HTTP vs HTTPS vs SOCKS Proxies Explained

If you’ve shopped for proxies, you’ve seen it: some providers offer HTTP proxies, others push SOCKS5, and a few throw in HTTPS support like it’s a feature.

The truth? Most people don’t actually know what these labels mean or when one protocol is better than another.

In this guide, we’ll break it down simply: HTTP vs HTTPS vs SOCKS proxies. How they work, what they’re good at, and why most use cases don’t need more than plain HTTP.

The Basics: What These Terms Really Mean

HTTP Proxy

Routes web traffic (layer 7, application-level). Good for scraping, browsing, APIs.

HTTPS Proxy

Same as HTTP, but adds TLS encryption between you and the proxy. Good for secure browsing or sensitive data.

SOCKS Proxy (usually SOCKS5)

A lower-level proxy (layer 5, transport-level). Works with any type of traffic, not just web, like FTP, P2P, or games.

Think of it like this: HTTP/HTTPS proxies = Web specialists. SOCKS proxies = Generalists.

How HTTP Proxies Work

An HTTP proxy handles only web traffic. This is the kind of requests your browser or a scraper sends.

Example with Python’s requests:

import requests
proxy = "http://user:pass@proxy.proxiesthatwork.com:PORT"
proxies = {
    "http": proxy,
    "https": proxy
}
r = requests.get("http://httpbin.org/ip", proxies=proxies)
print(r.json())

✅ This works for scraping, APIs, or browsing because everything runs over HTTP(S).

⚠️ But if you try to use this proxy for a non-web app (like a torrent client or a multiplayer game), it won’t work.

How HTTPS Proxies Work

HTTPS proxies are just HTTP proxies with encryption (TLS).

HTTP proxies can forward unencrypted traffic (not ideal for logins, sensitive forms).

HTTPS proxies wrap that traffic in encryption, so no one can snoop between you and the proxy.

All modern browsers + libraries use HTTPS by default, so when people say “HTTP proxy,” they usually mean it supports both HTTP and HTTPS traffic.

How SOCKS Proxies Work

SOCKS proxies (especially SOCKS5) are different:

They don’t understand web protocols.

They just pass raw traffic between client and server.

This makes them:

• More flexible (works for P2P, games, streaming).
• But slower (no built-in caching or web optimizations).
• Harder to integrate with simple web scrapers (extra configuration needed).

Example (Python socks module):

import socks
import socket
import socket

socks.set_default_proxy(socks.SOCKS5, "proxy.proxiesthatwork.com", 1080, True, "user", "pass")
socket.socket = socks.socksocket

# Example raw socket connection
s = socket.socket()
s.connect(("httpbin.org", 80))
s.send(b"GET /ip HTTP/1.1\r\nHost: httpbin.org\r\n\r\n")
print(s.recv(4096))

✅ More flexible, but not beginner-friendly.

Common Myths About Proxy Protocols

Myth 1: SOCKS is always better than HTTP.

❌ Not true. Unless you need non-web traffic (FTP, P2P), HTTP/HTTPS is faster and easier to use.

Myth 2: HTTPS proxies are a different product.

❌ They’re just HTTP proxies that support encrypted traffic. If your provider says “HTTP proxies,” they almost always support HTTPS too.

Myth 3: Residential SOCKS is the only way to stay unblocked.

❌ Blocks are more about request patterns and behavior, not whether you’re on SOCKS or HTTP.

Which Proxy Should You Use?

1. Web scraping, SEO, automation, ads, travel, surveys → HTTP/HTTPS proxies (fast, scalable, cheap).
2. Gaming, torrents, P2P apps, streaming bypass → SOCKS5 proxies (handle non-web traffic).
3. Most businesses and researchers → Stick to HTTP/HTTPS — it’s simpler and fully compatible.

Why ProxiesThatWork Focuses on HTTP/HTTPS

At ProxiesThatWork.com, we specialize in IPv4 HTTP/HTTPS proxies. Why?

95% of real-world use cases (scraping, SEO, social media, ad verification, QA testing, travel data) only need HTTP/HTTPS.

They’re faster, simpler, and more compatible with tools like Python, Puppeteer, BrowserStack, and marketing platforms.

Our proxies are tested every 5 minutes across 1,000+ websites, covering everything that matters to web traffic.

If you need SOCKS for niche cases (like torrents or custom apps), there are providers. But if you’re a developer, marketer, or researcher, HTTP/HTTPS proxies actually work.

Where to Buy Proxies That Work (HTTP/HTTPS)

Most providers overcomplicate proxy sales with “SOCKS-only,” “HTTPS-only,” or “premium encrypted proxies.”

At ProxiesThatWork.com, it’s simple:

✅ 150 HTTP/HTTPS proxies for $3/month

✅ Tested across 1,000+ sites

✅ Instant setup with IP auth or user/pass

When it comes to proxies, the protocol isn’t the magic bullet.

HTTP proxies are the workhorses.

HTTPS just adds encryption (most already support it).

SOCKS is useful, but niche.

For 90% of developers, marketers, and researchers, HTTP/HTTPS proxies are all you need.

Buy bulk proxies for $3 and use proxies that actually work without the protocol confusion.