Infura vs QuickNode (2026)
A head-to-head on price, free access, and staying power. Both live and price-verified as of Sep 8, 2026.
The verdict, first
Infura
- if it is built for Web3 developers and teams that need reliable hosted RPC and node access to Ethereum and Layer 2 networks without running their own infrastructure, and that matches your job.
- if you specifically want 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.
QuickNode
- if it is built for Web3 developers, fintechs, and enterprises that need hosted multi-chain node access (RPC endpoints, real-time data streams, serverless functions) without operating their own blockchain infrastructure, and that matches your job.
- if you specifically want 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.
- if it starts cheaper, at $49/mo against $50/mo.
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
Best for Web3 developers and teams that need reliable hosted RPC and node access to Ethereum and Layer 2 networks without running their own infrastructure · Pricing model Freemium with credit-based metering. Free Core tier (3M credits/day, 500 credits/sec); Developer $50/mo (15M credits/day); Team $225/mo (75M credits/day, 40K credits/sec); Enterprise custom pricing with auto-scaling and SLAs. Add-on credit packs available. Each API request consumes credits scaled to its computational complexity.
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
Best for Web3 developers, fintechs, and enterprises that need hosted multi-chain node access (RPC endpoints, real-time data streams, serverless functions) without operating their own blockchain infrastructure · Pricing model Tiered subscription metered by API-credit usage. A no-cost entry tier ($0/mo, ~10M credits, labeled a free trial); paid plans Build $49/mo, Accelerate $249/mo, Scale $499/mo, Business $999/mo (annual billing is lower per month), plus custom Enterprise. Usage is measured in API credits (method responses x per-method multiplier); overages beyond each plan's included credits bill at roughly $0.50-$0.62 per million.
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 SEP 8, 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 Sep 8, 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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