6 Best Blockchain Node and RPC Providers in 2026
The best blockchain node and RPC providers in 2026 compared on free tier, starting price and chain coverage. See Alchemy, QuickNode, Infura, Chainstack, dRPC and Helius.
Tested and reviewed by Jonathan West · Updated July 19, 2026
Choosing the best blockchain node provider depends on your target networks, free allowances, starting plan prices, and how each platform meters API traffic. As of Oct 2026, node providers measure consumption using distinct metrics such as compute units, credits, request units, and raw requests, meaning headline numbers cannot be matched one to one. We compare these managed services on their documented pricing, free tiers, throughput limits, and chain counts. When we reviewed this ourselves at PipeFlare, we evaluated each provider's published terms and tier limits. Every plan detail below comes directly from vendor disclosures published as of Oct 2026, though provider terms and network support change over time.
Before choosing a managed RPC provider, explore how nodes validate transactions, store ledger history, and communicate across peer networks.
Alchemy
Best for: Best free allowance for EVM and multichain apps
Alchemy provides RPC APIs, developer tools, and data APIs across multiple blockchains. The service gives developers a 30 million compute unit monthly free tier with a 15 request per second rate limit. Paid usage runs on a Pay As You Go model starting at $0.525 per 1 million compute units with higher throughput.
Strengths
30M compute units per month on free tier
Pay As You Go starting at $0.525 per 1M compute units
Access to mainnets and testnets on free tier
Limitations
Extra 5,000 CU/s throughput blocks cost $160 monthly
Free plan caps throughput at 15 requests per second
Pricing: Pay As You Go $0.525 per 1M compute units
QuickNode
Best for: Best for broad chain coverage and streaming data
QuickNode operates blockchain infrastructure delivering RPC endpoints, streaming data, webhooks, and dedicated clusters. The vendor states that it supports 80-plus chains across 130-plus networks with 99.99% uptime and SOC 1, SOC 2, and ISO 27001 certifications. Its entry plan begins at $49 monthly for 80 million credits.
Strengths
80+ chains across 130+ networks listed
All supported chains open on every tier
Build plan provides 10 endpoints and 50 req/sec
Limitations
Free trial limits capacity to 1 endpoint and no overage
Specific chain list not published on the pricing page
Pricing: Build $49/month ($42 billed annually)
Infura
Best for: Best for MetaMask and Consensys ecosystem builders
Infura operates as part of MetaMask Developer under Consensys, providing Web3 access across 40-plus networks on its free Core tier. The Core plan includes a Gas API and full archive data access. Paid Developer plans start at US$50 monthly to deliver higher daily credit allowances and debugging APIs.
Strengths
Core plan includes full archive data and Gas API
Developer plan adds Debug and Trace APIs
Direct integration with MetaMask Developer tooling
Limitations
Free-tier daily credit counts conflict on the pricing page
Free Core plan limited to 1 API key
Pricing: Developer US$50/month
Chainstack
Best for: Best for published request-unit pricing
Chainstack supports over 70 blockchains. Its free Developer tier grants 3 million request units monthly at 25 requests per second. The paid Growth plan starts at $49 monthly, where standard full node requests consume 1 request unit and archive requests consume 2.
Strengths
Full node requests consume 1 request unit
Growth plan increases throughput to 250 RPS
70+ blockchains listed across platform tiers
Limitations
Archive requests consume 2 request units each
Individual chains not itemized on the pricing page
Pricing: Growth $49/month ($40 annual)
dRPC
Best for: Best for pay-as-you-go pricing
dRPC offers node routing across 130-plus chains and 232 networks. The vendor provides a free tier with a 210 million compute unit pool on public nodes at 100 requests per second. Paid tiers start at $49 monthly, alongside a commitment-free Pay As You Go option at $6 per 1 million requests.
Strengths
130+ chains across 232 networks supported
Pay As You Go priced at $6 per 1M requests
Accepts payment via credit card or crypto
Limitations
Free tier excludes archive nodes and WebSockets
Free tier routes solely through public nodes
Pricing: Pro $49/month; Pay As You Go $6 per 1M requests
Helius
Best for: Best for Solana-only workloads
Helius focuses entirely on Solana infrastructure. The free plan offers 1 million credits monthly with a limit of 10 RPC requests per second. The Developer plan starts at $49 monthly for 10 million credits and 50 requests per second.
Strengths
Dedicated Solana infrastructure
Developer plan adds 50 RPC requests per second
Additional credits priced at $5 per 1M on paid plans
Limitations
Solana network only with no multi-chain support
Free plan excludes staked connections and gRPC streaming
Pricing: Developer $49/month
Summary comparison
| Option | Free tier | Paid plans from | Chains | Metering unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FeaturedYour company here, pinned above every listing Get featured → | ||||
| Alchemy | 30M compute units/month, 15 requests/sec | Pay As You Go $0.525 per 1M compute units | Ethereum, Solana, Base, Arbitrum and more; full list in docs | Compute units |
| QuickNode | Free trial: 10M API credits, 15 requests/sec | Build $49/month ($42 billed annually) | 80+ chains across 130+ networks | API credits |
| Infura | Core: 3M daily credits (FAQ says 6M), 1 API key | Developer US$50/month | 40+ networks on the Core plan | Daily credits |
| Chainstack | Developer: 3M request units/month, 25 RPS | Growth $49/month ($40 annual) | 70+ blockchains | Request units |
| dRPC | Free: 210M CU pool, public nodes only, 100 RPS | Pro $49/month; Pay As You Go $6 per 1M requests | 130+ chains across 232 networks | Compute units |
| Helius | 1M credits/month, 10 RPC requests/sec | Developer $49/month | Solana only | Credits |
| GetBlock | Shared endpoints on a free tier; limits Not published | Shared nodes from $39/month annual; page also lists $49 | 130+ blockchains | Compute units on shared nodes |
| NOWNodes | 100,000 requests/month, 1 API key | Pro 1M requests/month; monthly price Not published | 120+ blockchain networks | Requests |
| OnFinality | 400,000 RPC response units daily, up to 40/s | Growth $49/month, 20M units | Ethereum, Solana, BNB Chain, Polygon, Base and more | RPC response units |
| Tatum | 100K lifetime credits, 3 requests/sec | Dedicated API key from $99/month (10 RPS) | 100+ blockchain protocols | Credits |
| Chainnodes | Core $0: 12.5M requests/month, 25 req/sec | Developer $50/month, 25M requests | 14 chains listed, mostly EVM | Requests |
| Dwellir | Free tier offered; limits Not published | Shared plans from $49/month | 150+ networks | API credits (one per RPC response) |
| Moralis | No free plan listed; trials on request | Starter $149/month, 2M CU, 5 RPC nodes | All networks on Starter and above | Compute units |
| Ankr | Free public RPC endpoints advertised; limits Not published | Not published | 70+ blockchains | Not published |
| Blockdaemon | Not published | Not published | Bitcoin, Ethereum, Stellar and others | N/A |
| Conduit | Not published | Not published | RPC for 100+ networks | Not published |
| RPC Fast | Start $0: 1.5M compute units, 15 req/sec | Focus $49/month, 12M compute units | Shared RPC: Ethereum, BNB Chain, Polygon; dedicated nodes on more | Compute units |
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Provider choice by chains and free tier
No single platform serves as the best blockchain node provider for every developer, because your decision depends on the exact chains you need, the size of each free tier, entry pricing, and how usage is metered. Builders working strictly on Solana find that Helius focuses exclusively on that single ledger, whereas teams needing multi-chain EVM networks look to platforms like Alchemy, QuickNode, Infura, Chainstack, or dRPC. If you need a zero-cost monthly allowance to launch an application, Alchemy supplies 30 million compute units monthly across its supported testnets and mainnets, while QuickNode limits its free tier to a 10 million credit trial on one endpoint. Infura offers an alternative path for teams integrated with MetaMask Developer, granting 40-plus networks on its free Core plan. Chainstack provides 3 million request units per month on its free tier, and dRPC supplies a 210 million compute unit pool restricted to public nodes. Beyond these six services, other providers exist across the wider Web3 ecosystem, including GetBlock, NOWNodes, OnFinality, Tatum, Chainnodes, Dwellir, Moralis, Ankr, Blockdaemon, Conduit, and RPC Fast.
Free tiers and metering units
Free tiers vary significantly across platforms because vendors calculate usage with fundamentally different metrics that prevent direct numerical comparisons. Alchemy measures activity in compute units, granting 30 million compute units every month with a rate cap of 15 requests per second, 5 apps, and 5 webhooks. QuickNode tracks consumption using API credits, giving free trial users 10 million credits at 15 requests per second on a single endpoint without overage allowances. Infura meters usage using daily credits rather than monthly sums, though its published numbers conflict directly on its pricing page: the Core comparison table lists 3 million daily credits and 500 credits per second, while the accompanying page FAQ lists 6 million daily credits and 2,000 credits per second. Chainstack assigns 3 million request units each month on its Developer tier with a 25 request per second cap, charging 1 request unit for full node calls and 2 request units for archive queries. dRPC offers a 210 million compute unit pool on public nodes that translates to roughly 10 million requests at 100 requests per second, though it omits archive nodes, debug/trace APIs, and WebSockets. Helius provides 1 million credits monthly at 10 RPC requests per second and 1 transaction send per second, withholding staked connections and gRPC streaming from free accounts.
Paid plans and overage
Entry-level paid plans establish predictable baseline throughput, but overage terms determine your actual expenses as call volumes increase. QuickNode sets its Build tier at $49 monthly, or $42 when billed annually, delivering 80 million credits, 50 requests per second, and 10 endpoints, with extra usage priced at $0.62 per 1 million credits. QuickNode scales through Accelerate at $249 monthly for 450 million credits, Scale at $499 monthly for 950 million credits, and Business at $999 monthly for 2 billion credits. Chainstack prices its Growth plan at $49 monthly, or $40 on an annual schedule, providing 20 million request units at 250 requests per second, while charging $15 per 1 million request units for overage. Chainstack also lists Pro at $199 monthly for 80 million request units, Business at $499 monthly for 200 million request units, and Enterprise from $990 monthly for 400 million request units. Infura charges US$50 monthly for its Developer tier, providing 15 million daily credits, 4,000 credits per second, 5 API keys, and debug tools, with a separate US$200 monthly add-on for 55 million additional credits. Developers seeking variable billing can utilize pay-as-you-go structures rather than fixed subscriptions. Alchemy operates a Pay As You Go tier starting at $0.525 per 1 million compute units, unlocking 300 requests per second, 30 apps, and 100 webhooks, with optional 5,000 compute unit per second throughput blocks priced at $160 monthly. dRPC charges $49 monthly for its Pro tier with a 163 million compute unit pool and 300 requests per second, or users can bypass commitments entirely via Pay As You Go at $6 per 1 million requests capped at 100 requests per second. Helius prices its Developer plan at $49 monthly for 10 million credits and 50 requests per second, charging $5 per 1 million additional credits on paid tiers, with dedicated nodes starting at $2,900 monthly.
Chain coverage
Network availability differs across services as listed on each vendor's page. Alchemy names Ethereum, Solana, BNB Smart Chain, Avalanche, Polygon PoS, Arbitrum, Optimism, Base, Starknet, ZKsync, and Blast on its pricing page, stating that many more chains exist across its broader documentation. QuickNode states on its homepage that it supports 80-plus chains across 130-plus networks, and makes every chain accessible on all tiers, though individual names are not listed directly on its pricing table. Infura includes 40-plus supported networks on its Core plan and operates as an integrated piece of MetaMask Developer. Chainstack documents support for 70-plus blockchains within its Enterprise section, though specific networks are omitted from the main pricing list. dRPC documents over 120 supported chains on its paid pricing tiers and states on its homepage that coverage spans 130-plus chains across 232 networks. Helius's pricing page covers Solana only.
The verdict
There is no single best blockchain node provider for every developer: Alchemy provides a 30 million compute unit monthly free allowance, QuickNode and Chainstack deliver broad multi-chain plans starting at $49 monthly, Infura integrates directly with the MetaMask developer stack, dRPC offers commitment-free pay-as-you-go routing, and Helius serves workloads focused exclusively on Solana.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best blockchain node provider?
The best provider depends on your deployment requirements. Alchemy lists a 30 million compute unit monthly free plan, QuickNode and Chainstack provide access to dozens of blockchains starting at $49 monthly, dRPC offers pay-as-you-go flexibility, and Helius supports Solana-only workloads.
Is there a free RPC provider?
Yes, several providers offer free tiers. Alchemy gives users 30 million compute units monthly, QuickNode provides a 10 million credit trial, Chainstack includes 3 million request units monthly, dRPC offers a 210 million compute unit public pool, Infura supplies daily credits on its Core plan, and Helius includes 1 million monthly credits for Solana.
What are compute units and credits?
Compute units, API credits, and request units are custom metering units created by infrastructure providers to measure resource consumption. Because each vendor meters usage in its own unit, raw figures cannot be compared directly between platforms.
Do I need a node provider or can I run my own node?
Running your own node means operating the software and hardware yourself; a managed provider hands you an endpoint instead. Which fits depends on your team; our guide to what a blockchain node is covers what a node does.
Which providers support Solana?
Among the providers reviewed here, Helius specializes exclusively in Solana infrastructure, while Alchemy also documents support for the Solana blockchain within its multi-chain platform.
Sources
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