A proxy server is a piece of hardware that acts as a "middleman" between the end user and the target data. The proxy server sits between the device and the Internet. Therefore, when using a proxy, the Internet cannot be accessed directly, but the web request will first be routed through the proxy and then sent to the web server. The proxy server is a bridge connecting the Internet and the Internet, and plays a vital role in practical applications. For example, security testing, data collection, load balancing, etc.

A proxy service is software that helps companies achieve data collection or security goals. But it is a more automated and streamlined process. If you outsource data collection to a proxy service, after setting up some basic data, such as collection frequency, target sites and data sets, and required formats (JPEG, JSON), the team and/or algorithm will start to get a lot of data. This allows companies to spend more energy on core business and only need to refer to the acquired data when making decisions.

The main difference between a proxy service and a proxy server is that a proxy server is the actual hardware that helps people and companies achieve their business goals, while a proxy server uses this technology to complete data work and present the results intuitively in the form of data.