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Software · head to head

Alchemy vs Coinbase

Alchemy logo

Alchemy

Software

The web3 development platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Coinbase logo

Coinbase

Software

Buy, sell, and trade cryptocurrency with ease

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; Coinbase the App Store listing states standard Coinbase trades carry fees and that a paid Coinbase One subscription is needed for zero trading fees and boosted staking rewards, and that fractional stock shares start at $1.
  • They diverge on capability: Alchemy covers Node APIs, Coinbase covers Cryptocurrency Trading.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Alchemy and Coinbase actually diverge.

Attributes where Alchemy and Coinbase differ
AttributeAlchemyCoinbase
PlatformsApi, WebWeb, Ios, Android
Founded20172012

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (freemium), 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
  • Webhooks
  • Mempool
  • 35+ chains
  • SDKs
  • Api support

Only in Coinbase

  • Cryptocurrency Trading
  • Staking
  • Coinbase Wallet
  • Coinbase Card
  • Bank transfers
  • PayPal
  • Apple Pay
  • Ios support

Both cover

  • 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 Coinbase
  • Backing a production web3 application without running nodesnot Coinbase
  • Webhook-driven notifications for on-chain eventsnot Coinbase
  • Scaling read throughput beyond self-hosted node limitsnot Coinbase

Coinbase

  • Exchangesnot Alchemy
  • Tradingnot Alchemy
  • Walletsnot 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

Coinbase

  • The App Store listing states standard Coinbase trades carry fees and that a paid Coinbase One subscription is needed for zero trading fees and boosted staking rewards, and that fractional stock shares start at $1.

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

Coinbase

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Buy and sell crypto
    • Coinbase Wallet
    • Staking rewards
  • Coinbase One$29.99/month
    • Zero trading fees
    • Priority support
    • Advanced trading tools

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 Coinbase if

  • You need cryptocurrency trading.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want staking.
Coinbase review

Questions people ask

Is Alchemy or Coinbase better?
Neither clearly leads. Alchemy starts at Free and Coinbase at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Alchemy or Coinbase?
Alchemy starts at Free and Coinbase at Free.
Does Alchemy or Coinbase run on more platforms?
Alchemy runs on Api, Web. Coinbase runs on Web, Ios, Android.
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 Coinbase is typically brought in for.
What can Alchemy do that Coinbase cannot?
Alchemy covers Node APIs, Enhanced APIs, NFT API, Webhooks. Coinbase covers Cryptocurrency Trading, Staking, Coinbase Wallet, Coinbase Card. Both handle Web support.
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Related pages

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