Cryptocurrency & Blockchain · head to head
Bitfinex vs Alchemy
Bitfinex
Cryptocurrency & Blockchain
Professional cryptocurrency trading platform
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Bitfinex margin trading requires Intermediate account verification (2-3 working days); Alchemy the free tier is capped at 30M compute units a month and 25 requests per second
- They diverge on capability: Bitfinex covers Spot Trading, Alchemy covers Node APIs.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Bitfinex and Alchemy actually diverge.
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Cryptocurrency & Blockchain).
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 Bitfinex
- Spot Trading
- Margin Trading
- Derivatives
- Lending Marketplace
- OTC Desk
- UNUS SED LEO
- Tether
- Ios support
Only in Alchemy
- Node APIs
- Enhanced APIs
- NFT API
- Webhooks
- Mempool
- 35+ chains
- SDKs
- Api support
Both cover
- Web support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Bitfinex
- Exchangesnot Alchemy
- Tradingnot Alchemy
- Professionalnot Alchemy
Alchemy
- Hosted blockchain node access across mainnets and testnetsnot Bitfinex
- Backing a production web3 application without running nodesnot Bitfinex
- Webhook-driven notifications for on-chain eventsnot Bitfinex
- Scaling read throughput beyond self-hosted node limitsnot Bitfinex
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Bitfinex
- Margin trading requires Intermediate account verification (2-3 working days)
- Automatic liquidation of positions if equity falls below maintenance margin
- Leverage varies significantly by trading pair with no publicly uniform limit
- Fiat deposit/withdrawal fees and minimums apply; crypto transfers free but network fees may apply
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
Pricing, plan by plan
Bitfinex
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the Bitfinex review.
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
Which should you pick?
Choose Bitfinex if
- You need spot trading.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android.
- You also want margin trading.
Choose Alchemy if
- You need node apis.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Api, Web.
- You also want enhanced apis.
Questions people ask
- Is Bitfinex or Alchemy better?
- Neither clearly leads. Bitfinex starts at Free and Alchemy at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Bitfinex or Alchemy?
- Bitfinex starts at Free and Alchemy at Free.
- Does Bitfinex or Alchemy run on more platforms?
- Bitfinex runs on Web, Ios, Android. Alchemy runs on Api, Web.
- Can I use Bitfinex for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Bitfinex best used for?
- Bitfinex is most often used for exchanges, trading, professional. Of those, exchanges and trading are not what Alchemy is typically brought in for.
- What can Bitfinex do that Alchemy cannot?
- Bitfinex covers Spot Trading, Margin Trading, Derivatives, Lending Marketplace. Alchemy covers Node APIs, Enhanced APIs, NFT API, Webhooks. Both handle Web support.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Bitfinex: What are Bitfinex's current trading fees?
As of December 17, 2025, Bitfinex charges zero maker and taker fees for spot, margin, derivatives, securities, and OTC trading across all customers.
SourceBitfinex: What deposit and withdrawal fees does Bitfinex charge?
Crypto and securities deposits are free. Fiat deposits via bank wire cost 0.100% (minimum $60 USD/Euro). Fiat withdrawals via bank wire cost 0.100% (minimum $100) or 1.000% for express (minimum $125).
SourceBitfinex: What is the maximum leverage available for margin trading?
Bitfinex offers up to 10x leverage on spot margin trading and up to 100x leverage on derivatives contracts. Leverage ratios vary by trading pair.
SourceBitfinex: What account verification is required for margin trading?
Margin trading requires Intermediate level verification or higher for accounts created after March 1, 2022. Older accounts may use Basic Plus verification.
SourceBitfinex: What happens if my margin position falls below maintenance requirements?
If account equity falls below the minimum maintenance margin level, Bitfinex automatically liquidates positions. A margin call triggers when equity falls below 1.5x the minimum maintenance margin ratio.
SourceBitfinex: Can I borrow funds for margin trading?
Yes, Bitfinex Borrow allows you to borrow cryptocurrency or stablecoins for margin trading. Borrowed funds accrue peer-to-peer interest rates that adjust based on market conditions.
Source