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Business Intelligence · head to head

Cube vs Etherscan

Cube logo

Cube

Business Intelligence

AI-native analytics platform with semantic layer and governed access

From
Free
Rated
-
Etherscan logo

Etherscan

Crypto

The Ethereum blockchain explorer

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Cube per-developer licensing can be expensive for large analytics teams; Etherscan the free API plan is capped at 3 calls per second and 100,000 calls per day
  • They diverge on capability: Cube covers Analytics Chat, Etherscan covers Block Explorer.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Cube and Etherscan actually diverge.

Attributes where Cube and Etherscan differ
AttributeCubeEtherscan
Pricing modelPer-developer seats with volume pricingfreemium
PlatformsCloud, Self-hostedWeb, Api
CategoryBusiness IntelligenceCrypto
FoundedUnknown2015

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

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 Cube

  • Analytics Chat
  • Workbooks
  • Dashboards
  • Embedded Analytics
  • AI Integrations
  • Core Data APIs
  • Caching and pre-aggregations

Only in Etherscan

  • Block Explorer
  • Transaction Tracking
  • Token Tracker
  • Contract Verification
  • Gas Tracker
  • Ethereum mainnet
  • Testnets
  • Web support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Cube

  • Building governed semantic data models for analyticsnot Etherscan
  • Embedding analytics into customer-facing productsnot Etherscan
  • Enabling natural language data queries for teamsnot Etherscan
  • Creating conversational dashboards with AI assistancenot Etherscan

Etherscan

  • Looking up Ethereum transactions, addresses and token transfers in a block explorernot Cube
  • Reading and verifying deployed smart contract source codenot Cube
  • Pulling on-chain data into an application through the explorer APInot Cube

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Cube

  • Per-developer licensing can be expensive for large analytics teams
  • Additional cost for Explorer and Viewer roles beyond developers
  • Semantic layer approach requires upfront modeling investment
  • Smaller connector ecosystem than dedicated BI platforms
  • May be overengineered for simple reporting needs

Etherscan

  • The free API plan is capped at 3 calls per second and 100,000 calls per day
  • The free plan requires attribution and covers only selected chains rather than all supported chains
  • API Pro endpoints are withheld below the Standard plan at $199 per month
  • The $49 per month Lite plan raises the rate limit to only 5 calls per second and keeps the same 100,000 calls per day as the free tier
  • Rate limits top out at 30 calls per second even on the $899 per month Pro Plus plan
  • The Address Metadata endpoint requires Pro Plus at $899 per month and is limited to one app license
  • Metadata CSV export and dedicated support are only in Metadata Enterprise, which is quoted by contact with no published price
  • The 10% and 15% discounts apply only to quarterly and yearly prepayment

Pricing, plan by plan

Cube

Free
  • FreeFree
    • For hobbyists and personal projects
    • Basic data source connection
    • Semantic modeling
  • Starter$40/developer/month
    • Extended agent limits
    • Premium LLMs
    • Unlimited workbooks
  • Premium$80/developer/month
    • All Starter features
    • Embedded dashboards
    • Embedded analytics chat
  • Enterprise$null/custom
    • 99.990% uptime SLA
    • Dedicated single-tenant installation
    • Bring Your Own Cloud

Etherscan

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 3 calls per second rate limit
    • Up to 100,000 API calls per day
    • Selected chains with 90% coverage
  • Lite$49/month
    • 5 calls per second rate limit
    • Up to 100,000 API calls per day
    • All supported chains with community endpoints
  • Standard$199/month
    • 10 calls per second rate limit
    • Up to 200,000 API calls per day
    • API Pro endpoints access
  • Advanced$299/month
    • 20 calls per second rate limit
    • Up to 500,000 API calls per day

Which should you pick?

Choose Cube if

  • You need analytics chat.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Cloud, Self-hosted.
  • You also want workbooks.

Choose Etherscan if

  • You need block explorer.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want transaction tracking.

Questions people ask

Is Cube or Etherscan better?
Neither clearly leads. Cube starts at Free and Etherscan at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Cube or Etherscan?
Cube starts at Free and Etherscan at Free.
Does Cube or Etherscan run on more platforms?
Cube runs on Cloud, Self-hosted. Etherscan runs on Web, Api.
Can I use Cube for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Cube best used for?
Cube is most often used for building governed semantic data models for analytics, embedding analytics into customer-facing products, enabling natural language data queries for teams, creating conversational dashboards with ai assistance. Of those, building governed semantic data models for analytics and embedding analytics into customer-facing products are not what Etherscan is typically brought in for.
What can Cube do that Etherscan cannot?
Cube covers Analytics Chat, Workbooks, Dashboards, Embedded Analytics. Etherscan covers Block Explorer, Transaction Tracking, Token Tracker, Contract Verification.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Cube: What is the cost per developer on Cube?

Starter plan costs $40/developer/month. Premium adds embedded analytics at $80/developer/month. Explorer and Viewer roles cost $40 and $20/month respectively.

Source
Etherscan: Is Etherscan API free to use?

Etherscan offers a free plan with a 3 calls per second rate limit and up to 100,000 API calls per day. The free tier provides access to selected chains with 90% coverage and requires attribution. Additional premium plans start at $49 per month.

Source
Cube: What uptime SLAs does Cube offer?

Premium plan offers 99.950% uptime SLA. Enterprise plan provides 99.990% uptime SLA with dedicated support.

Source
Etherscan: What are Etherscan's rate limits?

Etherscan provides different rate limits based on plan: Free plan allows 3 calls per second, Lite allows 5 calls per second, Standard allows 10 calls per second, Advanced and Professional allow 20-30 calls per second, and Pro Plus allows 30 calls per second with up to 1,500,000 API calls per day.

Source
Cube: Can I use Cube for free?

Yes, the Free plan includes basic data source connection, semantic modeling, workbooks, and dashboards for hobbyists and personal projects.

Source
Etherscan: Can I get a refund for Etherscan API payments?

No. Etherscan explicitly states that all payments made are non-refundable. Accounts are activated within 24 hours for API Pro accounts, and auto-renewal is enabled by default through Stripe.

Source
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