# Smartproxy vs Webshare: which do AI models recommend for proxy and web data, October 2026

IT AI Recommendation Index, October 2026 Edition, Proxy and web data providers. Four of fourteen models named Smartproxy first on the direct prompt; zero named Webshare. Page: https://it-ai-index.com/it-data/proxy-networks/smartproxy-vs-webshare/

| | First-choice share | Rank | Negative rate | Labels | Models naming it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smartproxy | 15% | #2 of 11 | 5% | 21 | 12 of 14 |
| Webshare | 13% | #3 of 11 | 8% | 24 | 12 of 14 |

## The direct prompt, model by model

- Gemini 3.5 Flash: smartproxy first (first choices: SOAX, Smartproxy) (alternatives: Bright Data, NetNut, NodeMaven, Oxylabs, SimplyNode)
- DeepSeek V4 Flash: smartproxy first (first choices: Smartproxy) (alternatives: Oxylabs, SOAX)
- GLM 4.7 FlashX: smartproxy first (first choices: Smartproxy) (alternatives: Bright Data, Oxylabs, SOAX, Webshare)
- MiniMax M2.5: smartproxy first (first choices: Rayobyte, Smartproxy) (alternatives: Oxylabs)
- Claude Haiku 4.5: neither named (first choices: Decodo, Oxylabs) (alternatives: Bright Data, SOAX)
- GPT-5.4 mini: neither named (first choices: Bright Data, Oxylabs) (alternatives: Decodo, NetNut, SOAX)
- Perplexity Sonar: neither named (first choices: Decodo) (alternatives: Oxylabs, Proxy-Seller)
- Grok 4.1 Fast: neither named (first choices: Decodo) (alternatives: Oxylabs, SOAX)
- Mistral Small: neither named (first choices: Decodo) (alternatives: Oxylabs, ProxyWing)
- Llama 4 Maverick: neither named (first choices: Decodo) (alternatives: Infatica, Oxylabs, ProxyWing)
- Qwen 3.7 Flash: neither named (first choices: Decodo) (alternatives: Oxylabs)
- Kimi K2: neither named (first choices: Decodo) (alternatives: DataImpulse, SOAX)
- GPT-6 Luna: neither named (first choices: Decodo) (alternatives: Bright Data, Oxylabs)
- Muse Glimmer 30B: neither named (first choices: Decodo) (alternatives: Infatica, SOAX)

## What the models said about Smartproxy

- "free tiers from providers like Luminati or Smartproxy, but these often come with limitations in terms of speed and IP pool size" (Mistral Small, budget prompt, soft negative)
- "For most mid-market B2B companies, Smartproxy (Decodo) offers the best combination of network quality, feature set, and pricing" (DeepSeek V4 Flash, direct prompt, first choice)
- "For most mid-market B2B companies, Smartproxy (Decodo) offers the best combination of features, pricing, and ease of use" (GLM 4.7 FlashX, direct prompt, first choice)
- "I recommend focusing on providers like Smartproxy or Rayobyte due to their mid-market positioning" (MiniMax M2.5, direct prompt, first choice)

## What the models said about Webshare

- "More straightforward and budget-oriented, but less ideal if you need a more robust mid-market setup" (Perplexity Sonar, direct prompt, soft negative)
- "great for quick demos, but limited support & reliability compared to above" (MiniMax M2.5, budget prompt, soft negative)
- "Best overall affordable all-rounder: Webshare ... It's the most recommended "best cheap proxy provider" for small businesses." (Muse Glimmer 30B, budget prompt, first choice)
- "Webshare is often recommended for datacenter proxies due to its affordability and decent performance for small businesses" (Mistral Small, budget prompt, first choice)
- "Webshare — Best Overall Value ... Start with Webshare's free 10 proxies or their $2.99/month datacenter plan." (DeepSeek V4 Flash, budget prompt, first choice)

Share is the count of first choices across the direct, paraphrase, budget and scale prompts over all fourteen models, for a mid-market B2B company; rank is within the category. Comparisons are drawn for the top eight products in each category. Published under CC BY 4.0; the output is the models' output, and nothing here is a recommendation by the index.