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Crypto · head to head

Alchemy vs Compound

Alchemy logo

Alchemy

Crypto

The web3 development platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Compound logo

Compound

Crypto

Autonomous interest rate protocol

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; Compound no pricing information is published on the pricing page.
  • They diverge on capability: Alchemy covers Node APIs, Compound covers Lending.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Alchemy and Compound actually diverge.

Attributes where Alchemy and Compound differ
AttributeAlchemyCompound
Pricing modelfreemiumUnknown
PlatformsApi, WebEthereum

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Crypto), founded (2017).

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 Compound

  • Lending
  • Borrowing
  • cTokens
  • Governance
  • COMP Token
  • Ethereum

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

Compound

  • Decentralised finance (DeFi) lending and borrowing protocol on Ethereumnot Alchemy
  • Cryptocurrency collateral management for USDC borrowingnot Alchemy
  • Interest earning through crypto asset supplynot Alchemy
  • Algorithmic interest rate determination based on supply and demandnot 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

Compound

  • No pricing information is published on the pricing page.

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

Compound

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Compound review.

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 Compound if

  • You need lending.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Ethereum.
  • You also want borrowing.
Compound review

Questions people ask

Is Alchemy or Compound better?
Neither clearly leads. Alchemy starts at Free and Compound at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Alchemy or Compound?
Alchemy starts at Free and Compound at Free.
Does Alchemy or Compound run on more platforms?
Alchemy runs on Api, Web. Compound runs on Ethereum.
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 Compound is typically brought in for.
What can Alchemy do that Compound cannot?
Alchemy covers Node APIs, Enhanced APIs, NFT API, Webhooks. Compound covers Lending, Borrowing, cTokens, Governance. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Alchemy: How much does Alchemy cost?

Alchemy offers a free tier with 30M compute units monthly, and a pay-as-you-go model at $0.45 per 1M compute units for the first 300M monthly, then $0.40 per 1M compute units thereafter. Enterprise plans with custom pricing and volume discounts are available for high-volume users.

Source
Compound: How much does Compound cost?

Compound does not publish pricing information. No details about pricing tiers, plans, or costs are available on the pricing page or main website.

Source
Alchemy: Does Alchemy have a free version?

Yes, Alchemy's Free plan provides 30M compute units monthly at no cost, with access to all mainnets and testnets, up to 15 requests per second, and support for 5 apps and 5 webhooks.

Source
Alchemy: What is the difference between Alchemy's Free and Pay As You Go plans?

The Free plan offers 30M compute units monthly at no cost with 15 requests per second throughput and supports up to 5 apps. Pay As You Go provides higher throughput (300 requests per second), more apps (30) and webhooks (100), and premium endpoints with priority support, charged at $0.45 per 1M compute units.

Source
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