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Software · head to head

Alchemy vs Budibase

Alchemy logo

Alchemy

Software

The web3 development platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Budibase logo

Budibase

Software

Build business apps in minutes

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Alchemy the free tier is capped at 30M compute units a month and 25 requests per second; Budibase cloud plans are metered on automation actions, from 5,000 a month on Pro to 250,000 on Business
  • They diverge on capability: Alchemy covers Node APIs, Budibase covers Drag-and-drop builder.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Alchemy and Budibase actually diverge.

Attributes where Alchemy and Budibase differ
AttributeAlchemyBudibase
Pricing modelfreemiumopen-source
PlatformsApi, WebWeb, Self-hosted
Founded20172019

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Alchemy

  • Node APIs
  • Enhanced APIs
  • NFT API
  • Mempool
  • 35+ chains
  • SDKs
  • Api support

Only in Budibase

  • Drag-and-drop builder
  • Database design
  • REST API
  • User management
  • Custom code
  • Workflows
  • Responsive design
  • 100+ integrations

Both cover

  • Webhooks
  • Web support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Alchemy

  • Hosted blockchain node access across mainnets and testnetsnot Budibase
  • Backing a production web3 application without running nodesnot Budibase
  • Webhook-driven notifications for on-chain eventsnot Budibase
  • Scaling read throughput beyond self-hosted node limitsnot Budibase

Budibase

  • Building internal tools over existing databasesnot Alchemy
  • Self-hosting an open source low-code platformnot Alchemy
  • Admin panels and CRUD apps for operations teamsnot Alchemy
  • Automations triggered by data changesnot Alchemy

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Alchemy

  • The free tier is capped at 30M compute units a month and 25 requests per second
  • Free accounts are limited to 5 apps and 5 webhooks
  • Beyond the free allowance it is $0.45 per 1M compute units for the first 300M a month
  • Request cost varies by call complexity, from around 10 compute units to over 100, so spend is hard to predict from request counts alone
  • Signed SLAs and priority support require an Enterprise contract

Budibase

  • Cloud plans are metered on automation actions, from 5,000 a month on Pro to 250,000 on Business
  • Creator seats are limited and cost $50 each beyond the included count
  • End users are $5 per user per month on top of the plan
  • Custom branding needs Premium, SSO enforcement and environment variables need Business, and audit logs are Enterprise only
  • Log retention is tiered from 1 day on Pro to 365 days on Enterprise
  • Monthly billing costs 20 percent more than annual

Pricing, plan by plan

Alchemy

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 300M compute units
    • 5 apps
    • Core APIs
  • Growth$49/month
    • 400M compute units
    • 15 apps
    • Enhanced APIs
  • Scale$199/month
    • 1B compute units
    • Unlimited apps
    • Premium support

Budibase

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • Self-hosted
    • Community support
  • FreeFree
    • Cloud hosted
    • Limited features
  • Premium$50/month
    • Advanced features
    • Email support

Which should you pick?

Choose Alchemy if

  • You need node apis.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Api, Web.
  • You also want enhanced apis.
Alchemy review

Choose Budibase if

  • You need drag-and-drop builder.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Self-hosted.
  • You also want database design.
Budibase review

Questions people ask

Is Alchemy or Budibase better?
Neither clearly leads. Alchemy starts at Free and Budibase at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Alchemy or Budibase?
Alchemy starts at Free and Budibase at Free.
Does Alchemy or Budibase run on more platforms?
Alchemy runs on Api, Web. Budibase runs on Web, Self-hosted.
Can I use Alchemy for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Alchemy best used for?
Alchemy is most often used for hosted blockchain node access across mainnets and testnets, backing a production web3 application without running nodes, webhook-driven notifications for on-chain events, scaling read throughput beyond self-hosted node limits. Of those, hosted blockchain node access across mainnets and testnets and backing a production web3 application without running nodes are not what Budibase is typically brought in for.
What can Alchemy do that Budibase cannot?
Alchemy covers Node APIs, Enhanced APIs, NFT API, Mempool. Budibase covers Drag-and-drop builder, Database design, REST API, User management. Both handle Webhooks, Web support.
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