Cryptocurrency & Blockchain · head to head
QuickNode vs Etherscan
Etherscan
Cryptocurrency & Blockchain
The Ethereum blockchain explorer
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: QuickNode rate limited by plan in requests per second, at 15 on the free trial, 50 on Build and 125 on Accelerate, so throughput is a paid feature separate from volume; Etherscan the free API plan is capped at 3 calls per second and 100,000 calls per day
- They diverge on capability: QuickNode covers Node APIs, Etherscan covers Block Explorer.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which QuickNode and Etherscan actually diverge.
Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (freemium), 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 QuickNode
- Node APIs
- NFT API
- Token API
- Streams
- Functions
- 25+ blockchains
- Marketplace add-ons
Only in Etherscan
- Block Explorer
- Transaction Tracking
- Token Tracker
- Contract Verification
- Gas Tracker
- Ethereum mainnet
- Testnets
Both cover
- Api support
- Web support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
QuickNode
- Running blockchain node infrastructure without operating nodesnot Etherscan
- Querying chain data and broadcasting transactions over an APInot Etherscan
Etherscan
- Looking up Ethereum transactions, addresses and token transfers in a block explorernot QuickNode
- Reading and verifying deployed smart contract source codenot QuickNode
- Pulling on-chain data into an application through the explorer APInot QuickNode
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
QuickNode
- Rate limited by plan in requests per second, at 15 on the free trial, 50 on Build and 125 on Accelerate, so throughput is a paid feature separate from volume
- Endpoints are also rationed, at 1 on the free trial and 10 on Build
- Credit overage is charged per million and only falls with plan, from $0.62 on Build to $0.50 on Business
- Support response time is sold as a tier, from a 24 hour SLA on Build down to 8 hours on Scale
- SSO and RBAC are Enterprise only
- The free offering is a trial rather than a standing free tier
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
QuickNode
Free- FreeFree
- 10M API credits
- 1 endpoint
- Core add-ons
- Starter$49/month
- 100M API credits
- 3 endpoints
- All add-ons
- Growth$299/month
- 750M API credits
- 10 endpoints
- Priority support
Etherscan
Free- FreeFree
- Block explorer
- 5 API calls/sec
- Basic analytics
- Standard$199/month
- 10 API calls/sec
- Advanced APIs
- Pro$399/month
- 30 API calls/sec
- Priority support
Which should you pick?
Choose QuickNode if
- You need node apis.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Api, Web.
- You also want nft api.
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 QuickNode or Etherscan better?
- Neither clearly leads. QuickNode 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, QuickNode or Etherscan?
- QuickNode starts at Free and Etherscan at Free.
- Does QuickNode or Etherscan run on more platforms?
- QuickNode runs on Api, Web. Etherscan runs on Web, Api.
- Can I use QuickNode for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is QuickNode best used for?
- QuickNode is most often used for running blockchain node infrastructure without operating nodes, querying chain data and broadcasting transactions over an api. Of those, running blockchain node infrastructure without operating nodes and querying chain data and broadcasting transactions over an api are not what Etherscan is typically brought in for.
- What can QuickNode do that Etherscan cannot?
- QuickNode covers Node APIs, NFT API, Token API, Streams. Etherscan covers Block Explorer, Transaction Tracking, Token Tracker, Contract Verification. Both handle Api support, Web support.