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Crypto · head to head

Alchemy vs Nansen

Alchemy logo

Alchemy

Crypto

The web3 development platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Nansen logo

Nansen

Crypto

Blockchain analytics for smart money

From
$150/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Alchemy has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Alchemy the free tier is capped at 30M compute units a month and 25 requests per second; Nansen no pricing published on public pages; pricing details require app login
  • They diverge on capability: Alchemy covers Node APIs, Nansen covers Wallet Labels.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Alchemy and Nansen actually diverge.

Attributes where Alchemy and Nansen differ
AttributeAlchemyNansen
Starting priceFree$150/month
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsApi, WebWeb
Founded20172019

Identical on both: 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 Nansen

  • Wallet Labels
  • Smart Money Tracking
  • Token God Mode
  • NFT Paradise
  • DeFi Analytics
  • Multi-chain
  • API

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

Nansen

  • Analyticsnot Alchemy
  • On Chainnot Alchemy
  • Researchnot 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

Nansen

  • No pricing published on public pages; pricing details require app login

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

Nansen

$150/month
  • Pioneer$150/month
    • Smart Money
    • Token Flows
    • NFT analytics
  • Standard$750/month
    • All Pioneer features
    • API access
    • Advanced queries

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 Nansen if

  • You need wallet labels.
  • You also want smart money tracking.
Nansen review

Questions people ask

Is Alchemy or Nansen better?
Neither clearly leads. Alchemy starts at Free and Nansen at $150/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Alchemy or Nansen?
Alchemy has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Alchemy and $150/month for Nansen.
Does Alchemy or Nansen run on more platforms?
Alchemy runs on Api, Web. Nansen runs on Web.
Can I use Alchemy for free?
Yes. Alchemy has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Nansen starts at $150/month.
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 Nansen is typically brought in for.
What can Alchemy do that Nansen cannot?
Alchemy covers Node APIs, Enhanced APIs, NFT API, Webhooks. Nansen covers Wallet Labels, Smart Money Tracking, Token God Mode, NFT Paradise. 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
Nansen: How much does Nansen cost?

Nansen does not publish pricing on its public website. The site mentions 'Low Fees, Optimized Pricing' and references a tier system that 'unlocks lower fees' through platform activity, but specific costs require logging into the Nansen app to view.

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
Nansen: What pricing model does Nansen use?

Nansen uses a tier-based fee structure where users accumulate Stack Points through trading activity to climb tiers and unlock reduced fees. Exact fee percentages and tier thresholds are not disclosed on the public website.

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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