Best Ethereum RPC Providers 2026: Pricing, Features & Performance Comparison

Ethereum remains the gravity well of decentralized finance. Over $70 billion in TVL, 68% of all DeFi activity, and 800,000+ validators securing the network make it the blockchain that institutional capital, protocol teams, and application developers build on first. That role deepened after the Dencun upgrade brought EIP-4844 blob transactions, cutting L2 data posting costs by 10-100x and accelerating an L2 ecosystem that now holds $41.8 billion in combined TVL across Arbitrum, Base, Optimism, and zkSync.

That scale creates a concrete infrastructure problem. Public Ethereum endpoints cap you at roughly 100 requests per minute. A DeFi aggregator polling prices across 20 pools, a wallet tracking real-time token balances, or an indexer processing eth_getLogs across thousands of blocks will exhaust that limit in seconds. Then there is MEV exposure, with over $1.8 billion extracted from on-chain transactions to date. At that point, the difference between a commodity RPC endpoint and a production-grade one becomes a security question, not just a performance one.

This comparison breaks down 8 Ethereum RPC providers across pricing, features, MEV protection, and production considerations so you can match your infrastructure to your actual workload.

What to Look for in an Ethereum RPC Provider

Ethereum's architecture and ecosystem create specific requirements that differ from newer chains. Here is what matters most when evaluating providers.

MEV Protection: Front-running and sandwich attacks remain an active threat on Ethereum L1. If your application submits swaps, liquidations, or any value-bearing transactions, MEV protection through private mempools or Flashbots integration is not optional. It is a security requirement. Over $1.8 billion has been extracted from unprotected transactions.

Archive Node Access: Ethereum's 10-year history makes archive data essential for analytics platforms, block explorers, portfolio trackers, and any application that queries historical state. Not all providers include archive access at every tier, and those that do often charge premium compute units for archive queries.

WebSocket Support: DeFi applications, trading bots, and event-driven architectures depend on real-time data through WebSocket subscriptions. Polling via HTTP introduces latency that compounds across high-frequency workloads. Reliable WSS endpoints with stable connections are critical for production Ethereum applications.

Pricing Model Clarity: Most providers advertise pricing in "compute units" or "credits," but these units are not standardized. A single eth_call costs 1 unit on Dwellir, 20 on QuickNode, 26 on Alchemy, 80 on Infura, and 200 on Ankr. A provider advertising $0.10 per million compute units can actually cost $20 per million API calls once you account for the multiplier. The only reliable way to compare pricing is to normalize to cost per actual API call. See the true cost comparison below.

Multi-Chain Compatibility: Most Ethereum teams also deploy on L2s or maintain cross-chain infrastructure. A provider that covers Ethereum mainnet, Arbitrum, Base, and Optimism under a single API key and billing account reduces operational overhead significantly.

1. Dwellir - Transparent 1:1 Pricing Across All Methods

Dwellir provides Ethereum mainnet access with full archive node support and a pricing model built around simplicity: every RPC response costs 1 credit regardless of method complexity. Whether you call eth_chainId or run debug_traceTransaction, the cost is identical. This eliminates the compute unit math that makes budgeting unpredictable on Ethereum, where DeFi workloads routinely mix lightweight balance checks with heavy trace and log queries.

Dwellir supports both HTTPS and WebSocket (WSS) endpoints for Ethereum, with trace and debug APIs included in all paid plans at no extra cost. The same API key works across 140+ networks, making it straightforward for teams that operate across Ethereum L1 and its L2 ecosystem.

Key Features

• 1:1 Credit System: Every method (standard, trace, debug, archive) costs 1 credit. No compute unit multipliers.
• Archive Node Access: Full historical Ethereum state available on all endpoints.
• Protocol Support: HTTPS and WebSocket (WSS) for real-time event subscriptions.
• 140+ Network Coverage: Single API key spans Ethereum, Arbitrum, Base, Optimism, and 130+ more chains.
• Burst Protection: Sustained RPS from 20 to 2,000 with burst capacity up to 10,000 RPS.
• Trace and Debug APIs: debug_traceTransaction, trace_block, and related methods included at no premium.

Pricing Structure

Dedicated Ethereum nodes are available at $875/month with unlimited RPS and responses for teams requiring guaranteed resources.

Pros and Cons

Advantages:

• Predictable billing regardless of method mix. No compute unit calculations needed.
• Trace and debug endpoints included at no premium on all paid plans.
• Multi-chain footprint for unified Ethereum L1 + L2 infrastructure across 140+ networks.
• Direct engineering support on Growth plans and above.
• Burst protection up to 10,000 RPS handles traffic spikes without dropped requests.

Considerations:

• No built-in MEV protection. Teams handling MEV-sensitive transactions need a complementary solution such as dRPC or Infura.
• Enhanced APIs (NFT indexing, token metadata) less extensive than larger platform providers.

Best For

DeFi protocols, analytics platforms, and multi-chain teams that need cost-predictable Ethereum infrastructure with full archive access and advanced debugging capabilities. The 1:1 pricing model is particularly valuable for workloads with heavy trace and log queries where compute unit pricing creates budget uncertainty.

2. Alchemy - Full-Featured Developer Platform

For teams that need more than raw RPC access, Alchemy provides a comprehensive development platform with enhanced APIs for NFTs, tokens, and wallet activity that reduce custom indexing work. Transaction simulation catches errors before on-chain submission. A detailed analytics dashboard tracks request volumes, latency, and per-method compute unit consumption across your applications.

Alchemy supports Ethereum mainnet, Sepolia, and Holesky testnets with both HTTP and WebSocket connections. SDK coverage spans TypeScript and Python, and its documentation is among the most thorough in the ecosystem.

Key Features

• Enhanced APIs: NFT, Token, Transfers, and Notify APIs reduce the need for custom indexing infrastructure.
• Transaction Simulation: Validate transactions before submitting them on-chain to catch reverts and errors.
• Analytics Dashboard: Per-method compute unit tracking, latency breakdowns, and request volume monitoring.
• SDK Coverage: TypeScript and Python SDKs for rapid integration.
• Comprehensive Documentation: Extensive guides, code examples, and API references.

Pricing Structure

Compute unit weights vary by method. Lightweight calls like eth_blockNumber cost 1 CU, while eth_getLogs and archive queries cost significantly more. DeFi workloads with heavy log queries should model their actual method mix before estimating monthly costs.

Pros and Cons

Advantages:

• Mature platform with the most comprehensive documentation in the Ethereum RPC ecosystem.
• Enhanced APIs minimize custom development for NFT, token, and wallet-related features.
• Strong developer experience with SDKs, webhooks, and analytics tooling.
• Enterprise-grade SLAs and dedicated support available.

Considerations:

• Compute unit pricing requires careful workload modeling. eth_getLogs and trace calls consume CUs at much higher rates than simple reads.
• No MEV protection included.
• Platform complexity may exceed the needs of teams that only require standard RPC access.

Best For

Teams building Ethereum applications that benefit from enhanced APIs, transaction simulation, and analytics dashboards, where developer productivity justifies the compute unit pricing overhead.

3. Infura - Battle-Tested Ethereum Infrastructure

Infura has operated Ethereum infrastructure since 2016 and remains one of the most widely used providers in the ecosystem. As the default RPC backend for MetaMask, it handles an enormous share of Ethereum network traffic daily. ConsenSys backs the platform, which supports Ethereum mainnet, Sepolia, and Holesky testnets with both HTTPS and WebSocket connections.

Where Infura stands apart is MEV protection through Flashbots integration, routing transactions through private mempools to shield them from front-running and sandwich attacks. For DeFi applications handling significant value, this is a meaningful security feature.

Key Features

• MEV Protection: Flashbots integration routes transactions through private mempools.
• Archive Data Access: Historical Ethereum state queries supported.
• MetaMask Integration: Default provider for the most widely used Ethereum wallet.
• HTTPS and WebSocket: Both connection methods for mainnet and testnets.
• Operational Track Record: 10 years of Ethereum infrastructure operation.

Pricing Structure

Infura uses daily request limits rather than monthly quotas, which simplifies day-to-day monitoring but can constrain bursty workloads that spike on specific days.

Pros and Cons

Advantages:

• MEV protection via Flashbots, critical for DeFi transaction security.
• Deep Ethereum expertise built over a decade of infrastructure operation.
• Archive data access for historical state queries.
• Strong ecosystem integration as MetaMask's default provider.

Considerations:

• Daily request caps (not monthly) can limit flexibility for workloads with variable traffic patterns.
• Higher cost at scale. The Growth plan at $1,000/month includes 2M requests/day (~60M/month), compared to competitors offering 150M+ at similar price points.
• Smaller multi-chain footprint than providers covering 100+ networks.

Best For

Teams that prioritize MEV protection for DeFi transactions and value the reliability of the longest-running Ethereum infrastructure provider.

4. QuickNode - Global Low-Latency Edge Network

For latency-sensitive Ethereum workloads, QuickNode routes requests through a global edge network that directs traffic to the nearest available node. The platform combines standard RPC access with Streams for real-time event streaming, webhooks for notifications, and dedicated node options for workloads that require isolated resources.

QuickNode supports Ethereum mainnet and testnets with a credit-based pricing model where different API methods consume different numbers of credits. An observability dashboard provides response time tracking, error monitoring, and credit consumption analytics.

Key Features

• Global Edge Network: Automatic routing to nearest regions for minimal latency.
• Streams and Webhooks: Real-time event streaming for monitoring on-chain activity.
• Dedicated Nodes: Isolated infrastructure for guaranteed, deterministic performance.
• Observability Dashboard: Response times, error rates, and credit consumption tracking.
• 24/7 Support: Round-the-clock assistance from infrastructure specialists.

Pricing Structure

Streams, Functions, and dedicated clusters incur additional charges. Credit consumption varies by method.

Pros and Cons

Advantages:

• Consistently low latency through global edge routing.
• Streams and webhooks simplify event-driven Ethereum architectures.
• Dedicated node option for deterministic performance on high-value workloads.
• Strong documentation and responsive 24/7 support.

Considerations:

• Credit-based pricing requires workload modeling for budget accuracy since heavy methods consume more credits.
• No built-in MEV protection.
• Add-ons for Streams, Functions, and dedicated infrastructure increase total spend.

Best For

Latency-sensitive applications like trading platforms, arbitrage bots, and DeFi aggregators where response time directly impacts profitability. Best suited for teams comfortable managing credit-based billing.

5. Chainstack - Managed Infrastructure with SOC 2 Compliance

Enterprise and institutional teams face a requirement that most providers do not address: compliance documentation. Chainstack provides managed Ethereum infrastructure spanning shared endpoints, dedicated nodes, and an Unlimited Node add-on that removes per-request billing entirely. The platform deploys across AWS, GCP, and Azure with geo-balanced routing, and includes SOC 2 Type II compliance documentation for regulated financial institutions.

For teams without dedicated protocol DevOps, Chainstack handles node maintenance, upgrades, and monitoring while offering role-based access controls and per-project API key management for team collaboration.

Key Features

• Multi-Cloud Deployment: AWS, GCP, and Azure options with geo-balanced routing.
• Unlimited Node Add-on: Flat monthly fee for unlimited requests within chosen RPS tiers.
• SOC 2 Type II Compliance: Audit documentation for regulated environments.
• Team Collaboration: Role-based access and per-project API keys.
• Dedicated Nodes: Isolated infrastructure with full configuration control.

Pricing Structure

Archive queries count as 2 request units. The Unlimited Node add-on requires a Growth plan or above.

Pros and Cons

Advantages:

• SOC 2 Type II compliance documentation for regulated and institutional teams.
• Unlimited Node option eliminates per-request billing for predictable-traffic workloads.
• Multi-cloud deployment reduces vendor lock-in at the infrastructure layer.
• Team collaboration features with role-based access controls.

Considerations:

• Archive queries at 2x cost increase effective pricing for historical data workloads.
• Unlimited Node requires a Growth+ subscription as a prerequisite.
• Lower RPS ceilings on shared plans compared to some competitors.

Best For

Enterprise and institutional teams building on Ethereum that require SOC 2 compliance documentation and managed infrastructure without hiring dedicated protocol DevOps engineers.

6. dRPC - Decentralized Network with Built-In MEV Protection

dRPC takes a fundamentally different architectural approach: aggregating Ethereum infrastructure from over 40 independent node operators across 7 geo-distributed clusters spanning the US, EU, and APAC regions. Traffic routes automatically based on latency, availability, and geography, with built-in failover between operators. If one operator experiences downtime, requests reroute transparently.

The standout feature for Ethereum is built-in MEV protection, routing transactions through private channels to shield them from front-running and sandwich attacks. Combined with debug and trace APIs included at no extra cost, dRPC delivers strong value for DeFi-focused Ethereum applications.

Key Features

• Decentralized Routing: Traffic fails over automatically between 40+ vetted node operators.
• MEV Protection: Built-in protection against front-running and sandwich attacks.
• Global Coverage: 7 geo-distributed clusters across US, EU, and APAC regions.
• High Throughput: Up to 5,000 RPS on paid plans.
• Debug and Trace APIs: Advanced debugging capabilities included.

Pricing Structure

Billing per successful response keeps costs aligned with actual usage. The free tier at 210M compute units per month is the most generous in this comparison.

Pros and Cons

Advantages:

• MEV protection included, critical for Ethereum DeFi applications handling significant value.
• Decentralized operator pool eliminates single-vendor downtime risk.
• Flat $6/M request pricing simplifies budgeting on the Growth plan.
• Most generous free tier (210M CUs monthly) for development and testing.
• 5,000 RPS ceiling exceeds most competitors.

Considerations:

• Latency can vary depending on the underlying operator serving your request.
• Less centralized support compared to vertically integrated providers.
• Compute unit model on the free tier differs from the per-request model on paid plans.

Best For

DeFi applications that require MEV protection, teams prioritizing uptime through operator diversity, and projects seeking a high-throughput secondary provider for redundancy.

7. Ankr - Decentralized Multi-Chain Network

Ankr operates a decentralized network of globally distributed nodes supporting Ethereum alongside 50+ other blockchain networks. Free public endpoints cover development and premium tiers add higher throughput and priority routing.

However, Ankr's pricing requires careful reading. The platform advertises $0.10 per million compute units, one of the lowest per-unit rates in the market. But Ankr assigns 200 compute units to a single eth_call, compared to 20-26 CUs on most competitors. That means 500 million compute units at $50/month translates to just 2.5 million actual API calls, an effective cost of $20 per million eth_call requests. That is the highest per-call rate among providers in this comparison.

Key Features

• Decentralized Architecture: Distributed node network reduces single points of failure.
• Multi-Chain Hub: Single platform covering 50+ blockchain networks.
• Public and Premium Endpoints: Free tier for development, premium for production.
• Geographic Distribution: Regional node distribution across 30+ regions for latency reduction.
• Simple Integration: Standard JSON-RPC interface with minimal setup.

Pricing Structure

The flat $20 per million eth_call rate does not improve with volume. Ankr's per-CU rate stays at $0.10/M regardless of tier, and the 200 CU multiplier per eth_call applies uniformly.

Pros and Cons

Advantages:

• Decentralized network architecture across 30+ regions.
• Multi-chain support simplifies cross-chain Ethereum + L2 infrastructure.
• Straightforward setup without complex configuration.
• Large CU volumes can suit workloads dominated by very lightweight methods with lower CU weights.

Considerations:

• Effective cost of $20 per million eth_call requests is the highest in this comparison.
• Per-CU pricing ($0.10/M) obscures the actual per-call cost due to the 200 CU multiplier.
• No MEV protection included.
• Limited debug and trace API support compared to full-featured competitors.
• Advanced tooling (analytics, transaction simulation, enhanced APIs) less developed than enterprise-focused providers.

Best For

Teams running workloads dominated by very lightweight methods (where CU weights are lower) who also value decentralized infrastructure and multi-chain coverage. For standard DeFi workloads mixing eth_call, eth_getLogs, and trace methods, the effective per-call cost makes Ankr significantly more expensive than alternatives.

8. GetBlock - Simple Deployment with Regional Endpoints

Not every team needs a full-featured platform. GetBlock provides Ethereum node access through a straightforward interface that prioritizes simplicity. Regional data centers in Frankfurt, New York, and Singapore deliver consistent latency, and both shared and dedicated node options accommodate different performance requirements. GetBlock supports JSON-RPC and WebSocket connections with a 99.9% uptime SLA.

Key Features

• Instant Node Access: No synchronization wait. Connect immediately to Ethereum endpoints.
• Regional Endpoints: Frankfurt, New York, and Singapore data centers.
• Shared and Dedicated Options: Flexible infrastructure tiers.
• JSON-RPC and WebSocket: Both connection methods supported.
• 99.9% Uptime SLA: Reliability guarantees for production workloads.

Pricing Structure

Dedicated nodes are available for workloads requiring isolated infrastructure.

Pros and Cons

Advantages:

• Simple, transparent pricing without compute unit complexity.
• Quick deployment with minimal configuration.
• Multiple regional endpoints for latency optimization.
• Unlimited plan at $499/month removes request caps.

Considerations:

• Lower RPS limits (300 max) than most competitors.
• No MEV protection.
• Limited enhanced API offerings and debugging tools.
• Daily request caps on lower tiers restrict bursty workloads.

Best For

Solo developers or small teams that prioritize quick deployment and straightforward pricing over advanced features or high throughput.

Feature Comparison Table

True Cost: Price Per Million API Calls

Comparing RPC providers on advertised "compute units" or "credits" is misleading because each provider assigns a different weight to the same API method. A standard eth_call costs anywhere from 1 unit to 200 units depending on the provider, meaning 500 million compute units on one platform delivers a fundamentally different number of actual API calls than 500 million on another.

Here is what each provider charges per eth_call:

When you normalize to cost per 1 million actual eth_call requests, the ranking changes dramatically from what headline per-unit pricing suggests.

Entry Tier (~$49-50/month)

Growth Tier (~$199-299/month)

The pattern holds at every price point: providers using high compute unit multipliers advertise large unit volumes at low per-unit rates, but deliver fewer actual API calls per dollar. Ankr's 200x CU multiplier per eth_call makes it the most expensive provider per actual API call despite advertising the lowest per-unit rate. Providers using 1:1 pricing (Dwellir, Chainstack) deliver 4-10x more actual API calls per dollar than providers using high CU multipliers.

Recommendations by Use Case

For DeFi Production and General Ethereum Development: Dwellir provides the strongest cost predictability for Ethereum workloads where DeFi method mixes make compute unit pricing unpredictable. The 1:1 credit model means debug_traceTransaction costs the same as eth_blockNumber, which matters when your application blends lightweight reads with heavy trace and log queries. For MEV-sensitive transactions specifically, pair Dwellir's infrastructure with dRPC or Infura for transaction submission through protected channels.

For MEV-Sensitive Applications: dRPC combines built-in MEV protection with the highest shared RPS ceiling (5,000) and a generous free tier. Infura provides MEV protection through Flashbots with the longest operational track record on Ethereum. Either serves as a strong primary or complementary provider for applications where front-running protection is non-negotiable.

For Enterprise and Regulated Teams: Chainstack is the clear choice when SOC 2 Type II compliance documentation is a requirement. Multi-cloud deployment across AWS, GCP, and Azure with role-based access controls meets institutional infrastructure standards.

Conclusion

For most Ethereum development and production workloads, Dwellir delivers the strongest combination of transparent pricing, full archive access, and multi-chain coverage. The 1:1 credit model eliminates the compute unit complexity that makes Ethereum infrastructure costs unpredictable, which is particularly valuable given the varied method mix typical of DeFi applications. Trace and debug APIs come included on all paid plans at no premium, and 140+ network coverage means the same API key works across Ethereum L1 and its L2 ecosystem.

For specialized requirements, dRPC and Infura stand out for MEV protection critical to high-value DeFi transactions, while Chainstack serves institutional teams that need SOC 2 compliance documentation.

Ready to build on Ethereum? Start with Dwellir's Free plan to test your integration, or contact the Dwellir team to discuss infrastructure requirements for your production deployment.