PacketStreamCompare · Residential proxies
PacketStream vs. IPRoyal
PacketStream and IPRoyal both sell pay-as-you-go residential proxy traffic that does not expire. The difference is the price curve. PacketStream charges $1.00/GB at any volume from a $50 purchase. IPRoyal’s pay-as-you-go rate on October 10, 2026 started at $7.35/GB for 1 GB and fell to $1.84/GB at 10 TB. Even at 10 TB, IPRoyal’s listed rate was above PacketStream’s.
Checked against each provider’s public pages on .
At a glance
| Feature | PacketStream | IPRoyal |
|---|---|---|
| Residential price | $1.00/GB at any volume | Pay-as-you-go: $7.35/GB for 1 GB, $6.25/GB for 2 GB, $5.51/GB for 10 GB, and $1.84/GB from 10 TB. |
| Subscription | None | Optional |
| Unused traffic | Purchased balance does not expire | Traffic does not expire |
How they differ
Price curve. Both providers sell traffic that does not expire, without requiring a subscription. PacketStream uses one flat rate, $1.00/GB, with a $50 minimum purchase. IPRoyal uses volume tiers: small purchases cost more per GB, and the rate falls as the purchase grows.
Control. PacketStream offers country targeting at no extra cost, a new exit for each new connection, or a sticky exit that lasts until 60 minutes pass without a successful new connection.
Scope. The same PacketStream balance also pays for web search, page reading, and MCP tools for AI agents, at $0.0025 per successful call.
Why choose PacketStream
- You want more traffic for your money. $50 buys 50 GB at PacketStream; at IPRoyal’s listed pay-as-you-go rates, 10 GB cost $55.10 on October 10, 2026.
- You want the same price per GB whether you buy $50 or much more, with no volume tiers to plan around.
- You want country targeting included in the $1.00/GB rate.
- You also want web search and page reading for AI agents, paid from the same balance.
Frequently asked questions
Is PacketStream cheaper than IPRoyal?
Per GB at the prices listed on October 10, 2026, yes, at every volume. PacketStream charges $1.00/GB, with a $50 minimum purchase. IPRoyal’s pay-as-you-go rate fell from $7.35/GB for 1 GB to $1.84/GB at 10 TB.
Does traffic expire with either provider?
No. PacketStream’s purchased balance does not expire, and IPRoyal states that its residential traffic never expires.
How do PacketStream sticky sessions work?
Add a session ID to your auth key to keep the same residential exit. The 60-minute timeout is rolling: each successful new connection in the session restarts it, so an active session can keep its exit for longer than an hour. The session stays on one household’s IP and never silently switches to a different exit.
Sources, checked 2026-10-10
- IPRoyal: Residential proxies pricing
- PacketStream: Pricing
- PacketStream: Rotation and sticky sessions
- PacketStream: Country targeting
Prices are as listed on the date shown and may have changed since. IPRoyal is a trademark of its owner, used here only to identify its products. PacketStream facts come from our pricing and documentation.
Try PacketStream with a prepaid balance.
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