3proxy vs SafeSquid Secure Web Gateway

3proxy9.4Visit SafeSquid Secure Web Gateway7.8Visit

Higher score 3proxy #1 in Forward Proxy Software 9.4/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 0 of 3 features Visit 3proxy

vs

SafeSquid Secure Web Gateway #8 in Forward Proxy Software 7.8/10 Pricing on request ✓ 3 of 3 features Visit SafeSquid

• 3proxy fits best

  Free, broad-protocol self-hosted proxying

• SafeSquid Secure Web Gateway fits best

  Hybrid gateways needing strong identity integration

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature	3proxy 9.4/10 Visit ↗	SafeSquid Secure Web Gateway 7.8/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.4	7.8
Ranking	#1 in Forward Proxy Software	#8 in Forward Proxy Software
Best for	Free, broad-protocol self-hosted proxying	Hybrid gateways needing strong identity integration
Pricing model	Free	Paid
Starting price	Free plan	Pricing on request
Free plan	✓ (best)	Not checked yet
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Self-hosted	Cloud, Self-hosted
Platforms	Windows, macOS, Linux	Web, Windows, Linux
Support	Email, Docs	Tickets, Community, Docs
Built for	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise	Mid-market, Enterprise
Features 3proxy 0/3 · SafeSquid Secure Web Gateway 3/3
SSL inspection	Not checked yet	✓ (best)
Web filtering	Not checked yet	✓ (best)
User authentication	Not checked yet	✓ (best)
Specs
Deployment	Not checked yet	Hybrid
Proxy protocols	Not checked yet	Http/https
Concurrent connections	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Our review
Pros	Supports HTTP, HTTPS, SOCKS, FTP, mail, DNS, TCP and UDP proxying Adds ACLs, authentication, filtering, limits, chaining and detailed logging Runs self-hosted on Windows, macOS and Linux as one or multiple gateway services	Broad HTTP/HTTPS filtering, SSL inspection, and application controls Integrates with Active Directory, LDAP, Kerberos, ICAP, and SIEM systems Supports malware scanning, DLP, reporting, clustering, and hybrid deployment
Cons	Requires administrators to configure and operate the proxy services Is self-hosted rather than a managed proxy network Offers no AI features or hosted network controls	Pricing is handled through sales rather than a public rate card Its broad policy scope may require more administration than a narrow proxy Its forwarding focus is centered on HTTP and HTTPS traffic
Our verdict	3proxy is a free, open-source, self-hosted proxy server for administrators who need to route and control network traffic. It supports HTTP and HTTPS proxying, including FTP-over-HTTP, alongside SOCKS4, SOCKS4.5 and SOCKS5. The software… Read the review →	SafeSquid Secure Web Gateway is a software-based HTTP(S) forward proxy for enterprise web security. It inspects and controls Layer 7 traffic, with URL, domain, text, image, and custom-category filtering alongside HTTPS inspection, malware… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• 3proxy — where it wins

  • Supports HTTP, HTTPS, SOCKS, FTP, mail, DNS, TCP and UDP proxying
  • Adds ACLs, authentication, filtering, limits, chaining and detailed logging
  • Runs self-hosted on Windows, macOS and Linux as one or multiple gateway services

  Where it doesn't

  • Requires administrators to configure and operate the proxy services
  • Is self-hosted rather than a managed proxy network
  • Offers no AI features or hosted network controls

• SafeSquid Secure Web Gateway — where it wins

  • Broad HTTP/HTTPS filtering, SSL inspection, and application controls
  • Integrates with Active Directory, LDAP, Kerberos, ICAP, and SIEM systems
  • Supports malware scanning, DLP, reporting, clustering, and hybrid deployment

  Where it doesn't

  • Pricing is handled through sales rather than a public rate card
  • Its broad policy scope may require more administration than a narrow proxy
  • Its forwarding focus is centered on HTTP and HTTPS traffic

• 3proxy9.4/10 · Free plan

  A broad-protocol, self-hosted proxy server for administrators who want granular traffic control.

  Visit 3proxyFull verdict →
• SafeSquid Secure Web Gateway7.8/10 · Pricing on request

  A hybrid forward proxy with deep filtering, identity controls, inspection, and reporting.

  Visit SafeSquidFull verdict →