What is the difference between rotating and sticky sessions?
When using NanoIP dynamic residential or dynamic mobile proxies, you can choose rotating or sticky sessions. The key difference is whether the exit IP should stay the same for a period of time.
Comparison
| Item | Rotating session | Sticky session |
|---|---|---|
| How IP changes | Changes dynamically by route rules | Keeps one IP for the selected session period |
| Best for | Independent bulk requests | Login, browsing, submission, and other continuous flows |
| Main advantage | Higher IP diversity | More stable session flow |
| Common scenarios | Data collection, price monitoring, search checks | Account login, forms, checkout flows |
| Long-term fixed IP | Not suitable | Only short-term stability |
Rotating sessions
A rotating session means the proxy exit IP can change according to route rules. Different requests may use different IPs, so it fits independent tasks that do not need login state.
- Public web data collection.
- Price and inventory monitoring.
- Search result checks.
- Ad display verification.
- Large independent request batches.
Sticky sessions
A sticky session keeps multiple requests on one exit IP for a limited period. It is not the same as a long-term fixed IP.
- Visiting multiple pages after login.
- Submitting multi-step forms.
- Completing login, browsing, or checkout flows.
- Workflows where the target requires one IP during the operation.
How to choose
- Independent requests: choose rotating sessions.
- One continuous workflow: choose sticky sessions.
- Need many different IPs: choose rotating sessions.
- Need short-term logged-in stability: choose sticky sessions.
- Need the same IP for days or longer: use static ISP proxies.
