
Hands-On Teardown: Who's Faster, Socks5 or HTTPS Proxy?
Many friends have struggled with this issue when choosing an agency agreement. Let's go straight to the dry stuff today and talk in real-life scenarios. First of all, the conclusion:HTTPS proxy is faster for daily web access, but Socks5 is preferred for downloading large files or accelerating games.I'll explain why later. Don't worry, I'll explain in more detail why I said that later.
I. The principle of agreement determines the speed ceiling
Imagine courier delivery, HTTPS proxy is like a standard carton must be packed, each package should check the seal. Socks5 proxy is like a snakeskin bag randomly loaded, the courier just transport does not unpacking. HTTPS more layers of cryptographic authentication process, naturally more than straight through the Socks5 consume 0.5-1 seconds.
Example HTTPS proxy request (with extra TLS handshake steps)
CONNECT example.com:443 HTTP/1.1
Host: example.com:443
Proxy-Authorization: Basic xxxxxx
Socks5 proxy establishes tunnel directly
0x05 0x01 0x00 0x03 0x0b example.com 0x01bb
Second, the real scene speed comparison test
We did a group comparison test with ipipgo's static residential IP:
| Type of mission | HTTPS proxy | Socks5 |
|---|---|---|
| Load e-commerce page | 2.3 seconds | 2.8 seconds |
| Download 500MB file | 6 minutes, 12 seconds. | 5 minutes, 47 seconds. |
| Video first screen loading | 1.9 seconds | 2.1 seconds |
See what I mean?HTTPS is suitable for small data and high-frequency requests, Socks5 is superior for large file transfers. Because Socks5's UDP protocol is more resource-efficient for continuous transmission, it's like a truck running smoother than a small car on the highway.
III. White Selection Guide (direct copying of assignments)
Based on our experience of doing programs for 300+ clients, this is the right choice:
- ✔️ Web page harvesting/crawling: HTTPS proxy (good compatibility)
- ✔️ Video Cache Acceleration: Socks5 Proxy (saves bandwidth)
- ✔️ Account Management: Static Residential + HTTPS (Stable)
If you're not sure.ipipgo's technical customer service supports protocol switching tests. Their Dynamic Residential package can be used with both protocols, so it's safer to test and compare before deciding.
IV. Guide to avoiding potholes (a must for novices)
I've encountered several customers who have been slowed down by improper configuration:
- Remember to turn off system proxies when using Socks5 proxies for browsers
- HTTPS proxy to check certificate compatibility
- Don't mix two protocols in your crawler.
There's a tricky way to do it:Directly using the ipipgo client, automatically picks the optimal protocol. They do smart routing in the app, which is about 301 TP3T faster than manual configuration.
QA Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How to choose protocols for enterprise applications?
A: Recommended ipipgo dynamic residential (enterprise) package, support protocol hot swap. The peak period with HTTPS to ensure stability, idle time cut Socks5 to save costs.
Q: How much traffic is needed to test the speed?
A: Just use their $1 trial package, speed test suggestions:
① Visiting 10 consecutive websites of different regions
② Download 100MB test file
③ Maintain a continuous connection for 30 minutes
Q: How do I determine the type of agreement for an existing agent?
A: It's most straightforward to look at the port number:
- HTTPS commonly used 3128/8080
- Socks5 common 1080/1088
Check the real-time protocol status in the ipipgo backend if you're not sure.
the right tool saves effort and leads better results
In fact, the protocol speed difference is not obvious on quality proxies, the key still depends on the IP quality. Like ipipgo's TK line can run within 150ms, which is more than 3 times faster than ordinary proxies. Newbies are advised to start withDynamic Residential (Standard) PackageGetting started, the price of $7.67/GB is enough to test a dozen projects. Remember, there is no one-size-fits-all protocol, only the right scenario, try more to find the optimal solution.

