Residential proxies and datacenter proxies solve different buying problems. Residential networks are usually selected when site trust, location realism, or higher-risk targets matter. Datacenter proxies are usually selected when speed, cost, and predictable infrastructure matter.
Start with the target
If the target is sensitive to hosted IP ranges, residential or ISP proxies may be the better test. If the workflow is internal testing, uptime monitoring, or a low-risk endpoint, datacenter inventory can be simpler and cheaper.
Run a pilot
The best proxy choice depends on target behavior. Test success rate, latency, session stability, and support response before buying larger traffic commitments.