Infura vs QuickNode (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
QuickNode
- if it starts cheaper, at $49/mo against $50/mo.
- if you lean toward the more recent build, from 2017.
What each one is
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
QuickNode
What sets it apart Streams, a push-based data pipeline that pushes real-time and historical blockchain events to destinations like webhooks and S3 with built-in filtering, transformation, automatic reorg handling, and guaranteed delivery, layered on top of the standard RPC endpoints so teams avoid building their own ETL pipelines.
QuickNode operates managed blockchain infrastructure so teams can read from and write to networks without running their own nodes, spanning more than 80 chains across 130+ networks. Beyond standard RPC endpoints, it provides Streams, a push-based pipeline that delivers real-time and historical on-chain events with built-in filtering, reorg handling, and guaranteed delivery, alongside serverless Functions and a marketplace of add-on data and trading tools. Paid plans start at $49 per month and meter consumption in API credits, calculated as method responses multiplied by a per-method factor, above a no-cost entry tier and custom enterprise contracts. The intended users are Web3 developers, fintechs, and enterprises that want hosted node access rather than self-managed setups.
Sources QuickNode - Pricing · QuickNode - Homepage · Streams by QuickNode - Builders Guide
Side by side
| Metric | Infura | QuickNode |
|---|---|---|
| From $/mo | $50 | $49 |
| Free tier | Yes | Yes |
| Founded | 2016 | 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
QuickNode is the cheaper entry at $49/mo, versus $50/mo for Infura. Both prices are the lowest paid monthly plan, verified Jul 21, 2026.
Free access
Both Infura and QuickNode 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; QuickNode since 2017. For a tool you build a business process on, a longer survival record matters.
Questions of record
Infura or QuickNode - which is better in 2026?
Is Infura cheaper than QuickNode?
Does Infura or QuickNode have a free tier?
Are Infura and QuickNode still maintained?
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