Helius vs Alchemy (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
Helius
What sets it apart The Digital Asset Standard (DAS) API: one interface that queries SPL tokens, compressed NFTs, and Token-2022 assets, including every account holding a token by mint address, which standard Solana RPC methods do not return directly.
Helius operates developer infrastructure for the Solana blockchain, bundling RPC nodes, APIs, gRPC data streaming (LaserStream), webhooks, and a transaction-sending service under one account. Its Digital Asset Standard (DAS) API is what separates it from a plain RPC endpoint: a single interface returns balances, metadata, and USD prices for SPL tokens, compressed NFTs, and Token-2022 assets, and can list every account holding a token from just a mint address. Access begins on a free tier of 1M monthly credits, with a $49/month Developer plan and higher Business and Professional tiers priced by credits and request rate. The stack fits solo builders prototyping wallets or trading apps as well as larger teams running dedicated nodes and real-time data feeds.
Sources Helius homepage (products, tagline, audience) · Helius pricing page · Helius DAS API docs
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)
Side by side
| Metric | Helius | Alchemy |
|---|---|---|
| From $/mo | $49 | Custom |
| Free tier | Yes | Yes |
| Founded | 2022 | 2017 |
| 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 Helius and Alchemy 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
Alchemy has been operating since 2017; Helius since 2022. For a tool you build a business process on, a longer survival record matters.
Questions of record
Helius or Alchemy - which is better in 2026?
Is Helius cheaper than Alchemy?
Does Helius or Alchemy have a free tier?
Are Helius and Alchemy still maintained?
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