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Alchemy vs Ledger Live

Alchemy logo

Alchemy

Software

The web3 development platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Ledger Live logo

Ledger Live

Software

Manage your crypto securely

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; Ledger Live ledger Live is designed to work with a physical Ledger hardware wallet plugged into the device by USB and does not function as a standalone software wallet
  • They diverge on capability: Alchemy covers Node APIs, Ledger Live covers Portfolio Management.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Alchemy and Ledger Live actually diverge.

Attributes where Alchemy and Ledger Live differ
AttributeAlchemyLedger Live
Pricing modelfreemiumfree
PlatformsApi, WebDesktop, Ios, Android
Founded20172014

Identical on both: starting price (Free), 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 Ledger Live

  • Portfolio Management
  • Buy/Sell Crypto
  • Staking
  • Swap
  • NFT Gallery
  • Ledger hardware wallets
  • DeFi apps
  • Desktop 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 Ledger Live
  • Backing a production web3 application without running nodesnot Ledger Live
  • Webhook-driven notifications for on-chain eventsnot Ledger Live
  • Scaling read throughput beyond self-hosted node limitsnot Ledger Live

Ledger Live

  • Managing crypto assets and viewing balances alongside a Ledger hardware walletnot Alchemy
  • Signing transactions offline through a connected hardware devicenot 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

Ledger Live

  • Ledger Live is designed to work with a physical Ledger hardware wallet plugged into the device by USB and does not function as a standalone software wallet

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

Ledger Live

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Portfolio tracking
    • Buy/Sell
    • 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 Ledger Live if

  • You need portfolio management.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Desktop, Ios, Android.
  • You also want buy/sell crypto.
Ledger Live review

Questions people ask

Is Alchemy or Ledger Live better?
Neither clearly leads. Alchemy starts at Free and Ledger Live at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Alchemy or Ledger Live?
Alchemy starts at Free and Ledger Live at Free.
Does Alchemy or Ledger Live run on more platforms?
Alchemy runs on Api, Web. Ledger Live runs on Desktop, 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 Ledger Live is typically brought in for.
What can Alchemy do that Ledger Live cannot?
Alchemy covers Node APIs, Enhanced APIs, NFT API, Webhooks. Ledger Live covers Portfolio Management, Buy/Sell Crypto, Staking, Swap.
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