GB) Rayobyte's $2 tier is cheaper.
A real-world example
An SEO agency tracks 5,000 keywords daily for 40 clients, most nationally. National checks run on a 500-IP Webshare datacenter list with random delays, about $14 a month. Local pack tracking for 12 clients in 30 cities runs on residential with ZIP targeting; at around 10 GB a month either provider works, but the agency uses Rayobyte for its device OS targeting to pull mobile-like results for clients whose traffic is mostly mobile.
Keeping SERP data clean
- Match search language and region parameters to the proxy.
- Use fresh sessions without cookies.
- Record exit location with each result.
- Compare trends rather than single checks.
Pros and cons for SEO
Rayobyte
- Unmetered static and semi-dedicated datacenter IPs.
- Device OS targeting and US mobile for mobile SERPs.
- A Scraping API for SERPs.
Webshare
- The cheapest lists for national tracking.
- ZIP targeting on residential for local SEO.
Budget tip: If the job only needs a fixed list of IPs, Webshare sells datacenter and static residential proxies by the IP, often for less than a per-GB plan would cost. More in Webshare for SEO rank tracking.
Bottom line
Webshare for national tracking at the lowest cost; Rayobyte for mobile results and heavy local tracking.
If you're still shortlisting, compare these options with the wider market in our best proxies guide, and use our cheap proxies guide to estimate a sensible budget. To understand the IP type behind this, read our residential proxies guide.
Proxy tip: For a second opinion on hard targets, run the same test through Geonode residential proxies, which support sticky sessions up to 24 hours and ASN targeting. We compare the two in Geonode for SEO rank tracking.
Key takeaways
- Webshare is cheapest for list-based national tracking.
- Both offer ZIP targeting for local SEO; Rayobyte is cheaper at volume.
- Rayobyte adds device OS targeting, mobile and a Scraping API.
- Pace and rotate on either.
FAQ
Which is better for rank tracking?
Webshare for cheap national tracking; Rayobyte for heavy local and mobile tracking.
Do both offer ZIP targeting?
Yes.
Can I fetch SERPs without managing proxies?
With Rayobyte's Scraping API.
Will datacenter IPs get blocked by search engines?
At high rates, yes. Pace queries and move to residential if CAPTCHAs climb.
Do I need mobile proxies for mobile SERPs?
Not always; mobile user agents with residential IPs often suffice, and Rayobyte's device OS targeting helps further.
How many keywords can one IP check?
It depends on the engine; pace queries and rotate as soon as CAPTCHAs appear.
Sources and further reading
Independent references that back up the points above, from standards bodies, governments, universities and non-profits. They open in a new tab.
- User-Agent header (MDN Web Docs (Mozilla)): What the User-Agent header reveals about your client.
- CAPTCHA (Wikipedia): The history of CAPTCHA challenges, from Carnegie Mellon to today.
- Introduction to robots.txt (Google Search Central): Google's own guide to how it reads robots.txt.
- RFC 6265: HTTP State Management Mechanism (Cookies) (IETF / RFC Editor): The cookie standard, which ties a session together regardless of IP.
- Glossary: Proxy (NIST CSRC): NIST's definition of a proxy as an intermediary acting on behalf of a client.
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.