---
title: "What is the difference between a VPN, residential proxy, and ISP proxy?"
type: "faq"
url: "https://docs.spur.us/knowledgebase/faqs/what-is-the-difference-between-a-vpn-residential-proxy-and-isp-proxy"
category: "Anonymizing Infrastructure"
product: "general"
publishedAt: "2026-08-07T15:00:00.000Z"
updatedAt: "2026-08-12T19:30:30Z"
---

# What is the difference between a VPN, residential proxy, and ISP proxy?

Residential proxies route traffic through consumer devices and physical locations like homes and offices, while VPNs and ISP proxies are typically hosted in data centers. All three can present different network profiles.

## Extended answer

Residential proxies route traffic through consumer devices and physical locations like homes and offices, while VPNs and ISP proxies are typically hosted in data centers. All three can present different network profiles.

VPN

Routes traffic through a VPN provider's infrastructure.

Often used for privacy, remote access, or location masking.

Residential Proxy

Routes traffic through residential internet connections obtained through official and unofficial means, such as SDKs and bandwidth sharing agreements.

Frequently used for web scraping, account creation, ad verification, and fraud operations.

ISP Proxy

Uses IP addresses that appear residential but are hosted in data center environments.

Often combines characteristics of residential and hosting infrastructure.