As DeFi euphoria is gaining steam again, the right moment has come to compare the most advanced providers of node connection as of mid-2021. Here’s who is in the top league right now.
GetBlock
Leading blockchain API nodes provider GetBlock started its operations in 2019. Its intuitive dashboard allows entrepreneurs and enthusiasts to reach 40+ blockchains through JSON-RPC, REST and WebSocket APIs.
Binance Smart Chain nodes, Ethereum nodes, Bitcoin nodes, Polygon nodes are available with GetBlock even for free within demo plans. Paid tariffs start from $10 (no expiration date, up to 1 million requests).
Besides providing access to shared and dedicated nodes, GetBlock can empower your analytical tools with raw data for every top blockchain. GetBlock’s team can create a customized explorer for every blockchain and dApp. GetBlock’s dedicated nodes offer unlimited access to blockchains’ computational resources.
Last but not least, GetBlock is ready to explode onto the blockchain consulting segment. Its high-profile engineers can support crypto entrepreneurs with expertise in the spheres of on-premises deployments, blockchain nodes infrastructure rollout, transactions simulation, third-party systems integration, private blockchains development, and so on.
With its Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) blockchain expertise, GetBlock is able to facilitate seamless integration of distributed ledger solutions into the startups of various profiles.
Image by GetBlock
As such, GetBlock definitely looks like number one heavyweight of the segment:
- Unmatched number of blockchains supported;
- Widest range of services: tools for infrastructure, consulting, analytics, and so on;
- Most powerful demo plan with zero fees.
Infura
Blockchain veterans Infura, a subsidiary of a leading Ethereum development studio ConsenSys, is a benchmark BaaS platform in the segment of the EVM-compatible networks. Infura allows its customers to get connected to Ethereum (ETH) mainnet and testnets, Polygon Network, Arbitrum L2 solution, and Inter-Planetary File System (IPFS), a Web3 ‘Decentralized Internet’.
Infura has a free tariff plan that allows three dApps to send up to 100 000 requests per day in total. Paid plans start from $50 per month.
Alchemy
Alchemy is highly-focused on Ethereum L2 scaling: it connects the dApps to both Arbitrum and Optimism Ethereum-based networks. Also, it became the first BaaS team to offer the access to Crypto.com ‘corporate chain’.
Alchemy released a number of the ‘out-of-the-box’ solutions like ‘Build’, ‘Monitor’, ‘Amplify’, ‘Growth’ and so on. They allow to launch and scale applications of various sorts on EVM-compatible platforms, and new-gen NFT-focused blockchain Flow.
Amazon AWS
The most unusual project in our review, digital heavyweight Amazon offers the services of the access to Ethereum (ETH) mainnet as well as to Ropsten and Rinkeby testnets.
Besides getting connected to Ethereum, Amazon AWS allows users to set up the node infrastructure for their own permissioned distributed systems.
Quicknode
Seasoned BaaS vendors Quicknode delivered a toolkit for blockchain devs: its endpoints are compatible with major Web3 development SDKs: Truffle, Ruby, OpenZepellin, and so on. As of Q3, 2021, Quicknode supports eight blockchains and Optimism Ethereum’s Layer2 solution.
Unfortunately, Quicknode has no free plans. Paid offerings start from $9 per month: this start-level plan includes 300 000 requests.
Chainstack
Singapore-based Chainstack offers access to five blockchains including Ethereum, Binance Smart Chain, Bitcoin, hybrid systems like Corda and Fabric as well as to the eccentric Bitcoin fork MutiChain.
Besides node access services, Chainstack offers hosting and marketplace solutions. There’s no free tariffs on Chainstack, but enthusiasts can try the ‘Developer’ plan charged with usage fees only. For better low-code experience, blockchain newbies can try ‘Build on Chainstack’ mode.
Moralis
Binance Smart Chain, Ethereum and Polygon blockchains as well as Arbitrum L2 solutions are available with Moralis’ API-powered dashboard for ‘serverless’ dApps.
Moralis also released its Software Development Kit (SDK) and the clutch of the ‘out-of-the-box’ solutions for decentralized applications, NFT marketplaces, multi-chain wallets and so on.
Allnodes
US-based team Allnodes released a blockchain nodes access service for 21 networks, both mainstream (Bitcoin, Ethereum, Binance Smart Chain) and exotic (Crown, Wagerr, Phore). There’s no free plan, but for the paid plans the pricing starts from negligible $2 per month.
Alongside with blockchain nodes access, Allnodes released a staking dashboard for a number of Proof-of-Stake (PoS) blockchains including the much-anticipated Ethereum 2.0. Monitoring and mastermodes services are also available.
Tatum
Tatum's team allows its customers to get connected to 21 blockchains as well as to the projects built on the top of this or that blockchain. For instance, Tatum allows to integrate three versions of Tether (USDT) stablecoin, three versions of USD Coin (USDC), and so on.
All blockchains are accessed via the REST API method. Free plan allows developers to send 5 requests per second while paid plans pricing starts from $9. According to the information provided by the Tatum’s team, its services are utilized by Deloitte, Microsoft, and Mastercard.
NowNodes
NowNodes is a side-project of high-performance cryptocurrency exchange platform ChangeNow. It connects customers to 45+ blockchains including an exclusive P2P solution for Free TON, a project of Telegram’s community.
Also, NowNodes developed a group of solutions for decentralized businesses.
Bottom line: Trends
To sum up, GetBlock team noticed a number of trend that affects node providers’ segment in mid-2021:
- Stressed interest in Ethereum L2 solutions (Arbitrum, Optimism).
- Binance Smart Chain nodes and Polygon nodes are two fastest-growing platforms for dApps.
- BaaS services develop the ‘ready-made’ instruments for NFTs, wallets, marketplaces.
- Top platforms also released consulting services’ modules for individuals and enterprises.
