Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Parsec VS Decodo

Compare Parsec VS Decodo and see what are their differences

Note: These products don't have any matching categories. If you think this is a mistake, please edit the details of one of the products and suggest appropriate categories.

Parsec logo Parsec

Streams games locally or over the internet

Decodo logo Decodo

Decodo is perhaps the most user-friendly way to access local data anywhere. It has global coverage with 195 locations, offers more than 55M residential proxies worldwide and a great deal of scraping solutions.
  • Parsec Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-09
  • Decodo Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-08-26

Decodo has been a promising proxy provider since its first days in 2018. They offer a wide selection of proxies (residential, shared and private datacenter proxies) and three full-stack scraping APIs with 100% success rates and a no-code scraper. It has an easy-to-use dashboard, public API, and flexible payment methods. Being awarded for its consumer-centric approach, Decodo continues to look for ways to make public data gathering as simple and accessible to everyone as possible.

The key things Decodo offers for you:

  • 55M+ high-quality residential IPs with an average speed of <0.5 sec.

  • Global coverage โ€“ target 195+ locations, including cities and 50 US states.

  • Pay As You Go option - $3.5 per 1GB.

  • 500K+ shared and dedicated datacenter IPs.

  • Unlimited connections and threads.

  • Full anonymity and security.

  • Smart Wallet for easy payment management.

  • Fantastic 24/7 support with 40s average response time.

  • User-friendly dashboard with a quick and easy proxy setup.

  • Detailed documentation and an informative blog.

  • A bunch of free tools with any plan subscription.

  • Free trial for all products..

Parsec features and specs

  • High Performance
    Parsec provides low latency and high-quality streaming even for demanding tasks like gaming and video editing.
  • Cross-Platform Support
    Parsec is available on multiple platforms, including Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS, allowing users to connect from various devices.
  • Ease of Use
    The application features a user-friendly interface that makes setup and connection straightforward, even for beginners.
  • Collaboration Features
    Parsec allows multiple users to connect and control a single machine, making it useful for collaborative projects and remote work.
  • Security
    Parsec uses SSL and DTLS encryption to ensure data integrity and privacy during remote sessions.
  • Customization
    Users can fine-tune settings for resolution, bitrate, and frame rate to optimize performance based on their network conditions.

Possible disadvantages of Parsec

  • Internet Dependence
    High-quality and low-latency performance heavily depends on a stable and fast internet connection, which can be a limitation in some areas.
  • Subscription Cost
    Advanced features and commercial use require a paid subscription, which may be a barrier for some users or small businesses.
  • Resource Intensive
    The host machine needs to be powerful enough to handle the encoding required for high-quality video streaming, which can be demanding on system resources.
  • Limited Offline Capabilities
    Parsec primarily functions as an online solution and lacks robust offline features for situations where internet access is intermittent or unavailable.
  • Compatibility Issues
    Despite wide platform support, there can still be compatibility issues with certain hardware or software setups, which may require troubleshooting.
  • Privacy Concerns
    Users might have concerns about sharing control of their machine or files when collaborating, posing potential security risks if not managed carefully.

Decodo features and specs

  • Large Proxy Pool
    Smartproxy offers a vast pool of residential and data center proxies, which expands the choice and decreases the chance of IP bans.
  • User-friendly Dashboard
    The service provides an intuitive and easy-to-use dashboard, making it simple for users to manage their proxies and monitor usage.
  • High Anonymity
    Smartproxy ensures high levels of anonymity and privacy, useful for activities requiring discreetness like web scraping.
  • Global Coverage
    With proxies available in numerous locations worldwide, users can access geographically restricted content or conduct broad market research.
  • 24/7 Customer Support
    Their customer support is available around the clock, offering reliable and prompt assistance to users via live chat and email.
  • Flexible Pricing Plans
    Smartproxy provides a range of pricing plans catering to different needs and budgets, including pay-as-you-go options.

Possible disadvantages of Decodo

  • Higher Cost for Premium Plans
    While they do offer flexible pricing, the more advanced plans can be expensive, making them less accessible for smaller businesses or individual users.
  • Usage Limitations
    There are bandwidth limitations depending on the plan you choose, which can be restrictive for tasks requiring large data transfers.
  • Shared Proxies
    Some of the proxies are shared, which can potentially slow down connection speeds or lead to IP bans if other users abuse the service.
  • No Free Trials
    Smartproxy does not offer a free trial, which could deter potential customers who are unwilling to commit without trying the service first.
  • Learning Curve for Advanced Features
    Utilizing some of the more sophisticated functionalities might require a learning curve, especially for users not familiar with proxy services.

Analysis of Parsec

Overall verdict

  • Overall, Parsec is considered a good option for anyone needing remote access or streaming capabilities. Its robust performance and user-friendly interface make it a reliable choice for various applications.

Why this product is good

  • Parsec (parsec.app) is widely appreciated for its low-latency, high-quality remote desktop and game streaming capabilities. It allows users to access and control their computers from anywhere, making it a versatile solution for gamers, creatives, and professionals alike. The software's ease of setup and use, combined with its strong performance even in low-bandwidth environments, contribute to its positive reputation.

Recommended for

  • Gamers looking for low-latency game streaming to play with friends remotely.
  • Professionals needing access to their desktop environment from different locations.
  • Creative professionals who require remote collaboration or access to powerful hardware for rendering tasks.
  • Anyone seeking a high-quality remote desktop experience with minimal setup complexity.

Analysis of Decodo

Overall verdict

  • Smartproxy is generally well-regarded in the proxy service industry. It is recommended for those who need reliable and efficient proxy solutions with a balance of cost and performance. However, like any service, itโ€™s important for users to assess their specific needs and test the platform to ensure it meets their requirements.

Why this product is good

  • Smartproxy is considered a good proxy service provider due to its extensive network of residential IP addresses, competitive pricing, and high success rates for web scraping and bypassing geo-restrictions. The service offers user-friendly management tools and responsive customer support, making it suitable for both beginners and advanced users. Additionally, Smartproxy places a strong emphasis on security and privacy, which are crucial factors for many users.

Recommended for

  • Web scraping professionals
  • SEO specialists
  • Businesses looking to bypass geo-restrictions
  • Users concerned with online privacy and security
  • Data miners needing reliable residential proxies

Parsec videos

Is Parsec any good? First Impressions with UNIST, Skullgirls, and DBFZ

More videos:

  • Review - Gaming On A $17 Office PC with Parsec! | OzTalksHW
  • Review - Parsec Cloud Gaming Review

Decodo videos

Residential rotating proxies. Why choose Smartproxy?

More videos:

  • Tutorial - Smartproxy review &amp; How to smartproxy
  • Review - Proxies for Scraping
  • Tutorial - How to Start Using Smartproxy
  • Review - Smartproxy Review 2023: Best Price To Value Proxies
  • Review - IPFighter| Review Smartproxy
  • Review - DECODO Review 2025 (Ex-Smartproxy) | Still the BEST Proxy?
  • Review - Decodo Review 2025 (former Smartproxy) | FULL Review of new features!

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Parsec and Decodo)
Game Streaming
100 100%
0% 0
Proxy
0 0%
100% 100
Games
100 100%
0% 0
Residential Proxies
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

Share your experience with using Parsec and Decodo. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
Log in or Post with

Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Parsec and Decodo

Parsec Reviews

Top Remote Desktop Software for Gaming
Like AnyDesk or TeamViewer, Parsec was not initially an RDP gaming solution. It was developed primarily for developers and engineers who needed a remote connection to work on their projects. Thus, a main feature Parsec offered was great graphics.
Source: cloudzy.com
Moonlight game streaming alternatives
Released 6 years ago, Parsec is an application that lets users capture their desktop. This is mainly used by players to play games on their computers from different devices. Players can stream their games on their own personal computers for free through Parsec. But there is also an option to rent servers to play games on. Moreover, it prioritizes user safety over everything...
Source: androidgram.com
15 Best Parsec Alternatives [Remote Desktop Tools] in 2022
Parsec is a proprietary desktop capture application primarily used to play games via video streaming. Using Parsec, users can stream video game footage over an Internet connection, allowing one person to run the game on one computer but play it remotely from another device. While its primary focus is gaming, Parsec can also be used as a low-latency desktop sharing software.
Source: phreesite.com
10 Best Hamachi Alternatives for Virtual LAN Gaming
Parsec is a desktop capturing application mainly used for playing video games through video streaming. Still, it also allows the creation of virtual LAN gaming servers using the local co-op feature.
Source: techviral.net
11 Best Parsec Alternatives & Similar Apps
Parsec has been known for its ability to connect your smartphone to the desktop. However, some Parsec alternatives are also known for offering a lot more to their users.

Decodo Reviews

  1. Vladyslav
    ยท Backend Developer at KittenProperties ยท
    Very good quality

    Residential proxy is quite good. High success rate with their proxies even though it is quite expensive

    ๐Ÿ Competitors: NetNut.io
    ๐Ÿ‘Ž Cons:    Expensive
  2. CPAScraping
    ยท Working at CPA Scraping ยท
    My Review of Smartproxy Service

    Smartproxy, in my experience, is a solid choice for heavy-duty web scraping tasks. Been using it for bulk data mining. Their proxy pool's massive โ€“ good for avoiding blocks and captchas. Speed's decent, uptime mostly consistent. Setup? Straightforward. But yeah, pricing's a bit on the higher side, especially for large-scale operations. Overall, Smartproxy delivers, especially for those heavy scraping needs.

    ๐Ÿ‘ Pros:    Ip diversity|Quick data access|Minimal downtime|User-friendly interface:
    ๐Ÿ‘Ž Cons:    Pricey|Some geo-restrictions.|Ometimes slow response.

Proxy Service Awards 2024
After all these years, we still canโ€™t find a provider that combines mid-market rates, premium-grade performance, and newbie-friendly user experience as well as Smartproxy. You can get proxies that work effectively as well or better than enterprise providers, without investing thousands of dollars to reach their bulk rates. The plans start at single digits, but even then you...
Source: proxyway.com
OxyProxy vs. Smartproxy: A Detailed Comparison
Set of Services Provided by Smartproxy Service TypeDescriptionResidential ProxiesOffers IP addresses from real residential connections, ideal for high anonymity and avoiding blocks.Data Center ProxiesProvides faster speeds, suitable for tasks requiring high-speed connections.Rotating ProxiesAutomatically rotates IP addresses, enhancing anonymity and reducing the risk of...
Source: oxyproxy.pro
Top 10 Alternatives to Bright Data (formerly Luminati Proxy Networks)
The proxy pool is one of the cleanest as it is regularly being updated. Currently, it has over 5 million residential IP addresses sourced from many locations. As stated earlier, Soax is affordable even though its pricing model is the same with both Smartproxy and Bright Data โ€“ bandwidth-based. Just like Smartproxy, all you need to use the Soax service is a minimum of $75.
17 BEST Residential Proxies to Buy in 2022 (Cheap & Premium)
Smartproxy offers both residential and datacenter proxies, but their residential ones have the best features. Unlike most other residential proxy providers, Smartproxy focuses solely on providing the best residential IPs to businesses.
Source: earthweb.com
10 Best Free Online Proxy Server List of 2022 [VERIFIED]
Smartproxy offers a residential proxy network with 40M+ IPs. It offers the solutions of data center proxies, search engine proxies, etc. Chrome proxy extension will help you with accessing the localized content. Proxy address generator provides the facility of exporting the proxy list for any software.

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Parsec seems to be a lot more popular than Decodo. While we know about 371 links to Parsec, we've tracked only 6 mentions of Decodo. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Parsec mentions (371)

  • Developing in the (Google) Cloud
    Select the remote desktop software you want to use to access the machines. There are many available options like HP Anywhere, Parsec or Moonlight to name a few. - Source: dev.to / about 1 year ago
  • Comet open source remote KVM from GL-iNet
    There's not much to it to be honest. If you've got Home Assistant running then https://www.home-assistant.io/integrations/wake_on_lan/ will sort you out, and I have Parsec (https://parsec.app) installed on my desktop so that it starts on boot. - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • Raspberry Pi 5 now supports Valve's Steam Link
    Parsec[1] would be interesting to compare. [1] https://parsec.app/. - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • How I created my first open-source project.
    Everything started with me trying to log into my AWS EC2 machine. Every time I wanted to connect to AWS EC2 using Parsec, I had to type the entire OS password, because there isn't a way to paste over Parsec. And yes, it is a large password. Is it a boring activity? Yes! I did it every time until my patience ran off and my laziness took over. - Source: dev.to / about 2 years ago
  • SF's AI boom can't stop real estate slide, as office vacancies reach new record
    Yep I agree. The other advantage Vancouver always had is that there's a pretty significant amount of residential Downtown and near Downtown, and so Downtown didn't fully empty out as badly as many American cities, and there are a massive amount of workers that can walk and bike to work. I don't have familiarity with the needs of digital effects workers, but I'm unsure that there were any technical barriers for the... - Source: Hacker News / about 2 years ago
View more

Decodo mentions (6)

  • Best Amazon Scraper APIs To Check Out in 2024
    Smarproxy is another proxy provider that offers a dedicated section for scraping e-commerce platforms including Amazon. Their Amazon API is known for its speed and quality and can be used just with a simple POST request. - Source: dev.to / about 2 years ago
  • Basic Web Browser with Electron +APIS
    Smartproxy: Offers residential proxies with support for HTTP(S) and SOCKS5. It is known for its high success rate and 24/7 technical support. Smartproxy provides a balance between price and performance, making it accessible to less experienced users (Smartproxy). - Source: dev.to / over 2 years ago
  • Cheap Residential Proxy: Affordable and Reliable Proxy Service for Anonymous Browsing
    For instance, imagine you are conducting market research and need to scrape data from various websites for analysis. By using a residential proxy service like anyip.io or Smart Proxy, you can ensure that your scraping activities are secure and undetectable while maintaining anonymity. Additionally, these services effortlessly handle throttling of threads and swiftly manage captchas. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Proxy for Instagram: What is It and How to Get It?
    Smartproxy Rotating residential IPs for multi-accounting. Large rotating residential proxy pool, 195+ countries, no subnets, an easy setup process. The IPs are from both desktop and mobile devices. Different tools for IG automation and affordable price plans ($75/5 GB ($15/GB). However the residential IPs are still P2P, so you have sticky sessions up to 30 min and then proxies rotate. - Source: dev.to / over 3 years ago
  • Smartproxy Review
    Smartproxy is one of the latest rotating residential proxy services to hit the market. Smartproxy offers its users immense features and functionality at affordable rates. If youโ€™re looking for a long-term proxy service to stick to, itโ€™s worth looking at Smartproxyโ€™s unique offerings. - Source: dev.to / about 5 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Parsec and Decodo, you can also consider the following products

Moonlight-Stream.org - Moonlight allows you to stream your collection of games from your GameStream-compatible PC to any...

Bright Data - World's largest proxy service with a residential proxy network of 72M IPs worldwide and proxy management interface for zero coding.

TeamViewer - TeamViewer lets you establish a connection to any PC or server within just a few seconds.

Oxylabs - A web intelligence collection platform and premium proxy provider, enabling companies of all sizes to utilize the power of big data.

Rainway - Rainway is a free video game streaming service that allows you to play your favourite games on any device.

IPRoyal - At IPRoyal, we offer premium proxy servers, including residential, datacenter, ISP, and mobile proxies.