3proxy review
A flexible self-hosted proxy server for administrators managing many protocols and traffic rules.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
3proxy is a free, open-source proxy server for administrators who need to route and control network traffic through self-hosted gateways. It supports Windows, macOS, Linux and self-hosted deployments, and can operate as a standalone service or as multiple configured gateway services. Its audience is technical teams managing internal users, controlled access to internal resources, or varied network protocols from one configurable system.
Its main strength is breadth. 3proxy covers HTTP and HTTPS proxying, FTP-over-HTTP, SOCKS4, SOCKS4.5 and SOCKS5, POP3, SMTP, IMAP, FTP, DNS caching, DNS-over-TCP, and TCP and UDP port mapping. Administrators can apply access-control lists, authentication, request filtering, bandwidth and traffic-volume limits, proxy chaining, and parent-proxy routing. Logging can use files, syslog or ODBC, while the web administration service supports configuration reloads. That combination makes it suited to environments where policy control and protocol coverage matter more than a simple browser proxy.
The trade-off is operational scope. 3proxy is software to deploy and administer, not a hosted proxy network with country coverage, included bandwidth, concurrent-session quotas or IP-rotation options. It also has no AI features. Choose it when free, open-source control and multi-protocol routing are priorities; choose a hosted proxy service instead when the requirement is managed infrastructure, location targeting or network-level rotation.
3proxy pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Supports HTTP, HTTPS, SOCKS, FTP, mail, DNS, TCP and UDP proxying
- Adds ACLs, authentication, filtering, traffic limits and proxy chaining
- Runs on Windows, macOS, Linux and self-hosted deployments
- Where it doesn't
- Requires self-hosting and administrator-led configuration
- Does not provide a hosted proxy network or location targeting
- Includes no AI-assisted features
3proxy fact sheet, pricing and score →
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