Why mobile IPs are trusted#
With CGNAT, a single public IPv4 address represents a whole cell of phones. Reputation systems cannot punish one address without hurting many legitimate users, and mobile-first platforms expect most of their traffic to arrive from exactly these ranges. That is the "trust ceiling" mobile proxies buy.
Rotating pool versus dedicated device#
| Rotating pool | Dedicated device | |
|---|---|---|
| What you get | A new carrier IP per connection, or a sticky session | One physical modem and its IP, yours alone |
| Rotation | Automatic | On demand by link or API, or on a timer |
| Billing | Per GB, one rate worldwide | Per device and term, unlimited traffic, priced by country |
| Best for | Collection at scale on mobile-first targets | Accounts and apps that must look like one consistent phone |
Speed#
Mobile exits run at cellular speed: fine for pages, apps and most collection jobs, below a wired link for bulk transfer. For raw throughput, ISP or datacenter proxies are the better fit.
How a mobile proxy gets its IP#
- A modem or phone with a SIM card connects to a carrier's 4G or 5G network.
- The carrier assigns it a public IPv4 address that it shares, through CGNAT, with many subscribers in the area.
- The proxy software on the device relays your connections, so the target sees that carrier address.
- Reconnecting the device to the network makes the carrier assign a different address: that is how mobile IPs rotate.
4G or 5G?#
For proxy use the difference is mostly speed and latency. Both come from the same carrier address pools and are scored the same way by websites; 5G simply moves pages faster where coverage exists.
What mobile proxies cost#
Mobile is the most expensive kind of proxy to supply, because each exit is a SIM with a data plan on real hardware. At HodlProxy the rotating pool starts at $2.62/GB and falls to $1.58/GB at volume; a dedicated device with unlimited traffic starts at $31.05 a month depending on the country.
How it works at HodlProxy#
HodlProxy mobile proxies draw on a rotating pool of 4.9M+ carrier IPs in 100+ countries from mob.hodlproxy.com (ports 9000 and 9001, same username parameters as residential) from $2.62 per GB, and dedicated 4G/5G devices in 20 countries from $31.05 a month on a 90-day term, with rotation on demand or on a timer.
Questions people ask#
Do I need mobile proxies for social platforms?
Not always. Many accounts run well on ISP addresses in the account's country. Mobile becomes the answer when a platform challenges residential-grade addresses, when the audience is mobile-first, or when an account deserves its own device.
How does rotation work on a dedicated device?
You trigger it: a signed link or an API call asks the carrier for a new address, or a timer rotates every N minutes. The device keeps the same carrier and country.
Why are mobile proxies harder to block?
Because each carrier address is shared by many real subscribers at once. Blocking it would block paying customers of the site, so platforms challenge mobile IPs far less than hosting or even residential ranges.
How often does a mobile proxy change IP?
On the rotating pool, on every new connection unless you hold a sticky session. On a dedicated device, when you trigger it by link or API, or on a timer you set.
Can I choose the mobile carrier?
On dedicated devices, yes: each country page lists the carriers available. On the rotating pool you choose the country, and the exit comes from the carriers in that country.