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Alchemy vs Helius

Side-by-side comparison of features, pricing, ratings, and alternatives.

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Alchemy
AlchemyBlockchain developer platform providing node APIs, data APIs, and tooling across 50+ chains.
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Helius
HeliusHigh-performance RPC and data infrastructure for building on Solana
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Overview
Description

Alchemy is a web3 infrastructure platform that gives developers reliable node RPC access, data APIs, and smart wallet tooling for building blockchain applications. It supports Ethereum and 50+ other networks including Polygon, Arbitrum, Optimism, Base, and Solana, and is used by companies like Visa, Circle, Stripe, and OpenSea.

Helius provides RPC and API infrastructure for Solana developers, including globally distributed RPC endpoints, gRPC-based data streaming, and low-latency transaction delivery. Its Gatekeeper edge gateway targets sub-millisecond response times, and features like webhooks and preconfirmations give developers real-time visibility into on-chain activity.

Pricing
Freemium
Paid (Subscription)
Category
Blockchain Dev
Blockchain Dev
Best for
Web3 developers and fintech companies building blockchain applications
Solana developers, traders, wallet builders, exchanges, and DeFi protocol teams needing reliable blo
Specifications
deployment
Cloud/SaaS
Cloud/SaaS
open source
No
No
api available
Yes
Yes
support options
Docs, standard support (free tier), premium and dedicated support on paid tiers
—
key integrations
Ethereum, Polygon, Arbitrum, Optimism, Base, Solana, and 50+ other chains
—
Pros & Cons
Pros
  • Generous free tier (30M compute units/month) usable for real testing and small apps
  • Broad multi-chain coverage across 50+ networks from one API
  • Used in production by major fintechs like Visa, Circle, and Stripe
  • Usage-based pricing scales cost with actual API consumption
  • Strong reported reliability with 99.99% RPC success rate
  • Broad feature set covering RPC, streaming, and transaction delivery in one platform
  • Free tier lets developers start building without upfront payment
  • SOC 2 certification supports enterprise and fintech adoption
Cons
  • Compute-unit-based billing can be confusing to estimate costs upfront
  • Advanced features like custom rollup infrastructure are aimed at larger teams, not hobbyists
  • Enterprise-grade throughput and SLAs require custom/contact-sales pricing
  • Solana-specific, not useful for developers building on other chains
  • Detailed pricing tiers require visiting a separate pricing page
  • Advanced features like Sender and LaserStream are geared toward trading-focused use cases
Community & Metrics
Upvotes
0
0
User rating
Not enough data
Not enough data

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Alchemy
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Blockchain developer platform providing node APIs, data APIs, and tooling across 50+ chains.

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The Verdict

AI-generated from listing data

Alchemy offers a multi‑chain, freemium platform with broad coverage and usage‑based pricing, while Helius provides a Solana‑only, subscription‑based service with high‑performance streaming and SOC 2 compliance.

Key differences

  • •Chain support: Alchemy covers 50+ networks; Helius is Solana‑only.
  • •Pricing model: Alchemy uses a generous free tier and usage‑based billing; Helius requires a paid subscription after a limited free start.
  • •Advanced data services: Helius includes LaserStream and Sender for low‑latency streaming and transaction delivery, which Alchemy does not mention.
  • •Enterprise guarantees: Helius advertises SOC 2 certification and a 99.99% RPC success rate; Alchemy cites 99.99% uptime but no specific compliance.
  • •Target audience depth: Alchemy serves general Web3 and fintech apps; Helius focuses on high‑frequency trading, wallets, and DeFi on Solana.
DimensionWinner

Pricing & value

Alchemy provides a free tier of 30M compute units/month and usage‑based billing; Helius only offers a limited free start then requires subscription.

Alchemy

Ease of use / learning curve

Helius’ Solana‑specific APIs and bundled services (LaserStream, Sender) simplify building on Solana compared to Alchemy’s broader but more complex multi‑chain setup.

Helius

Features & depth

Helius includes specialized streaming (LaserStream) and low‑latency transaction delivery (Sender) not listed for Alchemy.

Helius

Integrations & ecosystem

Alchemy supports 50+ chains including Ethereum, Polygon, Solana, etc.; Helius integrates only with Solana.

Alchemy

Scalability

Alchemy guarantees 99.99% uptime for production nodes and offers custom enterprise SLAs; Helius reports 99.99% RPC success but no mention of custom scaling options.

Alchemy

Support

Alchemy offers tiered support (standard free, premium, dedicated); Helius only lists standard cloud/SaaS support with no tier detail.

Alchemy

Security & privacy

Helius is SOC 2 certified, a specific compliance claim absent from Alchemy’s description.

Helius

Choose Alchemy if…

Developers needing multi‑chain APIs, flexible free tier, and enterprise‑grade uptime.

Choose Helius if…

Solana‑focused teams requiring low‑latency streaming, transaction delivery, and SOC 2 compliance.

Common questions

Can I use Alchemy for a Solana‑only project?

Yes, Alchemy supports Solana among its 50+ networks, but it lacks Solana‑specific streaming services like LaserStream.

What are the cost implications after the free tier?

Alchemy charges based on compute units used; Helius switches to a paid subscription model after its free‑to‑start tier.

Which platform offers stronger compliance guarantees?

Helius advertises SOC 2 certification; Alchemy does not specify any comparable compliance certification.