Forward Proxy vs Reverse Proxy: What's the Difference?
Understand the difference between forward and reverse proxies, and why it matters for your setup.
OutreachProxy Team
Proxy Experts
Forward vs Reverse Proxy: Quick Overview
Forward Proxy: Sits between client and internet, hides client identity Reverse Proxy: Sits in front of servers, hides server identity
TL;DR: When you buy proxies for outreach or scraping, you're using forward proxies. Reverse proxies are for server infrastructure.
Forward Proxy (What You Use)
You → Forward Proxy → Internet → Website
Purpose:
This is what OutreachProxy and other proxy providers offer.
Reverse Proxy (Server-Side)
User → Reverse Proxy → Your Servers
Purpose:
Examples: Cloudflare, Nginx, AWS ALB
Why It Matters
When shopping for proxies, you want forward proxies. The term "proxy" in the outreach/scraping context always means forward proxy.
Don't confuse discussions of reverse proxies (server infrastructure) with the proxies you need for outreach.
Written by OutreachProxy Team
Proxy Experts
The OutreachProxy team helps businesses scale their cold outreach with reliable static residential proxies. We share our expertise to help you succeed.