I Do Not Recommend IPRoyal: Unusable Hong Kong Proxy and Days of Refund Delays
Based on my experience, I do not recommend IPRoyal. If you are considering buying a proxy from them, especially for access to specific target sites, I suggest choosing another provider.
On August 6, 2026, I purchased a Hong Kong HTTP/HTTPS proxy from IPRoyal for $7.02. My intended use was normal browser access, particularly Upwork.
My setup:
- Chromium 149
- HTTP/HTTPS protocol
- Port 12323
- Credentials provided by IPRoyal
- Direct connection without a VPN
- Additional tests using curl and Python urllib
The proxy did not work reliably:
- Google returned ERR_CONNECTION_RESET.
- curl returned HTTP 000, connection resets, or timeouts.
- Upwork initially returned HTTP 403 and later timed out.
- The IPv4 test endpoint selected by IPRoyal support also timed out.
- Multiple unrelated destinations eventually became unreachable through the proxy.
I understand that an Upwork 403 alone does not prove that a proxy is defective, since websites can block proxy IPs. However, repeated resets and timeouts across multiple unrelated sites, including IPRoyal’s own requested test endpoint, made the proxy unusable for me.
I contacted support immediately and provided:
- The exact proxy protocol and port
- Chromium test results
- curl results
- Python urllib test details
- Error messages and timeout results
- Direct tests without a VPN
- Additional tests through a proxy chain
One of their AI agents confirmed that the HTTP/HTTPS protocol and port were correct. IPRoyal then offered to refund the full $7.02 to my IPRoyal account balance.
I declined the internal account credit and requested a refund to my original payment method. After that, I was transferred among multiple AI agents and support representatives and repeatedly asked to perform more troubleshooting.
They asked me to install Clash Verge, submit screenshots, make a screen recording, run more verbose curl commands, and provide my public IP address. I eventually refused to repeat further tests because I had already submitted results from Chromium, curl, and Python.
For transparency, I did not provide their final requested screenshot, screen recording, or public IP. However, I had already provided multiple technical test results. Support later described the situation as me not wanting to cooperate with debugging, which I believe is an unfair characterization of the conversation.
My refund request was forwarded to the Finance Team, and I was told to expect an update within 24 hours. Several days later, I still had:
- No confirmation that the refund was approved
- No refund reference number
- No exact processing date
- No refund to my original payment method
When I said that I would submit an dispute, a representative told me that doing so “might affect” my account, without clearly explaining what that meant.
The amount is only $7.02. The financial loss is small, but the time spent dealing with repetitive AI responses, support transfers, and troubleshooting requests has cost far more than the order itself.
My conclusion: I do not recommend IPRoyal. A proxy provider should be able to verify a failed endpoint and make a clear refund decision without sending a customer through several days of AI agents and repetitive troubleshooting.
If you still decide to use IPRoyal, I strongly recommend:
- Buying the smallest possible order first
- Testing every required target site immediately
- Paying through a method that supports transaction disputes
- Saving the advertisement, product description, and refund policy
- Recording all test results and support conversations
- Not accepting account credit unless you intend to keep using the service
My refund is still pending. I will update this post if IPRoyal returns the $7.02 to my original payment method.