Best Forward Proxy Software in 2026
Updated
In short: Cloudflare Gateway is ranked #1 of 21 as of 4 October 2026, ahead of mitmproxy and 3proxy. The best-ranked option with a free plan is mitmproxy. The lowest first paid tier on this page is Cloudflare Gateway at $7/mo.
Forward proxy software mediates client traffic to other services. Compare deployment options and proxy protocols alongside concurrent connections to understand how each tool may fit your setup. SSL inspection, user authentication, and web filtering are additional traffic controls to weigh. Free-plan availability and paid-from pricing provide cost details. The ranked entries begin with Cloudflare Gateway, mitmproxy, and 3proxy, followed by Privoxy and Squid. Consider the listed deployment, connection, and filtering capabilities together when assessing which option aligns with your environment.
21 forward proxy software ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
5 of the 21 here have a free tier you can use, 0 have open-source code on record, and 0 have full bars: free, open, on most of your devices and documented.
| # | App | Signal | Free tier | Open code | Devices | From | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cloudflare GatewayWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone | Two bars | — | 6 of 6 | $7/mo | 6.5 | |
| 2 | mitmproxyWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Self-hosted | Three bars | — | 4 of 6 | Free | 6.5 | |
| 3 | 3proxyWindows · Mac · Linux · Self-hosted | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 6.4 | |
| 4 | PrivoxyWindows · Mac · Linux · Self-hosted | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 6.4 | |
| 5 | SquidWindows · Mac · Linux · Self-hosted | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 6.4 | |
| 6 | Skyhigh Private AccessWeb · Windows · Mac · Android · iPhone | Two bars | — | — | 5 of 6 | — | 5.7 |
| 7 | WinGateWindows | One bar | — | — | 1 of 6 | $109.95/mo | 5.5 |
| 8 | SafeSquid Secure Web GatewayWeb · Windows · Linux · Self-hosted | Two bars | — | — | 3 of 6 | — | 5.4 |
| 9 | Zscaler Private AccessWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone | Two bars | — | — | 6 of 6 | — | 5.4 |
| 10 | Cato ClientWindows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone | Two bars | — | — | 5 of 6 | — | 5.3 |
| 11 | Check Point Harmony SASEWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone | Two bars | — | — | 6 of 6 | — | 5.3 |
| 12 | Cisco Secure AccessWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone · API | Two bars | — | — | 6 of 6 | — | 5.3 |
| 13 | iboss CloudWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone | Two bars | — | — | 6 of 6 | — | 5.3 |
| 14 | FortiProxyNo platforms listed | No signal | — | — | 0 of 6 | — | 5.1 |
| 15 | LatentSyncLinux | No signal | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 5.1 |
| 16 | Menlo Security Secure Web GatewayWeb | No signal | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 5.1 |
| 17 | Symantec IT Management SuiteWindows · Mac · Linux | One bar | — | — | 3 of 6 | — | 5.1 |
| 18 | Apache Traffic ServerMac · Linux | No signal | — | — | 2 of 6 | — | 5.0 |
| 19 | TinyproxyMac · Linux | No signal | — | — | 2 of 6 | — | 5.0 |
| 20 | Lookout Secure Cloud AccessWeb | No signal | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 4.8 |
| 21 | Prisma BrowserWeb | One bar | — | — | 1 of 6 | $10/mo | 4.8 |
Is your app on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored. They are labelled, and the editorial order and scores never change for payment.
Questions about this list
Which forward proxy software is ranked first on Freedom251?
Cloudflare Gateway is ranked #1 of 21 with a score of 6.5. mitmproxy is second and 3proxy third.
How many of these have a free plan?
5 of the 21 on this page publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.
Which is the cheapest paid option?
On this page, Cloudflare Gateway has the lowest first paid tier we found: $7/mo.
How is this list ranked?
Ranked free-and-open first: a usable free tier and open-source code, then the platforms it runs on and its documentation. Paid placements never change a rank.