Head to head · reviewed Sep 28, 2026
SOAX vs Decodo: targeting versus a cheaper gigabyte
Both are self-serve. Decodo is cheaper at the start. SOAX is the targeting conversation. If you cannot name the city or ASN you need, you are paying for a sentence you will not use.
DoorSelf-serve
SOAXLondon, UK
DecodoVilnius, LT
The resultDefault: Decodo
The result
Default: Decodo
Pick: Decodo
Decodo unless the job is a specific city or ASN and you have already seen Decodo fail that targeting. Do not buy targeting as a vibe.
In brief
What to know before you pick
- Decodo PAYG $4/GB + VAT.
- SOAX sandbox PAYG $5/GB + VAT.
- Targeting is a filter, not a success rate.
Same fields
The comparison
Catalog facts first. The pick above is editorial. Confirm the live rate before you pay.
| Field | SOAX | Decodo |
|---|---|---|
| Door | self-serve | self-serve |
| First priced cell | $5.00/GB | $4.00/GBWins this row |
| That cell is | Residential · payg | Residential · payg |
| Session on that cell | Rotating or sticky | Rotating or sticky |
| HQ | London, UK | Vilnius, LT |
| Founded | 2019 | 2018 |
Buy SOAX if
You can name the city or ASN and you will actually filter on it.
Skip it if You need the cheapest gigabyte or the simplest invoice. Start elsewhere, come back with a failed filter.
Buy Decodo if
You want the lower published gigabyte and can live with country targeting first.
Skip it if You already know you need a contracted enterprise pool and a named SLA. Or you are optimizing a single dollar and have tested a cheaper meter on your own URLs.
SOAX
- A sandbox rate exists, so you are not forced into the monthly commit on day one
- Targeting is the reason the product is in the set
- Residential and mobile are not the same SKU
Decodo
- Public pay-as-you-go and a subscription that starts at 3 GB
- Targeting is on the plan, not a slide: country, city, ASN
- The brand is the old Smartproxy product, so docs and habits carried over
Pay for the filter you use
A city parameter you never send is a dollar per gigabyte you donated. Decodo still targets. SOAX’s extra dollar is for the cases where that targeting is the reason the page comes back.
The trap
How this comparison usually goes wrong
Paying SOAX’s sandbox because the homepage talks about targeting, then running country-wide traffic anyway.
What I would do
The move
Test Decodo on the URL. Move the failing geo to SOAX. Keep the rest where it is cheaper.
Published rates
SOAX and Decodo in this catalog
Entry rates. Quotes omitted from the price sort. Not a reservation.
TypesScopeBillingSessionRateOpen provider
ResidentialSandbox pay-as-you-go $5/GB plus VAT. Monthly plans start with a larger commit. Enterprise floors are not the entry rate.Country, city, ASNPay as you goRotating or sticky$5.00/GBOpen type
TypesScopeBillingSessionRateOpen provider
ResidentialPay as you go $4/GB plus VAT. Entry subscription is $3.75/GB at 3 GB ($11.25/mo). Volume floor on the same page goes to $2/GB.Country, city, ASNPay as you goRotating or sticky$4.00/GBOpen type
FAQ
SOAX vs Decodo
Is SOAX better than Decodo?+
Not as a default. Decodo is cheaper at the start. SOAX is the targeting specialist in this sample, not the automatic upgrade.
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