Softwr

Crypto · head to head

Alchemy vs QuickNode

Alchemy logo

Alchemy

Crypto

The web3 development platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
QuickNode logo

QuickNode

Crypto

Web3 infrastructure simplified

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; QuickNode rate limited by plan in requests per second, at 15 on the free trial, 50 on Build and 125 on Accelerate, so throughput is a paid feature separate from volume
  • They diverge on capability: Alchemy covers Enhanced APIs, QuickNode covers Token API.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Alchemy and QuickNode actually diverge.

Attributes where Alchemy and QuickNode differ
AttributeAlchemyQuickNode
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription

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

  • Enhanced APIs
  • Webhooks
  • Mempool
  • 35+ chains
  • SDKs

Only in QuickNode

  • Token API
  • Streams
  • Functions
  • 25+ blockchains
  • Marketplace add-ons

Both cover

  • Node APIs
  • NFT API
  • Api support
  • 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 QuickNode
  • Backing a production web3 application without running nodesnot QuickNode
  • Webhook-driven notifications for on-chain eventsnot QuickNode
  • Scaling read throughput beyond self-hosted node limitsnot QuickNode

QuickNode

  • Running blockchain node infrastructure without operating nodesnot Alchemy
  • Querying chain data and broadcasting transactions over an APInot 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

QuickNode

  • Rate limited by plan in requests per second, at 15 on the free trial, 50 on Build and 125 on Accelerate, so throughput is a paid feature separate from volume
  • Endpoints are also rationed, at 1 on the free trial and 10 on Build
  • Credit overage is charged per million and only falls with plan, from $0.62 on Build to $0.50 on Business
  • Support response time is sold as a tier, from a 24 hour SLA on Build down to 8 hours on Scale
  • SSO and RBAC are Enterprise only
  • The free offering is a trial rather than a standing free tier

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

QuickNode

Free
  • Free TrialFree
    • 10M API credits
    • 15 requests/sec
    • 1 endpoint
  • Build$49/month
    • 80M API credits
    • 50 requests/sec
    • 10 endpoints
  • Accelerate$249/month
    • 450M API credits
    • 125 requests/sec
    • 20 endpoints
  • Scale$499/month
    • 950M API credits
    • 250 requests/sec
    • 50 endpoints

Which should you pick?

Choose Alchemy if

  • You need enhanced apis.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Api, Web.
  • You also want webhooks.
Alchemy review

Choose QuickNode if

  • You need token api.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Api, Web.
  • You also want streams.
QuickNode review

Questions people ask

Is Alchemy or QuickNode better?
Neither clearly leads. Alchemy starts at Free and QuickNode at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Alchemy or QuickNode?
Alchemy starts at Free and QuickNode at Free.
Does Alchemy or QuickNode run on more platforms?
Both run on Api, Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
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 QuickNode is typically brought in for.
What can Alchemy do that QuickNode cannot?
Alchemy covers Enhanced APIs, Webhooks, Mempool, 35+ chains. QuickNode covers Token API, Streams, Functions, 25+ blockchains. Both handle Node APIs, NFT API, Api support, 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
QuickNode: How much does QuickNode cost?

QuickNode offers a free trial with 10M API credits, then paid plans starting at $49/month (Build) up to $2,999/month (Business+ T3). Annual billing provides a 15% discount. Enterprise pricing is custom.

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
QuickNode: What are QuickNode's API credit costs?

API credits are calculated as Method Responses multiplied by a tier-specific multiplier. Overage rates range from $0.62 per 1M credits (Build tier) to $0.36 per 1M (Business+ T3 annual). Overages over $200 bill immediately.

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
QuickNode: Does QuickNode offer a free tier?

Yes, QuickNode offers a free trial tier with 10M API credits per month, 15 requests per second, and 1 endpoint. This is suitable for evaluation and development.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on Alchemy

More on QuickNode

Keep looking

Other head to heads