Choosing between Infura and Alchemy is one of the most important decisions for Web3 developers. Both offer enterprise-grade blockchain infrastructure, but with different strengths and pricing models. This comprehensive guide will help you make the right choice.
| Feature | Infura | Alchemy |
|---|---|---|
| Free Tier | 100,000 requests/day | 20M compute units/mo |
| Paid Plans | From $225/month | From $49/month |
| Supported Chains | 10+ networks | 20+ networks |
| Uptime SLA | 99.9% | 99.9%+ |
| Developer Tools | Basic | Advanced (Mempool, Debug) |
| IPFS Support | Yes | No |
| NFT API | Basic | Advanced |
| Analytics | Basic | Advanced |
Detailed Analysis
Pricing Comparison
Alchemy starts at $49/month with their Standard plan, offering 50M compute units. The free tier gives you 20M compute units per month, which is sufficient for development and small projects.
Infura starts at $225/month for their Professional plan with 10M requests. Their free tier is limited to 100K requests per day, which can be exhausted quickly during development.
Winner for pricing: Alchemy - lower entry point and more generous free tier.
Developer Experience
Alchemy provides superior developer tools including:
- Alchemy Notify - Webhook notifications for transactions
- Mempool Explorer - See pending transactions in real-time
- Debug Trace API - Debug smart contracts easily
- Enhanced APIs - NFT, Transact, Token APIs
Infura focuses on reliability and simplicity. Their IPFS integration is a significant advantage for projects needing decentralized storage.
Supported Chains
Both support major EVM chains, but Alchemy edges ahead with more Layer 2 networks and newer chains.
When to Choose Alchemy
- Building NFT marketplaces
- Need advanced developer tools
- Lower budget constraints
- Building on multiple Layer 2s
- Need better analytics
When to Choose Infura
- Need IPFS integration
- Longer track record matters
- Simpler requirements
- Enterprise with existing contracts
Our Recommendation
For most new projects in 2026, Alchemy is the better choice due to:
- Lower pricing entry point ($49 vs $225)
- More generous free tier
- Better developer tools
- More chain support
- Active development of new features
Ready to Build?
Start with Alchemy's free tier - 20M compute units monthly.
Get Started with Alchemy →Quick Summary
| Use Case | Recommended Provider |
|---|---|
| NFT Marketplace | Alchemy |
| DeFi Protocol | Alchemy |
| IPFS Storage | Infura |
| Enterprise Project | Either |
| Startup/MVP | Alchemy |