GLOSSARY · STATIC OR PERSISTENT SESSION
Sticky session
A sticky session is a proxy setting that keeps you on the same exit IP address for a set period, or until you end the session, instead of changing it with each request. It is usually requested by adding a session ID to the proxy login.
Why it matters
Many tasks break when the address changes halfway: logging in, paying, following a multi-step form or holding a cart. Sites often tie a session to the address that created it. A sticky session gives you consistency while still drawing from a pool. The trade-off is that residential addresses can drop offline, ending the session earlier than promised.
In practice
Providers set a maximum lifetime, from minutes to hours. Test it by checking your address several times over the period and confirming that it stays the same, and that it changes when you start a new session. Compare with rotating proxies, which suit the opposite need: many independent requests.
Related terms
- Rotating proxy: A rotating proxy gives you a different IP address from a pool, either on every request or at set intervals, while you keep using the same connection details.
- Residential proxy: A residential proxy sends your traffic through an IP address that a home internet provider assigned to a household.
- Proxy: A proxy server is an intermediary that makes requests on your behalf.
- IP address: An IP address is a number that identifies a device or network connection on the internet, in the way a street address identifies a building.