Softwr

Crypto · head to head

Infura vs Lido

Infura logo

Infura

Crypto

Ethereum and IPFS APIs for developers

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Lido logo

Lido

Crypto

Liquid staking for Ethereum and beyond

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Infura the free plan is capped at 3 million credits a day, 500 credits per second and a single API key; Lido no traditional pricing plans published
  • They diverge on capability: Infura covers Ethereum APIs, Lido covers Liquid Staking.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Infura and Lido actually diverge.

Attributes where Infura and Lido differ
AttributeInfuraLido
Pricing modelsubscriptionfree
PlatformsApiWeb
Founded20162020

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Infura

  • Ethereum APIs
  • IPFS Gateway
  • Archive Data
  • WebSocket Support
  • Transaction Pool
  • Ethereum
  • IPFS
  • Polygon

Only in Lido

  • Liquid Staking
  • stETH Token
  • No Minimum
  • DeFi Composable
  • LDO Token
  • Multi-chain
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Infura

  • Hosted Ethereum and multi-chain node access across 40+ networksnot Lido
  • Archive data queries without running an archive nodenot Lido
  • Backing a production dapp with managed RPC endpointsnot Lido
  • Debug and trace calls for contract development on paid tiersnot Lido

Lido

  • Liquid staking of ETH and other proof of stake tokensnot Infura

Where each one falls short

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

Infura

  • The free plan is capped at 3 million credits a day, 500 credits per second and a single API key
  • The Debug and Trace APIs are withheld from the free plan and need Developer at $50 a month
  • Support on the free tier is community forums only
  • Unlimited API keys require the Team plan at $225 a month
  • Auto-scaling and an enhanced SLA are Enterprise only

Lido

  • No traditional pricing plans published
  • APR and APY rates displayed instead of subscription fees
  • Liquid staking protocol with variable yield rates

Pricing, plan by plan

Infura

Free
  • CoreFree
    • 3 million daily credits
    • 500 credits/second throughput
    • 1 API key
  • Developer$50/month
    • 15 million daily credits
    • 4,000 credits/second throughput
    • 5 API keys
  • Team$225/month
    • 75 million daily credits
    • 40,000 credits/second throughput
    • unlimited API keys
  • Enterprise$null/custom
    • custom daily credits
    • custom throughput
    • unlimited API keys

Lido

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Liquid staking
    • stETH token
    • DeFi integration

Which should you pick?

Choose Infura if

  • You need ethereum apis.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Api.
  • You also want ipfs gateway.
Infura review

Choose Lido if

  • You need liquid staking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want steth token.
Lido review

Questions people ask

Is Infura or Lido better?
Neither clearly leads. Infura starts at Free and Lido at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Infura or Lido?
Infura starts at Free and Lido at Free.
Does Infura or Lido run on more platforms?
Infura runs on Api. Lido runs on Web.
Can I use Infura for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Infura best used for?
Infura is most often used for hosted ethereum and multi-chain node access across 40+ networks, archive data queries without running an archive node, backing a production dapp with managed rpc endpoints, debug and trace calls for contract development on paid tiers. Of those, hosted ethereum and multi-chain node access across 40+ networks and archive data queries without running an archive node are not what Lido is typically brought in for.
What can Infura do that Lido cannot?
Infura covers Ethereum APIs, IPFS Gateway, Archive Data, WebSocket Support. Lido covers Liquid Staking, stETH Token, No Minimum, DeFi Composable.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Infura: How much does Infura cost?

Infura offers a free Core plan with 3 million daily credits. Paid plans include Developer at $50/month for 15 million credits, Team at $225/month for 75 million credits, and Enterprise plans with custom pricing. Additional credits cost $200 per month for 55 million extra credits.

Source
Lido: Does Lido have a cost?

Lido is a liquid staking protocol without traditional pricing. Users deposit ETH to receive stETH tokens. The protocol generates yields reported as APR/APY rates rather than subscription fees.

Source
Infura: Is there a free version of Infura?

Yes, Infura Core is completely free and includes 3 million daily credits, 500 credits/second guaranteed throughput, 1 API key, access to 40+ supported networks, Gas API, and full archive data with community forum support.

Source
Lido: What are the current APR and APY rates?

According to the Lido homepage, stETH APR is 2.3%, EarnETH APY is 3.1%, and EarnUSD APY is 6.4%. These rates are subject to change.

Source
Infura: Can I upgrade or downgrade Infura plans anytime?

Yes, upgrades and downgrades are available anytime. Upgrades take effect immediately while request visibility requires 24 to 30 days depending on the plan tier.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on Infura

More on Lido

Keep looking

Other head to heads