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3proxy

3proxy.org

Free plan Open source WindowsmacOSLinuxSelf-hosted
Visit 3proxy.org
Spec score 9.0 #1 of 35 in Proxy Software

What it is

3proxy is a free proxy server for controlling access between internal users and external resources, or between external users and internal resources. It supports HTTP and HTTPS proxying, SOCKS v4, v4.5 and v5, and FTP over HTTP. Other services include POP3 proxying, TCP and UDP port mapping, and a caching DNS proxy. Access controls can set bandwidth and traffic limits, chain proxies, and rotate logs. Logging can use files, Unix syslog, or an ODBC database, with configurable formats. When compiled with OpenSSL, 3proxy offers HTTPS proxy connections, upstream TLS with certificate authentication, and mutual TLS. Its security guidance recommends limiting access with ACLs and notes that its documented strong authentication method currently uses cleartext authentication. It runs on Linux, macOS, Windows, and self-hosted setups; Docker images are available, and Windows system-service installation is described. Release binaries are published with checksums, an OpenPGP signature, and a build provenance attestation; Docker images are signed and attested. The listed plan is free.

Spec sheet

What it does
3proxy is a universal application-level proxy server for controlling access between internal users and external resources or vice versa.Read 21 Oct 2026 · github.com
Purpose
3proxy is a small proxy server for providing controlled access between internal users and external resources, or between external users and internal resources.Read 3 Oct 2026 · 3proxy.org
Deployment
Install paths and service instructions are documented for Windows, Unix/Linux, macOS and Docker deployments.Read 21 Oct 2026 · 3proxy.org
Integrations
The documentation lists optional build support for OpenSSL, PCRE2, PAM and ODBC.Read 3 Oct 2026 · 3proxy.org
License
3proxy is free and open source; the project says versions from 0.6 use a BSD-style license and allow compatible Apache, GPL or LGPL licensing.Read 21 Oct 2026 · 3proxy.org
Access control
ACLs can match users, source and destination networks, ports and gateway actions, then allow, deny, redirect or chain requests.Read 21 Oct 2026 · github.com
Access controls
The combined program supports access control, bandwidth limits, traffic amount limits, proxy chaining and log rotation.Read 3 Oct 2026 · 3proxy.org
Build options
CMake options expose OpenSSL, PCRE2, PAM and ODBC support, so capabilities vary with compilation choices.Read 21 Oct 2026 · 3proxy.org
Commercial support
The site directs licensing or commercial support questions to an email address.Read 3 Oct 2026 · 3proxy.org
Company headquarters
No headquarters location is stated on the official home, download or documentation pages opened.Read 21 Oct 2026 · 3proxy.org
Company identity
The official site credits 3APA3A and Vladimir Dubrovin and provides 3proxy development contact addresses.Read 21 Oct 2026 · 3proxy.org
Developer interface
The documented control interface is a text configuration file plus command-line and service-management options such as --install and --remove.Read 21 Oct 2026 · github.com
DNS services
3proxy includes a caching DNS proxy and DNS-over-TCP forwarding through parent proxies.Read 21 Oct 2026 · github.com
Docker
The project publishes minimal and full Docker build configurations and a prebuilt GitHub Container Registry image.Read 21 Oct 2026 · 3proxy.org
Documentation depth
The documentation index lists security guidance, high-load optimization, a developer reference and man pages for the major services.Read 21 Oct 2026 · 3proxy.org
Documentation limitation
The English HowTo explicitly describes itself as under construction and very incomplete.Read 21 Oct 2026 · 3proxy.org
Extensibility
Plugins extend functionality, including PCRE filtering, TLS and transparent-proxy features.Read 21 Oct 2026 · github.com
Founded year
No founding year is stated on the official pages opened.Read 21 Oct 2026 · 3proxy.org
HTTP and HTTPS proxy
It provides HTTP/1.1 proxying, HTTPS CONNECT support, transparent proxying and FTP-over-HTTP support.Read 21 Oct 2026 · github.com
Independent activity
AlternativeTo shows five likes, zero comments and no user reviews for 3proxy.Read 21 Oct 2026 · alternativeto.net
Independent listing
AlternativeTo lists 3proxy as free and open source for Mac, Windows, Linux and BSD.Read 21 Oct 2026 · alternativeto.net
Independent popularity
AlternativeTo reports the GitHub repository at roughly 5,465 stars and 931 forks, updated August 29, 2026.Read 21 Oct 2026 · alternativeto.net
Independent source status
SourceForge's 3proxy Suite listing is marked Planning, shows zero weekly downloads and was last updated in 2013.Read 21 Oct 2026 · sourceforge.net
Independent warning
AlternativeTo displays a warning linking to a poor Web of Trust reputation for the related 3proxy.ru domain.Read 21 Oct 2026 · alternativeto.net
Logging
Logs can be written to files, stdout, Unix syslog or ODBC, with configurable formats, rotation and external archiving.Read 21 Oct 2026 · 3proxy.org
Mail protocols
Separate services support POP3, SMTP and IMAP proxying, with STARTTLS options in current releases.Read 21 Oct 2026 · 3proxy.org
Other services
The service set includes POP3 proxying, TCP and UDP port mapping, and a caching DNS proxy.Read 3 Oct 2026 · 3proxy.org
Port mapping
TCP and UDP port-mapper services provide forwarding capabilities.Read 21 Oct 2026 · github.com
Proxy chaining
Parent proxies, multihop chains, random parent selection and load balancing across interfaces are supported.Read 21 Oct 2026 · github.com
Proxy protocols
It supports HTTP and HTTPS proxying, SOCKS v4, v4.5 and v5, and FTP over HTTP.Read 3 Oct 2026 · 3proxy.org
Rating on SourceForge
No rating out of any scale is displayed; the page contains no user reviews or submitted rating.Read 21 Oct 2026 · sourceforge.net
Recent release
Version 1.0.1 was announced as released on October 10, 2026, including fixes for reload crashes, IPv6 UDP handling and TLS certificate issues.Read 21 Oct 2026 · 3proxy.org
Release integrity
The site says release binaries are published with SHA256 checksums, an OpenPGP signature and a GitHub build provenance attestation; Docker images are signed and attested.Read 3 Oct 2026 · 3proxy.org
Security guidance
The security recommendations advise restricting access with ACLs and warn that the documented strong authentication method currently uses cleartext authentication.Read 3 Oct 2026 · 3proxy.org
Security packaging
Release binaries are published with SHA256 checksums, OpenPGP signatures and GitHub build-provenance attestations, while Docker images are signed and attested.Read 21 Oct 2026 · 3proxy.org
Security warning
The official site says some antivirus products incorrectly flag 3proxy as a trojan, backdoor or potentially unwanted program.Read 21 Oct 2026 · 3proxy.org
SOCKS support
The software supports SOCKS4, SOCKS4.5 and SOCKS5, including UDP and BIND operations.Read 21 Oct 2026 · github.com
TLS
When compiled with OpenSSL, built-in TLS features include HTTPS proxy connections, upstream TLS connections with certificate authentication, and mutual TLS.Read 3 Oct 2026 · 3proxy.org
Traffic controls
The combined server supports bandwidth limits and daily, weekly or monthly traffic quotas.Read 21 Oct 2026 · 3proxy.org
Web administration
The project provides a web administration and statistics service and a built-in HTTP server that can serve files, redirects, rewrites and proxied requests.Read 21 Oct 2026 · 3proxy.org

Plans and prices

3proxy Free Freeware; no paid tier stated self-hosted software · configuration required · optional features depend on build Read 21 Oct 2026 · 3proxy.org

Every 3proxy plan and price →

Strong points and limits

Strong points

  • Supports multiple proxy protocols
  • Offers bandwidth and traffic limits
  • Logging supports files, syslog, or ODBC
  • Docker images are available
  • Freeware and open source

Limits

  • Strong authentication guidance notes cleartext authentication
  • TLS features require compilation with OpenSSL

Who it suits

3proxy suits administrators who need a configurable proxy server across Linux, macOS, Windows, or self-hosted environments. Its access controls and logging options support managed network access.

Verdict

3proxy offers a broad proxy and access-control feature set with several deployment options. Administrators should account for its cleartext authentication caveat and the OpenSSL requirement for built-in TLS features.

Where Specifiction places it

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