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Crypto · head to head

Alchemy vs MakerDAO

Alchemy logo

Alchemy

Crypto

The web3 development platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
MakerDAO logo

MakerDAO

Crypto

The decentralized stablecoin 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; MakerDAO makerDAO is governed as a decentralized autonomous organization by MKR token holder vote rather than a vendor, so it has no company-set price list, subscription tiers or sales contact; access and fees (stability fee, liquidation ratio) are set by on-chain governance vote rather than published as a product price
  • They diverge on capability: Alchemy covers Node APIs, MakerDAO covers DAI Stablecoin.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Alchemy and MakerDAO actually diverge.

Attributes where Alchemy and MakerDAO differ
AttributeAlchemyMakerDAO
Pricing modelfreemiumfree
PlatformsApi, WebWeb
Founded20172015

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

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 MakerDAO

  • DAI Stablecoin
  • Vaults
  • Stability Fees
  • Liquidations
  • Governance
  • MKR Token
  • DAI
  • Spark Protocol

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

MakerDAO

  • Definot Alchemy
  • Stablecoinnot Alchemy
  • Lendingnot 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

MakerDAO

  • MakerDAO is governed as a decentralized autonomous organization by MKR token holder vote rather than a vendor, so it has no company-set price list, subscription tiers or sales contact; access and fees (stability fee, liquidation ratio) are set by on-chain governance vote rather than published as a product price

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

MakerDAO

Free
  • FreeFree
    • DAI minting
    • Vaults
    • Governance

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 MakerDAO if

  • You need dai stablecoin.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want vaults.
MakerDAO review

Questions people ask

Is Alchemy or MakerDAO better?
Neither clearly leads. Alchemy starts at Free and MakerDAO at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Alchemy or MakerDAO?
Alchemy starts at Free and MakerDAO at Free.
Does Alchemy or MakerDAO run on more platforms?
Alchemy runs on Api, Web. MakerDAO 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 MakerDAO is typically brought in for.
What can Alchemy do that MakerDAO cannot?
Alchemy covers Node APIs, Enhanced APIs, NFT API, Webhooks. MakerDAO covers DAI Stablecoin, Vaults, Stability Fees, Liquidations. 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
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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