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Software · head to head

Alchemy vs Uniswap

Alchemy logo

Alchemy

Software

The web3 development platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Uniswap logo

Uniswap

Software

Swap, earn, and build on the leading decentralized 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; Uniswap high gas fees on Ethereum network during congestion periods
  • They diverge on capability: Alchemy covers Node APIs, Uniswap covers Token Swaps.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Alchemy and Uniswap actually diverge.

Attributes where Alchemy and Uniswap differ
AttributeAlchemyUniswap
Pricing modelfreemiumfree
PlatformsApi, WebWeb, Ethereum, Polygon, Arbitrum, Optimism
Founded20172018

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 Uniswap

  • Token Swaps
  • Liquidity Pools
  • NFT Aggregator
  • Concentrated Liquidity
  • UNI Token
  • Multi-chain
  • 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 Uniswap
  • Backing a production web3 application without running nodesnot Uniswap
  • Webhook-driven notifications for on-chain eventsnot Uniswap
  • Scaling read throughput beyond self-hosted node limitsnot Uniswap

Uniswap

  • Definot Alchemy
  • Dexnot Alchemy
  • Ammnot 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

Uniswap

  • High gas fees on Ethereum network during congestion periods
  • Slippage can be significant for large trades in low-liquidity pairs
  • No order book, making it inefficient for large institutional trades
  • Front-running risk on public blockchain transactions

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

Uniswap

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Token swaps
    • Liquidity provision
    • NFT trading

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 Uniswap if

  • You need token swaps.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ethereum, Polygon, Arbitrum, Optimism.
  • You also want liquidity pools.
Uniswap review

Questions people ask

Is Alchemy or Uniswap better?
Neither clearly leads. Alchemy starts at Free and Uniswap at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Alchemy or Uniswap?
Alchemy starts at Free and Uniswap at Free.
Does Alchemy or Uniswap run on more platforms?
Alchemy runs on Api, Web. Uniswap runs on Web, Ethereum, Polygon, Arbitrum, Optimism.
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 Uniswap is typically brought in for.
What can Alchemy do that Uniswap cannot?
Alchemy covers Node APIs, Enhanced APIs, NFT API, Webhooks. Uniswap covers Token Swaps, Liquidity Pools, NFT Aggregator, Concentrated Liquidity. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Uniswap: What are Uniswap's fee tiers?

Uniswap V4 removed fixed fee tiers. Pool creators can set fees from 0% to 100% in 0.0001% increments, with dynamic fees adjustable through smart contract hooks.

Source
Uniswap: How does Uniswap determine asset prices?

Uniswap uses an automated market maker (AMM) model with mathematical formulas to set prices based on liquidity pools, not traditional order books.

Source
Uniswap: Is Uniswap decentralized?

Yes, Uniswap is a fully decentralized exchange where liquidity providers earn fees pro-rata based on their active liquidity in price ranges.

Source
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Related pages

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