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Alchemy vs FTX

Alchemy logo

Alchemy

Software

The web3 development platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
F

FTX

Software

Cryptocurrency derivatives exchange

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; FTX the exchange collapsed and FTX Trading Ltd filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on 11 November 2022
  • They diverge on capability: Alchemy covers Node APIs, FTX covers Futures Trading.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Alchemy and FTX actually diverge.

Attributes where Alchemy and FTX differ
AttributeAlchemyFTX
PlatformsApi, WebWeb, Ios, Android
Founded20172019

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 FTX

  • Futures Trading
  • Options
  • Leveraged Tokens
  • Spot Trading
  • FTT Token
  • Serum DEX
  • Ios support
  • Android 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 FTX
  • Backing a production web3 application without running nodesnot FTX
  • Webhook-driven notifications for on-chain eventsnot FTX
  • Scaling read throughput beyond self-hosted node limitsnot FTX

FTX

  • Exchangesnot Alchemy
  • Derivativesnot Alchemy
  • Tradingnot 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

FTX

  • The exchange collapsed and FTX Trading Ltd filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on 11 November 2022
  • Around 130 affiliated companies including Alameda Research entered the same proceedings, with more than 100,000 creditors and assets and liabilities each between $10 billion and $50 billion
  • Founder Sam Bankman-Fried resigned as CEO on the filing and was replaced by John J. Ray III
  • It is not a service anyone can sign up for; the estate exists to repay creditors

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

FTX

Free
  • StandardFree
    • Spot trading
    • Futures
    • Options

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 FTX if

  • You need futures trading.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want options.
FTX review

Questions people ask

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

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

FTX: What happened to FTX?

FTX filed for bankruptcy on November 11, 2022, after revelations about Alameda Research's massive holdings of FTX's token (FTT) triggered a liquidity crisis. The platform collapsed within days as a competing rescue deal fell through.

Source
FTX: Can I recover funds from FTX bankruptcy?

FTX has been in Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings since November 11, 2022. Customer funds have been subject to claims through the bankruptcy process, with asset recovery efforts ongoing.

Source
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Related pages

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