Bright Data residential proxies cost $8 per GB pay-as-you-go, falling to $5/GB on the $1,999/month plan (798 GB included). A RESIGB50 coupon currently visible on the pricing page halves those rates for the first 3 months. The Web Scraper API costs $1.50 per 1,000 successfully delivered records on pay-as-you-go, with 5,000 records per month free (no credit card required). Every product has its own pricing model, and actual costs depend on your monthly commitment and whether promotional codes are active at checkout.
Bright Data markets itself as the premium choice for enterprise web scraping and data collection, but its multi-tier pricing structure can be confusing. This guide breaks down every product's real cost as of October 2026, with verified figures from Bright Data's official pricing pages, practical cost scenarios, and direct comparisons to competitors like Oxylabs, Decodo (formerly Smartproxy), IPRoyal, and Webshare.
Prices checked October 31, 2026.
How Much Do Bright Data Residential Proxies Cost Per GB?
Residential proxies are Bright Data's flagship product and follow a bandwidth-based pricing model. The residential proxy pricing page (checked October 31, 2026) lists these rates:
| Plan Type | List Price per GB | Included GB | Monthly Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pay As You Go | $8/GB | No commitment | Usage-based |
| Entry Plan | $7/GB | 141 GB | $499 |
| Growth Plan | $6/GB | 332 GB | $999 |
| Scale Plan | $5/GB | 798 GB | $1,999 |
Source: Bright Data residential proxies pricing, October 31, 2026.
The RESIGB50 Promotional Code
A banner on the pricing page (checked October 31, 2026) advertises: "Use code RESIGB50 at checkout to get 50% OFF Residential Proxies for 3 months!" That coupon, entered at checkout, cuts the list prices in half for the first three months: $8/GB becomes $4/GB pay-as-you-go, $7/GB becomes $3.50/GB on the $499 plan, and so on. After 3 months, billing reverts to the full list price unless you cancel or renegotiate.
How the Pricing Actually Works
Bright Data runs on a prepaid balance system. Monthly commitment plans charge on the 1st of each month, and unused bandwidth does not roll over.
What Does 1 GB of Residential Traffic Get You?
Bandwidth consumption depends on the target sites and your scraping setup, but here are realistic estimates:
- E-commerce product pages (HTML only, no images): ~200-500 KB per page = 2,000-5,000 pages per GB
- Social media profiles (with embedded media): ~800 KB - 2 MB per profile = 500-1,250 profiles per GB
- Search engine results pages: ~150-300 KB per SERP = 3,300-6,700 pages per GB
- News articles (text-heavy): ~100-200 KB per article = 5,000-10,000 articles per GB
These are illustrative examples. Actual bandwidth varies based on page size, JavaScript rendering, retry logic, and whether you're downloading images or other media. Always monitor your bandwidth usage during testing to avoid surprises.
How Is the Bright Data Web Scraper API Priced?
The Web Scraper API shifts from bandwidth-based billing to a per-record model. According to Bright Data's Web Scraper API pricing page (checked October 31, 2026), pricing works like this:
| Plan | Cost per 1,000 Records | Included Records | Monthly Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free Tier | $0 | 5,000 records per month, no credit card required | $0 |
| Pay As You Go | $1.50 | Usage-based | Varies |
| Scale Plan | $1.30 (after included volume) | 384,000 | $499 |
| Enterprise | Custom volume discounts | Custom | Contact sales |
A banner on the pricing page advertises: "Get 25% off on Scraper API for 3 months. Use code APIS25 at checkout." That promotional code, entered at checkout, reduces the per-record cost for the first 3 months.
Source: Bright Data Web Scraper API pricing, October 31, 2026.
What Counts as a "Record" and What's Included?
One record equals one successfully delivered data item (a product, profile, listing, etc.). The price includes:
- Residential proxy bandwidth (no separate proxy charge)
- JavaScript rendering when required
- CAPTCHA solving
- Automated proxy rotation and retries
- Parsing to structured JSON or CSV
- Worldwide geotargeting
Important billing detail: Failed requests where the input was incorrect are still billed. However, requests that fail due to network or site issues are not charged.
The free tier renews on the 1st of each month. These credits are shared across the Web Scraper API, Web Unlocker, SERP API, and Scraping Browser, so heavy use of one product consumes the allowance for all.
Bright Data Datacenter and ISP Proxy Pricing
Beyond residential proxies, Bright Data offers datacenter and ISP (Internet Service Provider) proxies with different pricing structures:
Datacenter Proxies
Datacenter proxies can be purchased per IP or per GB. Pricing details are available on Bright Data's datacenter proxy product pages; contact sales for current rates and volume discounts.
ISP Proxies
ISP proxies blend the speed of datacenter with residential-like IPs assigned by ISPs. Pricing varies by volume; contact sales for quotes.
Mobile Proxies
Mobile proxies route through real carrier networks (4G/5G). Bright Data's mobile proxies are billed per GB with custom pricing for most plans. Public pricing is limited; contact sales for volume quotes.
Is There a Free Trial or Free Tier?
Bright Data offers limited free access:
- Web Scraper API, Web Unlocker, SERP API, Scraping Browser: 5,000 records per month, no credit card required (shared across all four products). This equates to roughly $7.50 in value at pay-as-you-go rates.
- Proxies: Testing options are available; check the pricing pages for current trial offers.
The free tier is useful for testing integrations and small projects. The 5,000 records are enough to evaluate the Web Scraper API's output quality and success rate before committing to a paid plan.
Pay-as-You-Go vs Monthly Plans: Which Saves Money?
The cost difference between pay-as-you-go and monthly commitments is significant:
| Product | Pay-as-You-Go (List) | Lowest Monthly Commitment Rate | Savings at Scale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Residential Proxies | $8/GB | $5/GB ($1,999/month plan) | 37.5% off |
| Web Scraper API | $1.50/1K records | $1.30/1K records ($499/month plan) | 13% off |
Note: The RESIGB50 promotional code (50% off residential proxies for 3 months) and APIS25 code (25% off Web Scraper API for 3 months) further reduce these rates at checkout, but only for the first three months.
When to Choose Pay-as-You-Go
- Irregular or unpredictable scraping needs
- Testing new data sources before scaling
- Monthly usage under 100 GB for proxies or 300K records for the API
- You want flexibility to pause without losing a monthly charge
When a Monthly Plan Makes Sense
- Consistent monthly usage of 200+ GB or 400K+ records
- Production workloads where the per-unit cost matters
- Enterprise budgets that prefer predictable monthly billing
Critical caveat: Monthly commitments do not roll over. If you pay for 798 GB and use only 400 GB, the remaining 398 GB disappears on the 1st of the next month. Bright Data recommends enabling auto-recharge and setting spend limits to avoid service suspension when you exceed your balance.
Bright Data Pricing vs Competitors: How It Compares
Bright Data positions itself as a premium provider. Here's how the major alternatives stack up, with pricing verified from each provider's official site on October 31, 2026. List prices (before any promotional codes) are shown for fair comparison:
| Provider | Entry-Level Rate | High-Volume Rate | Free Tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bright Data | $8/GB pay-as-you-go | $5/GB ($1,999/mo, 798 GB) | 5K records/month (API) |
| Oxylabs | $6/GB (up to 5 GB on $30/mo plan) | $2.50/GB (1K+ GB, Enterprise) | $5 welcome credits |
| Decodo (formerly Smartproxy) | $4/GB pay-as-you-go | $2/GB (1TB enterprise plan) | 100 MB, 3-day trial |
| IPRoyal | $7/GB (1 GB), $5.25/GB (10 GB) | $1.75/GB (from 10 TB custom) | None |
| Webshare | $3.50/GB (1 GB rotating residential) | $1.40/GB (3,000 GB plan) | 10 proxies + 1 GB free |
Sources: Bright Data, Oxylabs, Decodo, IPRoyal, Webshare, all checked October 31, 2026.
Key Takeaways from the Comparison
- Entry-level pricing varies widely. At small volumes (1-10 GB), Webshare ($3.50/GB) and Decodo ($4/GB) beat Bright Data ($8/GB list), while IPRoyal ($7/GB) and Oxylabs ($6/GB) are in the middle.
- At enterprise scale, rates converge. Bright Data ($5/GB at 798 GB), Oxylabs ($2.50/GB at 1K+ GB), and Decodo ($2/GB at 1TB) are comparable, while Webshare ($1.40/GB at 3TB) and IPRoyal ($1.75/GB at 10TB+) remain cheaper.
- Promotional codes cut list prices temporarily. Bright Data's RESIGB50 code (50% off for 3 months) makes pay-as-you-go $4/GB instead of $8/GB, changing the entry-level comparison. Factor in promo duration when comparing total cost.
- Bright Data's scale and compliance are differentiators. The 400M+ rotating residential IP pool, 99.99% uptime SLA, and SOC 2 / GDPR compliance matter for enterprise procurement, even if per-GB cost is higher.
For detailed comparisons, see our head-to-head reviews: Bright Data vs Decodo, Oxylabs vs Bright Data, Bright Data vs Webshare, IPRoyal vs Bright Data, and Bright Data vs NetNut.
Real-World Cost Scenarios
Let's calculate what you'd actually pay for common scraping projects at list prices (before promotional codes):
Scenario 1: E-commerce Price Monitoring (50,000 Products Daily)
- Estimated bandwidth: ~400 KB per product page = 20 GB/day = 600 GB/month
- Bright Data cost (residential, list): $6/GB × 600 GB = $3,600/month (or $999 Growth plan covers 332 GB at $6/GB, plus 268 GB overage at $6/GB pay-as-you-go ≈ $999 + $2,144 = $3,143, so the $1,999 Scale plan with 798 GB at $5/GB plus 0 overage would be cheaper at $1,999 flat)
- Alternative (Decodo 1TB plan): $2/GB × 600 GB = $1,200/month
- Alternative (Webshare 3,000 GB plan): $1.40/GB × 600 GB = $840/month
Scenario 2: LinkedIn Profile Scraping via Web Scraper API (100,000 Profiles/Month)
- Bright Data Web Scraper API: 100,000 records ÷ 1,000 × $1.50 = $150/month (minus the free 5K tier for the first 5K ≈ $142.50)
- Self-managed (Webshare proxies + own scraper): Bandwidth cost ~$50-100 + development/maintenance time
Scenario 3: Small Project Testing (10 GB over One Month)
- Bright Data (pay-as-you-go list): 10 GB × $8/GB = $80 (or $40 with RESIGB50 promo for first 3 months)
- IPRoyal (10 GB tier): 10 GB × $5.25/GB = $52.50
- Webshare (10 GB tier): 10 GB × $3.50/GB = $35
These examples use rounded averages. Actual costs vary based on page sizes, retry rates, and target site complexity. Always run a pilot test with real traffic to validate your cost estimates before scaling.
Hidden Costs and Billing Gotchas to Watch For
Bright Data's pricing transparency is generally good, but a few details can surprise new users:
- Bandwidth is bidirectional. Billed traffic includes both request headers/data and response headers/data.
- Monthly commitments don't roll over. If you don't use your full allocation, it's lost. No refunds, no credit to next month.
- Account suspension at 100% balance. Set up auto-recharge or monitor usage closely to avoid service interruption.
- Promotional codes are temporary. The RESIGB50 code (50% off residential for 3 months) and APIS25 code (25% off Web Scraper API for 3 months) reduce costs initially, but pricing reverts to list rates after 3 months.
Is Bright Data Worth the Premium Price?
Whether Bright Data's pricing makes sense depends on your priorities:
Bright Data Is Worth It If You Need:
- Massive scale: 400M+ rotating residential IPs and 99.99% uptime matter when you're scraping thousands of targets daily
- Compliance and legal safety: SOC 2, GDPR compliance, and ethically sourced IPs reduce procurement and legal risk for enterprises
- All-in-one infrastructure: The Web Scraper API bundles proxies, unblocking, parsing, and CAPTCHA solving into one bill, saving engineering time
- Enterprise support: 24/7 live chat, dedicated account managers, and phone support come standard on larger plans
- Geo-targeting precision: Country, state, city, ZIP, and ASN-level targeting are included at no extra cost
Consider Cheaper Alternatives If:
- Budget is tight: Decodo, Webshare, and IPRoyal all offer 20-50% lower per-GB pricing
- You're comfortable with self-managed infrastructure: Buying raw proxies and handling unblocking/parsing yourself can cut costs significantly
- Your use case is simple: Basic e-commerce scraping or price monitoring doesn't require Bright Data's advanced features
- You need pay-as-you-go flexibility: IPRoyal's traffic never expires, which is better for sporadic usage than Bright Data's monthly commitments
Bright Data's premium pricing reflects real infrastructure and support advantages, but it's not a universal best choice. Evaluate your actual needs — success rate, compliance requirements, and engineering resources — before choosing based on price alone.
For more context, see our complete Bright Data review, user feedback in Bright Data vs Decodo: The Real Deal from Users Who Actually Use Both, and our Best Residential Proxies for Web Scraping in 2026 roundup.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Bright Data cost per month?
Bright Data's monthly cost depends on the product and usage. Residential proxy plans start at $499/month for 141 GB ($7/GB list price). Pay-as-you-go residential proxies cost $8/GB list price. The Web Scraper API starts at $499/month for 384,000 records. Promotional codes at checkout (RESIGB50 for 50% off residential proxies, APIS25 for 25% off Web Scraper API) reduce these rates for the first 3 months.
What is the cheapest way to use Bright Data?
The cheapest way to use Bright Data is the free tier: 5,000 records per month, no credit card required (covering Web Scraper API, Web Unlocker, SERP API, or Scraping Browser). After that, pay-as-you-go pricing ($8/GB list for residential proxies, $1.50 per 1,000 records for Web Scraper API) is the most flexible low-volume option. The $1,999/month Scale plan delivers the lowest per-GB rate ($5/GB) for residential proxies.
Does Bright Data have a free trial?
Yes. New accounts get 5,000 records per month, no credit card required, for the Web Scraper API, Web Unlocker, SERP API, and Scraping Browser. Check Bright Data's pricing pages for current proxy trial offers.
Is Bright Data cheaper than Oxylabs?
Comparing list prices: Bright Data's pay-as-you-go is $8/GB vs Oxylabs' $6/GB, making Oxylabs cheaper for entry-level use. At enterprise scale (1,000+ GB), Bright Data offers $5/GB (on the $1,999+ plan), while Oxylabs offers $2.50/GB, making Oxylabs cheaper at high volume as well. Promotional codes (RESIGB50 cuts Bright Data's rates in half for 3 months) shift the comparison temporarily. Compare specific volumes and factor in promo duration.
What happens if I exceed my monthly plan on Bright Data?
If you exceed your monthly commitment (for example, you have the $499 plan with 141 GB and use 200 GB), the overage is billed at the plan's per-GB rate, drawn from your prepaid balance. If your balance reaches zero, your account is suspended until you add funds. Enable auto-recharge or monitor usage closely to avoid service interruption.
Do Bright Data prices include taxes?
No. Prices listed on Bright Data's site are in USD and exclude VAT, sales tax, or other local taxes. Tax is added at checkout based on your billing location.
Can I get a refund if Bright Data doesn't work for my project?
Bright Data's refund policy is not prominently disclosed on the pricing pages. The best approach is to test thoroughly with the free tier before committing to a paid plan.
How long are Bright Data's promotional codes valid?
Bright Data's promotional codes (RESIGB50, APIS25) are entered at checkout and apply for the first 3 months. After 3 months, billing reverts to list prices. The pricing pages display current active codes; check at signup to see which promos are available.
Prices checked October 31, 2026. All figures sourced from Bright Data's official pricing pages and documentation, with competitor pricing verified from each provider's own site. Prices may change; always verify current rates before purchase.
Looking for alternatives? Compare pricing and features in our proxy provider directory, or read our detailed comparison guides: Oxylabs vs Bright Data, Bright Data vs Decodo, IPRoyal vs Bright Data, Bright Data vs Webshare, and Bright Data vs NetNut.
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Proxy & Web Scraping Research Team
The ProxyCorner editorial team researches, tests, and reviews residential, datacenter, mobile, and ISP proxy providers. Every review is backed by our standardized monthly benchmark suite — 10,000+ test requests per provider, 5-region speed measurements, and independent IP pool verification.
Reviews follow our published testing methodology, including affiliate disclosure and editorial independence standards.
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