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Alchemy vs dYdX

Alchemy logo

Alchemy

Software

The web3 development platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
dYdX logo

dYdX

Software

Decentralized perpetual trading

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; dYdX newer platform with smaller liquidity pools compared to centralized exchanges
  • They diverge on capability: Alchemy covers Node APIs, dYdX covers Perpetual Contracts.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Alchemy and dYdX actually diverge.

Attributes where Alchemy and dYdX differ
AttributeAlchemydYdX
Pricing modelfreemiumfree
PlatformsApi, WebWeb

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 dYdX

  • Perpetual Contracts
  • Cross Margin
  • Portfolio Margin
  • Governance
  • DYDX Token
  • Cosmos SDK

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

dYdX

  • Definot Alchemy
  • Dexnot Alchemy
  • Derivativesnot 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

dYdX

  • Newer platform with smaller liquidity pools compared to centralized exchanges
  • Requires cryptocurrency wallet for trading, adding friction for new users
  • Limited fiat on/off ramps compared to centralized alternatives like Coinbase

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

dYdX

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Perpetual trading
    • Governance
    • Staking

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 dYdX if

  • You need perpetual contracts.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want cross margin.
dYdX review

Questions people ask

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

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

dYdX: What type of trading does dYdX specialize in?

dYdX is a decentralized platform for perpetuals and margin trading, allowing professional traders to trade crypto derivatives without expiry dates. Built on ZK-rollup technology, it enables trading 143+ cryptocurrencies with leverage up to 50x on selected contracts.

Source
dYdX: How does dYdX maintain decentralization?

dYdX governance is fully community-driven, meaning token holders decide on protocol upgrades, fee structures, and risk parameters. The platform distributes 100% of its trading fees to stakers.

Source
dYdX: What are dYdX's gas fee advantages?

Built on StarkWare's ZK-rollup technology, dYdX enables trading with near-zero gas fees while users maintain full custody of their assets.

Source
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