Alchemy vs Infura (2026)
A head-to-head on price, free access, and staying power. Both live and price-verified as of Jul 21, 2026.
The verdict, first
What each one is
Alchemy
What sets it apart It goes beyond node RPC by bundling data/token APIs, event webhooks, and account-abstraction smart wallets, and meters all of it in a single compute-unit currency rather than charging per node or per request.
Alchemy is hosted blockchain infrastructure that gives developers JSON-RPC access to more than 100 networks, including Ethereum, Solana, Polygon, and Arbitrum, so they can read and write on-chain data without running their own nodes. What separates it from a plain RPC provider is the stack layered on top: data APIs for transaction history and token prices, webhooks for on-chain events, and account-abstraction tooling for embedded smart wallets that support gasless transactions. Usage is billed in compute units, with a free tier of 30 million per month and pay-as-you-go pricing of $0.45 per million CUs for the first 300 million and $0.40 beyond that. The range fits solo developers prototyping as well as fintech teams shipping consumer crypto features.
Sources Alchemy homepage - products, supported chains, and audience · Alchemy pricing page - tiers and rates · Chainstack - Alchemy RPC provider overview (2026)
Infura
What sets it apart Its Decentralized Infrastructure Network (DIN) routes RPC requests across multiple independent node operators rather than serving them only from Infura's own nodes, and usage is metered by a credit system that charges each call according to its computational cost rather than a flat request count.
Infura runs hosted node infrastructure that lets developers query and transact on Ethereum and other chains over JSON-RPC without operating their own nodes. Coverage spans 40-plus networks, including Layer 2s such as Polygon and Linea, along with archive data and an IPFS service. The platform is owned by Consensys and delivered as part of MetaMask Developer, and it is building a Decentralized Infrastructure Network (DIN) that routes RPC requests across multiple independent operators rather than Infura's nodes alone. A free Core tier covers light usage; paid plans begin at $50 per month and meter consumption through credits, where each call is priced by its computational complexity.
Sources Infura Pricing (official) · Infura Home (official) · MetaMask Help Center - credit-based pricing · 101 Blockchains - What is Infura Web3
Side by side
| Metric | Alchemy | Infura |
|---|---|---|
| From $/mo | Custom | $50 |
| Free tier | Yes | Yes |
| Founded | 2017 | 2016 |
| Best for | solo & SMB & enterprise | solo & SMB & enterprise |
| Status | Live | Live |
ALL FIGURES = LOWEST PAID MONTHLY PLAN · STATUS & PRICE VERIFIED JUL 21, 2026
Where they differ
Price
At least one of these is quote-based rather than a public monthly price - check current plans via the links. Verified Jul 21, 2026.
Free access
Both Alchemy and Infura offer a permanent free tier - you can trial either at no cost. A permanent free tier lowers the risk of committing before you have validated the fit.
Track record
Infura has been operating since 2016; Alchemy since 2017. For a tool you build a business process on, a longer survival record matters.
Questions of record
Alchemy or Infura - which is better in 2026?
Is Alchemy cheaper than Infura?
Does Alchemy or Infura have a free tier?
Are Alchemy and Infura still maintained?
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