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 expensive than expected

Before even connecting to a network, you must acquire the right devices

A functional setup demands at least a handful of reliable mobile devices, each tied to a data plan

Premium devices like recent iPhone or Samsung flagships with stable LTE

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

Mobile carriers charge differently depending on location, data limits, and whether you’re using prepaid or contract plans

A standard unlimited plan from major U.S. carriers runs $50–$70 monthly per device

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

If you need consistent speeds, you may need to pay for premium business plans, which can cost 100 dollars or more info on hackmd per line

month

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

Operating in Europe, Asia, or Latin America can push costs to $5–$10 per GB

A device dying every 6 months or losing signal 20% of the time effectively cuts your usable data by 30–50%

Ongoing upkeep adds up fast

Weekly maintenance tasks include restarting dead devices, swapping degraded batteries, checking for throttling, and rotating IPs

These tasks require time or staff, translating into labor costs

month alone

They handle everything—from device rotation to IP hygiene

Even at peak rates of $0.50

Even at the high end, that’s often less than half the cost of a DIY setup when you factor in hardware, labor, and opportunity cost

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

If you’re paying full retail for phones and premium data, you’re already losing