Alchemy vs Chainstack: Pricing and Ratings Compared (2026)
Entry prices and free plans as read on each vendor's pricing page, and user ratings as published on review sites, for Alchemy and Chainstack side by side. This page compares data; it is not a hands-on review.
On the data: On the data below the two are close or not directly comparable, so we do not name a winner for this pair.
Short on time? Here's the quick answer
Based on published vendor pricing and features and on public review data, here's who should pick what:
Alchemy
The complete blockchain developer platform for building and scaling crypto applications.
Best for you if:
- • You want high performance and reliability with 99.99% uptime and Cortex engine
Chainstack
Fast, reliable, and cost-effective blockchain infrastructure for Web3 builders and enterprises.
Best for you if:
- • You want supports 70+ blockchain networks, including popular and appchains
| At a Glance | ||
|---|---|---|
Starts at | Free plan | Free plan, paid from $49/mo, billed monthly Growth plan |
Category | Crypto & Web3 Web3 Infrastructure | Crypto & Web3 API Tools |
Rating | n/a | 4.8/5 G2 4.8 · Capterra 5.0 35 reviews |
Free plan | Yes | Yes |
Watch out for | Overage fees apply beyond free tier limits. | Overage fees for exceeding included requests |
Choose Alchemy or Chainstack?
Choose Alchemy if
- You want high performance and reliability with 99.99% uptime and Cortex engine
- You want comprehensive suite of developer tools and APIs for various blockchain needs
Choose Chainstack if
- You want supports 70+ blockchain networks, including popular and appchains
- You want offers high reliability with 99.99%+ uptime SLA and SOC 2 Type II certification
In-Depth Analysis
Alchemy
The complete blockchain developer platform for building and scaling crypto applications.
Alchemy's pricing is quite generous, especially with its robust Free tier offering 30M CUs per month.
Watch out
Overage fees apply beyond free tier limits.
Strengths
- Pro: High performance and reliability with 99.99% uptime and Cortex engine.
- Pro: Comprehensive suite of developer tools and APIs for various blockchain needs.
- Pro: Supports multiple major blockchains and Layer 2 solutions.
- Pro: Offers a generous free tier for developers to get started.
- Pro: Provides advanced features like gasless transactions and smart wallets.
Weaknesses
- Con: Pricing for higher usage tiers can become complex with Compute Units (CUs).
- Con: Enterprise features like dedicated support and custom SLAs are behind a custom pricing model.
Key features
Chainstack
Fast, reliable, and cost-effective blockchain infrastructure for Web3 builders and enterprises.
Chainstack offers a fair pricing structure, starting with a generous free tier for developers.
Watch out
Overage fees for exceeding included requests
Strengths
- Pro: Supports 70+ blockchain networks, including popular and appchains.
- Pro: Offers high reliability with 99.99%+ uptime SLA and SOC 2 Type II certification.
- Pro: Provides various pricing models to suit different usage needs, including a free developer plan.
- Pro: Geo-balanced infrastructure ensures low-latency access globally.
- Pro: Includes developer-centric tools like Faucet Portal and extensive documentation.
Weaknesses
- Con: Dedicated Node pricing can be high for smaller projects.
- Con: Specific features like gRPC streaming are currently limited to certain chains (e.g., Solana).
Key features
Plans and prices: Alchemy vs Chainstack
| Tool | Plans and prices | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Alchemy |
| alchemy.com/pricing read Oct 22, 2026 |
| Chainstack |
| chainstack.com/pricing read Nov 2, 2026 |
Prices as read on each vendor's own pricing page on the date shown. Plans are listed per tool and are not matched against the other tool's plans: a plan name or price in one column says nothing about the same row in the other. Details on Alchemy pricing and Chainstack pricing.
Key Takeaways
Alchemy
- Choose if you want the complete blockchain developer platform for building and scaling crypto applications
Chainstack
- Choose if you want fast, reliable, and cost-effective blockchain infrastructure for Web3 builders and enterprises
What the data shows
On the data below the two are close or not directly comparable, so we do not name a winner for this pair.
- Only Chainstack has a published user rating (4.8/5 from 35 reviews); Alchemy has none we can show.
- Chainstack starts at $49/mo, billed monthly; Alchemy has no public paid plan price on file.
- Both have a free plan.
Criteria: user rating (only above 20 reviews on both sides, gap of 0.2 or more), entry price (only on the same billing basis), free plan. How we rate
Frequently Asked Questions
How do Alchemy and Chainstack compare in 2026?
On the data below the two are close or not directly comparable, so we do not name a winner for this pair. Only Chainstack has a published user rating (4.8/5 from 35 reviews); Alchemy has none we can show. Chainstack starts at $49/mo, billed monthly; Alchemy has no public paid plan price on file. Both have a free plan.
What are Alchemy and Chainstack used for?
Alchemy: The complete blockchain developer platform for building and scaling crypto applications. Chainstack: Fast, reliable, and cost-effective blockchain infrastructure for Web3 builders and enterprises.
What does Alchemy cost vs Chainstack?
Alchemy has no public paid-plan price on file. Chainstack's cheapest paid plan is Growth at $49/mo, billed monthly; it also has a free plan. Prices read on the vendors' pricing pages, latest check Nov 2, 2026.
What's the main difference between Alchemy and Chainstack?
Alchemy's main strength: high performance and reliability with 99.99% uptime and Cortex engine. Chainstack's main strength: supports 70+ blockchain networks, including popular and appchains.