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Crypto · head to head

Lido vs The Graph

Lido logo

Lido

Crypto

Liquid staking for Ethereum and beyond

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
The Graph logo

The Graph

Crypto

The indexing protocol for Web3

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Lido no traditional pricing plans published; The Graph no specific pricing tiers or rates published on homepage or pricing pages
  • They diverge on capability: Lido covers Liquid Staking, The Graph covers Subgraph Indexing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Lido and The Graph actually diverge.

Attributes where Lido and The Graph differ
AttributeLidoThe Graph
Pricing modelfreeusage-based
PlatformsWebWeb, Api
Founded20202018

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 Lido

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

Only in The Graph

  • Subgraph Indexing
  • GraphQL API
  • Decentralized Network
  • Multi-chain Support
  • GRT Token
  • 30+ chains
  • Api support

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Lido

  • Liquid staking of ETH and other proof of stake tokensnot The Graph

The Graph

  • Decentralized data indexing and querying infrastructurenot Lido
  • Blockchain and Web3 development with subgraphsnot Lido
  • Real-time data availability for distributed applicationsnot Lido

Where each one falls short

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

Lido

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

The Graph

  • No specific pricing tiers or rates published on homepage or pricing pages
  • Only generic cost-comparison claim provided (60-98% less per month)

Pricing, plan by plan

Lido

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

The Graph

Free
  • Free TierFree
    • 100K queries
    • Subgraph Studio
    • Testnet
  • Pay as you go$0.00004/query
    • Unlimited queries
    • Mainnet
    • Multi-chain

Which should you pick?

Choose Lido if

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

Choose The Graph if

  • You need subgraph indexing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want graphql api.
The Graph review

Questions people ask

Is Lido or The Graph better?
Neither clearly leads. Lido starts at Free and The Graph at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Lido or The Graph?
Lido starts at Free and The Graph at Free.
Does Lido or The Graph run on more platforms?
Lido runs on Web. The Graph runs on Web, Api.
Can I use Lido for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Lido best used for?
Lido is most often used for liquid staking of eth and other proof of stake tokens. Of those, liquid staking of eth and other proof of stake tokens is not what The Graph is typically brought in for.
What can Lido do that The Graph cannot?
Lido covers Liquid Staking, stETH Token, No Minimum, DeFi Composable. The Graph covers Subgraph Indexing, GraphQL API, Decentralized Network, Multi-chain Support. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
The Graph: What is The Graph pricing model?

The Graph does not publish specific pricing tiers on its homepage. The platform claims to cost 60-98% less per month compared to running expensive proprietary servers, but exact rates are not provided.

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
The Graph: How do I find detailed pricing for The Graph services?

Detailed pricing information is likely available in product-specific pages (Amp, Subgraphs, Substreams) or in the documentation rather than the homepage. Contact The Graph team or review their documentation for specific cost details.

Source
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