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Alchemy

  • What it is:Alchemy is a leading blockchain development platform that provides node infrastructure, APIs, and tools for developers building Web3 applications.
  • Best for:Web3 startups and developers building new projects, Mid-market Web3 companies (Series A-B funding stage), Teams needing cross-chain support
  • Pricing:Free tier available, paid plans from $0.45/1M CUs up to 300M, then $0.40/1M CUs
  • Rating:88/100Very Good
  • Expert's conclusion:Alchemy is the Gold Standard for Web3 Infrastructure - necessary for every production blockchain application.
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Reviewed byMaxim Manylov·Web3 Engineer & Serial Founder

What Is Alchemy and What Does It Do?

Alchemy is a Blockchain Developer Platform that provides Infrastructure, APIs, SDKs & Tools to develop, deploy, iterate & grow Blockchain Apps. Co-Founders, Nikil Viswanathan (Stanford Alum & CEO) and Joe Lau (Stanford Alum & CTO) developed this platform to simplify Blockchain Development and support many top-tier Ethereum Apps and NFT Sales.

Active
📍San Francisco, CA
📅Founded 2017
🏢Private
TARGET SEGMENTS
Blockchain DevelopersWeb3 ProjectsCrypto EnterprisesNFT Platforms

What Are Alchemy's Key Business Metrics?

🏢
400+
Employees
📊
Ethereum, Polygon, Optimism, Arbitrum, Solana+
Supported Chains
📊
3995% YoY on Arbitrum (2023)
API Requests Growth
🔄
$30B+ (2021)
On-Chain Transactions
📊
$2B+ (2021)
NFT Sales Powered
📊
70% of top Ethereum apps (2021)
Market Share

How Credible and Trustworthy Is Alchemy?

88/100
Excellent

Leader in Blockchain Infrastructure with Strong Growth Metrics, Multiple Acquisitions and Proven Traction with Billions in Transactions and NFT Sales.

BREAKDOWN
Product Maturity92/100
Company Stability85/100
Security & Compliance80/100
User Reviews75/100
Transparency85/100
Support Quality88/100
TRUST SIGNALS
Powers 70% of top Ethereum applicationsProcessed $30B+ in transactionsAcquired ChainShot, Satsuma, Bware400+ employees worldwide

What is the history of Alchemy and its key milestones?

2017

Company Founded

Founded by Stanford Alumni, Nikil Viswanathan (CEO) & Joe Lau (CTO) who transitioned their focus from Blockchain Analytics to Blockchain Infrastructure.

2019

Series A Funding

Raised Series A Funding During Crypto Winter Validating Their Platform During a Market Down-Turn.

2021

Massive Growth

Experienced 97x developer growth while supporting $2 Billion in NFT Sales and over $30 Billion in transactions. Powered 70% of Top-Ethereum Apps.

2022

Acquired ChainShot

Acquired Education Company to Onboard Developers into Web3 Ecosystem.

2023

Acquired Satsuma

Acquired Subgraph Acquisition to Provide Faster Custom GraphQL APIs.

2024

Acquired Bware

Acquired European Blockchain Infrastructure Provider to Support Global Expansion.

Who Are the Key Executives Behind Alchemy?

Nikil Viswanathan— CEO & Co-founder
Stanford Alum Who Co-Founded Alchemy After Recognizing Need For Better Blockchain Developer Infrastructure.
Joe Lau— CTO & Co-founder
Stanford Alum and Long-Time Collaborator With Nikil Viswanathan, Drove Technical Pivot to Blockchain Infrastructure Platform.

What Are the Key Features of Alchemy?

🔗
Blockchain APIs
Provides a comprehensive set of APIs for Ethereum, Polygon, Optimism, Arbitrum and 20+ other blockchains with high reliability.
✨
Node Infrastructure
Eliminates the need to manage your own blockchain nodes through scalable, managed node infrastructure.
✨
Developer SDKs
Simplifies blockchain app development and reduces complexity through SDKs and Tools.
🔗
Enhanced APIs
Supports Custom GraphQL APIs Through Satsuma Acquisition, Faster Than Building In-House Data Pipelines.
✨
NFT & Web3 Tools
Offers specialized APIs to power NFT marketplaces and has supported $2 Billion + in sales volume.
✨
Monitor & Analytics
Provides real-time monitoring, analytics and performance tools for blockchain applications.

What Technology Stack and Infrastructure Does Alchemy Use?

Infrastructure

Multi-chain cloud infrastructure with dedicated nodes across 20+ blockchains

Technologies

Node.jsAPIsSDKsGraphQLKubernetes

Integrations

EthereumPolygonOptimismArbitrumSolanaBNB Chain

AI/ML Capabilities

Not applicable - blockchain infrastructure platform focused on APIs and node services

Inferred from product descriptions as developer platform; specific languages from industry standards

What Are the Best Use Cases for Alchemy?

Web3 Developers
Allows you to rapidly build, test, and scale blockchain dApps without having to manage complex node infrastructure.
NFT Platforms
Enables high-volume NFT minting and trading through proven $2 Billion + sales infrastructure.
DeFi Protocols
The reliable APIs for high frequency trading and transactional activities on a number of different chains
Enterprise Blockchain Teams
High volume, production-ready infrastructure for large scale blockchain applications
NOT FORTraditional Web2 Developers
High barrier to entry with respect to blockchain specific APIs and tools
NOT FORLow-Budget Hobby Projects
Enterprise pricing models will be more suitable for high volume production scale applications

How Much Does Alchemy Cost and What Plans Are Available?

Pricing information with service tiers, costs, and details
☐Service$CostℹDetails🔗Source
Free Tier$030M Compute Units per month, 25 requests per second, 5 apps & 5 webhooks, standard support, full developer platform access across all mainnets and testnetsAlchemy official pricing page
Pay As You Go (PAYG)$0.45/1M CUs up to 300M, then $0.40/1M CUsNo base monthly fees, 300 requests per second, 30 apps & 100 webhooks, priority support, generous throughput limits. Launched February 1, 2025Alchemy official pricing page
EnterpriseCustom pricingUnlimited apps & webhooks, custom throughput, VIP engineering support, SLAs, volume discounts, priority on product roadmap, custom rate limits. Recommended for 20B+ CUs/month usageAlchemy official pricing page
Free Tier$0
30M Compute Units per month, 25 requests per second, 5 apps & 5 webhooks, standard support, full developer platform access across all mainnets and testnets
Alchemy official pricing page
Pay As You Go (PAYG)$0.45/1M CUs up to 300M, then $0.40/1M CUs
No base monthly fees, 300 requests per second, 30 apps & 100 webhooks, priority support, generous throughput limits. Launched February 1, 2025
Alchemy official pricing page
EnterpriseCustom pricing
Unlimited apps & webhooks, custom throughput, VIP engineering support, SLAs, volume discounts, priority on product roadmap, custom rate limits. Recommended for 20B+ CUs/month usage
Alchemy official pricing page

How Does Alchemy Compare to Competitors?

FeatureAlchemyInfuraQuickNode
Starting Price$0 (free), PAYG available$50/month$49/month
Free TierYes - 30M CUs/monthLimitedLimited
Compute Unit Pricing$0.40-0.45/1M CUs
Supported Chains40+ chainsMultipleMultiple
API Rate Limits (Free)25 requests/secondLowerLower
Premium Support24/7 priority (PAYG+)AvailableAvailable
Enterprise SSOYes (Enterprise tier)YesYes
Gas Manager8% admin fee (PAYG)
Starting Price
Alchemy$0 (free), PAYG available
Infura$50/month
QuickNode$49/month
Free Tier
AlchemyYes - 30M CUs/month
InfuraLimited
QuickNodeLimited
Compute Unit Pricing
Alchemy$0.40-0.45/1M CUs
Infura—
QuickNode—
Supported Chains
Alchemy40+ chains
InfuraMultiple
QuickNodeMultiple
API Rate Limits (Free)
Alchemy25 requests/second
InfuraLower
QuickNodeLower
Premium Support
Alchemy24/7 priority (PAYG+)
InfuraAvailable
QuickNodeAvailable
Enterprise SSO
AlchemyYes (Enterprise tier)
InfuraYes
QuickNodeYes
Gas Manager
Alchemy8% admin fee (PAYG)
Infura—
QuickNode—

How Does Alchemy Compare to Competitors?

vs Infura

Both provide enterprise level Web3 RPC solutions with comparable pricing structures ($50/month entry). Alchemy provides a more detailed per use, pay as you go pricing structure with a larger free tier (30 million CU vs. Infura’s limited free) . Alchemy also benefits from broader historic adoption while providing a more robust set of developer tools.

For a flexible, usage based pricing model, choose Alchemy. For an enterprise relationship with broad MetaMask integration, choose Infura.

vs QuickNode

QuickNode is positioned in a very competitive space at $49/month entry price. While it does not have Alchemy’s advanced compute unit pricing or flexibility, it does focus on simplicity with its APIs. Alchemy focuses on a comprehensive platform.

Based on features and pricing model, Alchemy is a winner in terms of cost and feature depth. QuickNode is a winner in terms of ease of development, but at the expense of flexibility and optimization.

vs GetBlock

GetBlock is very competitively priced at $6/month. However, it only provides basic RPC access. Alchemy is a comprehensive Web3 platform that includes webhooks, smart wallets, gas management, and multi-chain support. This makes it a completely different market segment.

For extremely low-cost, bare-bone RPC access, choose GetBlock. For a complete Web3 platform that includes a wide range of development tools, choose Alchemy.

What are the strengths and limitations of Alchemy?

Pros

  • Generous free tier — 30M Compute Units monthly with full platform access, significantly higher than competitors
  • Flexible pay-as-you-go pricing — no base monthly fees, only pay for actual usage with tiered discounts ($0.45-0.40/1M CUs)
  • Comprehensive Web3 platform — extends beyond RPC to include webhooks, smart wallets, gas manager, and subgraphs
  • Broad chain support — 40+ blockchain networks including mainnets and testnets across major ecosystems
  • Developer-first approach — excellent documentation, SDKs, and 24/7 priority support for paid tiers
  • Recent pricing improvements — February 2025 transition to PAYG lowered costs for existing customers with similar usage patterns
  • High throughput — 300 requests/second on PAYG tier, significantly higher than free tier's 25 req/s

Cons

  • Compute unit model complexity — pricing based on CUs rather than simple request counts can be difficult to forecast
  • High volume costs — PAYG pricing becomes expensive at scale compared to fixed-price competitors for large-scale applications
  • Free tier limitations — 25 requests/second may be insufficient for production applications, forcing upgrade
  • Limited gas sponsorship on free tier — $100/month limit on Gas Manager sponsorship, enterprise required for custom amounts
  • Documentation gaps — some advanced features lack comprehensive examples and use cases
  • Enterprise pricing opacity — custom pricing requires sales contact, no published rates for highest-tier usage
  • Chain ecosystem gaps — while supporting 40+ chains, still behind some competitors in emerging blockchain support

Who Is Alchemy Best For?

Best For

  • Web3 startups and developers building new projects — Ample Compute Units Provided by Free Tier to Get Started Without Cost; Efficiently Scales With Usage As It Grows; Excellent Developer Experience; Comprehensive Tooling.
  • Mid-market Web3 companies (Series A-B funding stage) — Efficient Scaling of PAYG Pricing With Usage; A Better Cost Structure Than Fixed Monthly Plans If Usage Varies; Enterprise Support Is Available as Company Grows.
  • Teams needing cross-chain support — Unified API Supports 40+ Blockchain Networks; Ideal For Projects Requiring Multi-Chain Deployment Or Bridging Logic.
  • DApp developers requiring advanced features — Full Platform Includes Webhooks, Smart Wallets, Gas Manager, And Subgraphs; More Comprehensive Than Basic RPC Competitors.
  • Cost-conscious projects with variable usage patterns — Pay-as-you-go Eliminates Wasted Capacity; No Minimum Monthly Commitment; Cost Directly Tied to Actual Consumption.

Not Suitable For

  • Enterprise applications with massive fixed throughput requirements — At extreme scales (over 20B CUs/month), PAYG pricing is going to get expensive. If you are considering fixed price competitors as an option, you may find them more cost effective. Alchemy offers an Enterprise Tier, as well as traditional infrastructure.
  • Projects requiring on-premise or private infrastructure — Alchemy is cloud-only SaaS, and does not offer a self-hosted option. If you need to run your own Ethereum/blockchain nodes, consider doing so, or using an infrastructure provider such as Staking Facilities.
  • Applications with strict latency requirements under 100ms — Latencies associated with cloud networks could be unacceptable for some ultra-low-latency trading applications, or real time applications. If this is an issue, you may want to look into building your own node infrastructure, or placing your own nodes locally.
  • Projects requiring offline/disconnected operation — Because Alchemy is a cloud-based service, it requires constant internet access. Therefore, it would be unsuitable for edge computing, or any other type of application that would require you to work off-line. If you have applications that will require off-line functionality, you may want to build your own local blockchain nodes.

Are There Usage Limits or Geographic Restrictions for Alchemy?

Free Tier Compute Units
30 million CUs per month
Free Tier Request Rate
25 requests per second
PAYG Tier Request Rate
300 requests per second
Free Tier Apps
5 apps maximum
Free Tier Webhooks
5 webhooks maximum
PAYG Apps
30 apps
PAYG Webhooks
100 webhooks
Enterprise Apps
Unlimited
Enterprise Webhooks
500 webhooks
Gas Manager Sponsorship (Free)
$100/month limit
Gas Manager Admin Fee (PAYG)
8% on sponsored transactions
Solana gRPC (PAYG)
Starting at $80/TB
Archival Data (Free)
30M CUs included
Supported Blockchain Networks
40+ chains including Ethereum, Polygon, Arbitrum, Optimism, Solana, and testnets
Recommended Enterprise CU Usage
20B+ CUs per month
Recommended Enterprise Throughput
20,000+ CU/s or 700+ requests/second

Is Alchemy Secure and Compliant?

Data Protection InfrastructureMulti-chain battle-tested infrastructure across 40+ blockchain networks with redundancy and failover capabilities
API SecurityStandard rate limiting and abuse protection. Enterprise tier includes custom rate limits and dedicated support for security configurations
Support TiersStandard support on Free tier, priority support on PAYG, 24/7 VIP support on Enterprise with dedicated support engineers
SLA AvailabilityEnterprise tier includes custom SLAs. Implied high availability across supported networks
Volume DiscountsEnterprise tier offers committed use discounts and volume pricing for high-scale deployments
Crypto Payment OptionEnterprise tier supports payment in cryptocurrency, useful for Web3-native organizations
Custom Integration SupportEnterprise tier provides custom rate limits and throughput configuration for specialized security and performance needs

What Customer Support Options Does Alchemy Offer?

Channels
support@alchemy.com, available for all usersOne-click access via Alchemy Dashboard, powered by Pylon
Hours
Not specified; designed for faster resolution
Response Time
Instant confirmation on request submission; prioritization for urgent issues
Specialized
Direct communication with domain experts
Business Tier
Smarter prioritization for urgent issues across all plans
Support Limitations
•Discord support discontinued as of May 30th
•No phone or live chat channels mentioned

What APIs and Integrations Does Alchemy Support?

API Type
REST API with JSON-RPC support for Ethereum, Polygon, and other chains
Authentication
API Key authentication
Webhooks
Supported for transaction and blockchain event notifications
SDKs
Official SDKs for JavaScript, Python, Go, and ethers.js integration
Documentation
Comprehensive developer docs at docs.alchemy.com with interactive examples
Sandbox
Testnet support across multiple networks for development and testing
SLA
99.9% uptime guarantee for Growth and above tiers
Rate Limits
Tiered limits: Free (300 CU/s), Growth (10k CU/s), Scale (custom)
Use Cases
Node hosting, NFT API, token detection, enhanced APIs for Web3 apps

What Are Common Questions About Alchemy?

Alchemy offers email support at support@alchemy.com. There is also a Support Widget located in the Alchemy Dashboard. On May 30th, they stopped offering support via their Discord channel, and instead chose to pursue more efficient channels of communication. Regardless of how you submit your support request, you can expect to receive instant confirmation with Smart Prioritization.

Alchemy has several pricing tiers, which include: a free tier for testing; a Growth tier for production applications; a Scale tier for high volume usage; and custom Enterprise tier pricing. Alchemy's pricing model is based on the number of Compute Units (CUs) per month, versus the number of requests. Higher tier customers will receive dedicated support, as well as increased rate limits.

Alchemy offers several Enhanced API's, including NFT and Token Detection, improved User Experience (UX) in its Dashboard, and significantly better support than Infura. While Infura offers users access to core Node Infrastructure, Alchemy provides users with much better uptime Service Level Agreements (SLA's) and more Developer Friendly Tooling.

Yes, Alchemy is SOC 2 Type II Compliant and provides Enterprise-Grade Security. When sending or receiving sensitive information, Alchemy encrypts both Data in Transit and Data at Rest. In addition, each piece of custom infrastructure used by Alchemy is isolated from each other to ensure customer data remains secure and compliant.

Alchemy easily integrates with popular Web3 libraries, including ethers.js and web3.js. It also provides official SDKs for both JavaScript, Python and Go, to make setting up the platform even easier. Alchemy supports all EVM-compatible Chains, including the Ethereum MainNet, and many Layer 2 solutions (L2s).

Support for urgent matters is available from a team of professionals who will address your issue within minutes after you create an immediate ticket using the support widget in the Dashboard and/or send an email to support@alchemy.com. The response will be an instant confirmation that your issue has been addressed.

Yes, the Free tier allows you full access to all of the Alchemy API's (with generous limits) for testing purposes. There is no requirement to provide a credit card to upgrade to the Growth plan at any time if you need to start deploying your app into production.

Tier: Free (300 compute units per second), Tier: Growth (10k CU/s), higher-tier plans are customizable. Compute Units are used to standardize pricing across API calls.

Is Alchemy Worth It?

Alchemy is the #1 most widely-used Web3 development platform for developing Web3 dApps, as approximately 70% of all Web3 dApps built have been developed using Alchemy due to its unparalleled reliability, advanced APIs, and development experience. Although the compute unit pricing model does scale with usage and you'll need to manage your compute units; the reliability of the infrastructure and the additional features provided make it a necessity for any serious blockchain project.

Recommended For

  • Production dApp developers using Web3
  • NFT marketplaces and gaming platforms
  • Enterprise blockchain projects requiring SOC 2 compliance
  • Developers and teams requiring multi-chain support and enhanced APIs

!
Use With Caution

  • Hobbyist projects - check the Free tier compute usage
  • High-throughput apps - Alchemy's Scale tier pricing could add up rapidly
  • Non EVM chains - primary focus is on the Ethereum ecosystem

Not Recommended For

  • Testing simple wallets - a public RPC node is enough
  • Personal budget constrainted experimentation
  • Non-blockchain applications
Expert's Conclusion

Alchemy is the Gold Standard for Web3 Infrastructure - necessary for every production blockchain application.

Best For
Production dApp developers using Web3NFT marketplaces and gaming platformsEnterprise blockchain projects requiring SOC 2 compliance

What do expert reviews and research say about Alchemy?

Key Findings

Alchemy is the Gold Standard for Web3 Infrastructure - superior APIs, Dashboard, and Support for any production blockchain application. Recently Alchemy improved their Support model through providing a Streamlined Support model via Email/Widget instead of Discord. Alchemy supports over 50% of the Top DApps with 99.9% + Uptime and SOC 2 Compliance.

Data Quality

Good - official announcements and documentation comprehensive. Some enterprise pricing and specific SLAs require sales contact. User sentiment from developer community positive.

Risk Factors

!
Alchemy’s Compute Unit Pricing Model Requires Monitoring
!
Alchemy depends on the Evolution of the Ethereum Ecosystem
!
Rate Limits May Impede Viral Growth Apps
Last updated: January 2026

What Are the Best Alternatives to Alchemy?

  • •
    Infura: Consensys affiliated company that provides a leading Ethereum node solution supporting multiple chains. They are more mature than Alchemy and have less API enhancement options. The best option for companies that currently use the Consensys Ecosystem and require IPFS Pinning Services. (infura.io)
  • •
    QuickNode: A multi-chain node provider that has excellent support for Solana. QuickNode has better price transparency and endpoint availability globally. Alchemy may be considered superior for its ability to provide an ecosystem for Ethereum. The best option for Solana heavy or multi-chain projects. (quicknode.com)
  • •
    Moralis: A web3 backend platform that offers a database, authentication, and APIs. More of a full stack offering compared to a simple infrastructure offering. Has a higher cost due to serverless function inclusion. The best option for companies seeking a complete web3 backend offering. (moralis.io)
  • •
    Ankr: A decentralized RPC provider for 40 + different blockchain networks. Has lower costs compared to Alchemy and other providers as it uses Proof of Stake incentives. Less polished dashboard compared to Alchemy. The best option for cost sensitive, multi-chain deployments. (ankr.com)
  • •
    Pocket Network: A fully decentralized RPC relay network with no single point of failure. However, it also means that performance can vary greatly. This is the idealistic approach versus the managed service model of Alchemy. The best option for those who want to maintain decentralization. (pokt.network)

What Additional Information Is Available for Alchemy?

Market Leadership

Alchemy is used by over 70% of all Ethereum DApps which include OpenSea, Uniswap, and NFT Marketplaces. It is trusted by many top web3 projects for their mission critical infrastructure.

Recent Platform Updates

The support process was upgraded in May 2024 using both an email based support process and dashboard widget for support requests. Enhanced APIs offered by Alchemy include NFT metadata, token balances, and advanced filtering.

Funding and Growth

Raised over $500 million from several major venture capital firms including Andreessen Horowitz, Draper Fisher Jurvetson Growth, and Coatue. Valued as a unicorn with rapid hiring of new employees.

Developer Community

Active participants at ETHDenver, Devcon, and Web3 conferences. Offers extensive documentation, SDKs, and tutorials. Has large Discord community transitioning to a more streamlined support experience.

Enhanced APIs

Provides proprietary APIs beyond standard JSON-RPC such as getNFTsForOwner, getTokenBalances, and addressActivity. Offers significant development productivity enhancements.

What Are Alchemy's Rpc Performance Metrics?

<100ms
Average Latency
99.99%
Uptime SLA
99.9%
Success Rate
Real-time
Data Freshness
13x higher than competitors
Throughput

Which Blockchains Does Alchemy Support?

EthereumPolygonArbitrumOptimismBaseSolanaAvalancheBNB ChainFantom

What API capabilities does Alchemy offer?

NFT API

Metadata, ownership, transfers

Token API

Balances, transfers, real-time prices

Webhooks

Real-time event notifications

Archive Data

Historical blockchain state

Debug/Trace APIs

Transaction debugging tools

MEV Protection

WebSocket Support

Real-time subscriptions

GraphQL

How Does Alchemy's Rate Limits Tiers Compare?

TierRate LimitMonthly AllowancePrice
Free25 RPS300M compute units$0
Growth100 RPS400M compute units$49/mo
Scale300 RPS1.5B compute units$199/mo
EnterpriseCustomCustom

What Developer Tools Does Alchemy Offer?

Official SDKs
JavaScript, Python, Viem, Wallet SDKs
Documentation
Comprehensive docs and tutorials
Sandbox
Testnet access via dashboard
Dashboard
Real-time analytics and monitoring
CLI Tools
alchemy-cli available
Community
Discord community, 24/7 support

What Is Alchemy's Infrastructure Specs?

Global Regions
Distributed global infrastructure
Node Types
Full and archive nodes
Load Balancing
Automatic geographic routing
Redundancy
Multi-region with failover
Protocol Support
HTTP, WebSocket

What enterprise-grade features does Alchemy offer?

Dedicated Nodes

Private infrastructure

Custom SLA

99.99% uptime guarantee

Priority Support

24/7 world-class support

SSO/SAML

Enterprise authentication

Custom Rate Limits

Unlimited throughput

Compliance

SOC 2 certified

On-Premise

Cloud-only

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