Evaluating the True Cost per GB of DIY Mobile Proxies > 자유게시판

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For anyone building their own mobile proxy network, the cost per GB is a critical factor

Because mobile proxies rely on actual cellular connections rather than fixed IP infrastructure, their operational overhead is significantly greater

Many assume DIY mobile proxies are cheaper, but hidden fees and ongoing expenses often make them far more info on hackmd expensive than expected

Your initial investment begins with hardware

You’ll require several Android or iOS devices, each equipped with an active cellular subscription

High quality devices with reliable cellular modems and good battery life can cost anywhere from 200 to 500 dollars each

For a modest 10-device array, expect to spend at least $2,000 and potentially over $5,000 upfront

This cost is amortized over time, but it’s still a major upfront expense

Next is the data plan

Some countries offer flat-rate plans, while others impose steep overage fees or throttling penalties

However, "unlimited" rarely means truly unlimited

However, most unlimited plans have throttling after a certain threshold—often around 20 to 50 GB

To avoid throttling entirely, business-grade plans at $100+ monthly are often required

month; on premium $700 plans = $7,000

Now let’s calculate cost per GB

If you’re using a 50 dollar plan with 50 GB of high speed data, your cost per GB is 1 dollar

Premium plans that guarantee speed without throttling cost nearly $3.50 per GB

International roaming or local SIMs often come with steep markups

When hardware fails, your cost per GB spikes unexpectedly

Ongoing upkeep adds up fast

You need to regularly reboot devices, update firmware, replace batteries, monitor for carrier throttling, and manage IP rotation

If you’re doing it yourself, your time is worth something

Server costs for routing traffic can run $100–$400

Professional providers eliminate your hardware, labor, and maintenance burden

Tiered pricing means heavy users pay as little as $0.10

Add in depreciation, staff time, and downtime, and DIY becomes economically unsustainable

If you’re running 1–2 devices for personal use, DIY might suffice

But for any serious or sustained use, the cost per GB rarely makes economic sense

The illusion of savings collapses under the weight of hardware decay, labor, and throttling

Unless you have access to subsidized devices or very low cost data plans, buying from a reputable provider is usually the smarter financial choice