Best Forward Proxy Software in 2026
Updated
In short: Check Point Harmony SASE is ranked #1 of 21 as of 4 October 2026, ahead of Cato Client and Cisco Secure Access. The best-ranked option with a free plan is Cloudflare Gateway. The lowest first paid tier on this page is Cloudflare Gateway at $7/mo.
Forward proxy software can mediate clients’ access to other services, so deployment and traffic controls are useful dimensions to compare. Compared on deployment, proxy protocols and concurrent connections, these entries also cover SSL inspection, user authentication and web filtering. Check Point Harmony SASE, Cato Client and Cisco Secure Access are among the tools to weigh against your environment’s requirements. Zscaler Private Access and Cloudflare Gateway offer further points of comparison. Review the listed controls alongside free-plan availability and paid-from pricing, and consider which combination of connection handling, authentication, inspection and filtering aligns with how you intend to deploy a proxy.
21 forward proxy software ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
Compare all 21 in a table
| # | Tool | Score | Free plan | From | Free plan | Paid from | Deployment | Proxy protocols |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Check Point Harmony SASE | 7.3 | No | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2 | Cato Client | 7.2 | No | — | — | — | cloud | — |
| 3 | Cisco Secure Access | 7.2 | No | — | — | — | cloud | http/https |
| 4 | Zscaler Private Access | 7.2 | No | — | No | — | cloud | http/https |
| 5 | Cloudflare Gateway | 7.0 | Free plan | $7/mo | Yes | — | — | — |
| 6 | iboss Cloud | 7.0 | No | — | No | — | — | — |
| 7 | mitmproxy | 7.0 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | — | — |
| 8 | Skyhigh Private Access | 7.0 | No | — | — | — | hybrid | — |
| 9 | Privoxy | 6.9 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | — | — |
| 10 | Squid | 6.8 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | — | — |
| 11 | WinGate | 6.7 | No | $109.95/mo | Yes | — | — | — |
| 12 | 3proxy | 6.6 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | — | — |
| 13 | SafeSquid Secure Web Gateway | 6.5 | No | — | — | — | hybrid | http/https |
| 14 | Prisma Browser | 5.9 | No | $10/mo | — | — | — | — |
| 15 | FortiProxy | 5.6 | No | — | — | — | hybrid | http/https |
| 16 | LatentSync | 5.6 | No | — | — | — | self-hosted | both |
| 17 | Lookout Secure Cloud Access | 5.6 | No | — | — | — | cloud | — |
| 18 | Menlo Security Secure Web Gateway | 5.6 | No | — | — | — | hybrid | — |
| 19 | Symantec IT Management Suite | 5.5 | No | — | — | — | — | — |
| 20 | Apache Traffic Server | 5.0 | No | — | — | — | — | — |
| 21 | Tinyproxy | 5.0 | Free plan | Free | — | — | — | — |
Is your tool on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored, and a sponsored row is labelled as paid.
Questions about this list
Which forward proxy software is ranked first on Specifiction?
Check Point Harmony SASE is ranked #1 of 21 with a score of 7.3. Cato Client is second and Cisco Secure Access third.
How many of these have a free plan?
6 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 on what each maker publishes, the fullest spec sheet first: how deeply the product is documented, the platforms it runs on, a free tier or trial to test it, and its standing.