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Alchemy vs Compound

Alchemy logo

Alchemy

Software

The web3 development platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Compound logo

Compound

Software

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 compound is a decentralized, non-custodial protocol governed by COMP token holders rather than a company; interest rates on supplied and borrowed assets are set algorithmically by pool utilization rather than published as a price list, so there is no vendor pricing page to compare against
  • They diverge on capability: Alchemy covers Node APIs, Compound covers Lending.

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 (Unknown), 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

  • Compound is a decentralized, non-custodial protocol governed by COMP token holders rather than a company; interest rates on supplied and borrowed assets are set algorithmically by pool utilization rather than published as a price list, so there is no vendor pricing page to compare against

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.
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