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SQD vs Ankr

SQD vs Ankr: decentralized RPC or a streaming data layer?

225+ networks · Sub-second real-time data · TypeScript end-to-end

Ankr is a decentralized RPC node provider covering 80+ chains on its Premium tier, with an Advanced API offering pre-indexed Token, NFT, and Query methods on about two dozen mostly-EVM chains, billed per method via API credits. SQD is an indexed-data layer: a streaming Portal API over decoded historical and real-time data across 225+ networks, plus SDKs for custom indexers. Use Ankr for live RPC and quick token/NFT lookups; use SQD when you need high-volume historical backfills, custom datasets, or broad multi-VM coverage.

Try the Portal Read Docs

Pick SQD if

  • → You need decoded historical data and high-volume backfills without per-method credit metering
  • → You need custom indexers and datasets, not a fixed set of Token/NFT/Query methods
  • → You need broad multi-VM coverage including Solana, Substrate, Bitcoin, and Hyperliquid indexed data

Pick Ankr if

  • → You primarily need reliable live JSON-RPC across many chains and value a decentralized node network
  • → You want ready-made token balance, price, NFT, and transaction-history endpoints without building an indexer
  • → You want optional crypto (ANKR/USDT/USDC) or card billing and a generous Freemium tier

Two different layers

Where SQD and Ankr sit in your data stack

Ankr is primarily an RPC node provider: it serves standard JSON-RPC across 80+ chains on its Premium tier from a decentralized DePIN network of independent node operators who stake ANKR. Its Advanced API adds a curated set of pre-indexed JSON-RPC methods (Token, NFT, Query) for common read scenarios on roughly two dozen mostly-EVM chains. SQD sits at the indexed-data layer: instead of per-method RPC calls, it provides a streaming Portal API over decoded historical and real-time data across 225+ networks, plus SDKs for building custom indexers. Teams often keep Ankr for live RPC and use SQD for the bulk historical reads and custom data pipelines.

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  2. Intelligence
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  3. Protocol analytics
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  4. Indexed data
    The Graph Goldsky Envio Ponder Carbon Shyft Moralis Allium Bitquery SonarX
  5. Our focus
    Read-side infrastructure
    SQD decentralized, validated, multi-chain at source
  6. Node providers
    Alchemy QuickNode Infura Helius Triton One Chainstack Blockdaemon Ankr·

SQD optimizes for

  • ✓Decoded data at source: one endpoint, 225+ chains, queryable directly
  • ✓Multi-chain in one endpoint, not per-chain RPC metered by credits or request units
  • ✓A TypeScript SDK for custom indexing, plus a streaming Portal API
  • ✓Validated data with 6-step verification at ingestion
  • ✓Open source (Portal node AGPL-3.0) and self-hostable

Ankr optimizes for

  • ✓Reliable live JSON-RPC across 80+ chains on a decentralized DePIN node network
  • ✓Prebuilt Advanced API: Token, NFT, and Query methods for common read scenarios
  • ✓Transaction submission and current-state reads at the node layer
  • ✓Flexible billing: API credits, crypto (ANKR, USDT, USDC), and a Freemium tier

At a glance

Side-by-side comparison

Dimension SQD Ankr
Coverage & Performance
Networks covered Ankr RPC chain access is tiered: Public 40+, Freemium 65+, Premium 80+. 225+ across EVM, Solana, Substrate, Bitcoin, Hyperliquid 80+ on RPC (Premium); 25 on the indexed Advanced API
Primary data model Streaming decoded historical + real-time data (data layer) Per-call JSON-RPC; Advanced API adds pre-indexed read methods
Real-time latency Ankr reports a 56ms average RPC response time site-wide. Sub-second hot path; 27ms P50 / 48.5ms P90 (independent benchmark) RPC live at head; Advanced API indexed/cached, near-real-time
High-volume historical backfill Large backfills on a per-method credit model can be costly. Designed for it; zero egress, streaming HTTP Possible via Advanced API but metered per method by credits
Non-EVM indexed data Solana, Substrate, Bitcoin, Hyperliquid all supported Advanced API is EVM-centric plus Stellar; richer non-EVM on raw RPC only
Architecture & openness
Interface Streaming Portal API + TypeScript Squid SDK + Pipes SDK JSON-RPC + Ankr.js / Ankr.py SDKs + React Hooks
Custom indexing logic Yes, full custom indexers via Squid SDK to any TypeORM database or GraphQL No; fixed set of Advanced API methods, no custom transform layer
Self-hostable Ankr node deployment requires a USDT or ANKR deposit. Yes (Squid SDK + open-source Portal node), plus managed Cloud Partial; dedicated node deployment, but network and indexing are managed
Open source Pipes SDK MIT, Portal node AGPL-3.0 Client SDKs (Ankr.js, Python SDK) MIT; RPC network and indexing backend proprietary
Decentralized network Yes; worker operators paid in SQD Yes; DePIN node providers stake ANKR, share PAYG revenue
Data validation 6-step cryptographic validation at ingestion Not published
Economics
Free tier Free public Portal, no API key, no card Free Public tier (40+ chains) and Freemium 200M credits/month
Pricing basis Predictable, network-based tiers (not per-call metered); final pricing not yet published Per-method API credits (PAYG) and Deal subscriptions
Egress fees Zero egress Not separately published; usage billed via credits
Token required to use ANKR token is optional for payment, used mainly to operate or stake on nodes. No token required for Portal production use No; pay with USD card (Stripe), ANKR, or USDT/USDC. ANKR needed only for node providers/stakers

Facts verified June 2026 against Ankr’s public docs and product pages. Every cell value is cited in the Sources section at the bottom of this page.

Decision framework

Choose based on your workload

When SQD is the better choice

  • →Backfilling millions of historical events or transactions where per-method RPC credits would be expensive
  • →Building custom analytics or product datasets that need transform logic beyond fixed API methods
  • →Indexing non-EVM ecosystems (Solana, Substrate, Bitcoin, Hyperliquid) with decoded data
  • →Wanting a free, no-key, no-card data endpoint plus predictable network-based pricing
  • →Needing fully self-hostable, open-source indexing and a Portal node you control

When Ankr is the better choice

  • →You need raw live JSON-RPC for sending transactions and reading current state
  • →You want a single vendor for RPC across 80+ chains with a decentralized node-provider network
  • →You need quick token/NFT/balance lookups via prebuilt Advanced API methods with no indexer to maintain
  • →You prefer paying in crypto (ANKR, USDT, USDC) or want a large free Freemium credit allowance

Most production teams use both: Ankr for its layer, and SQD for the decoded data layer above it.

What changes, what stays

Where SQD replaces Ankr, and where you keep both

Ankr and SQD sit at different layers, so most teams adopt SQD alongside Ankr rather than fully replacing it. SQD takes over the read-heavy data work: historical backfills, decoded event and transaction streams, custom datasets, and broad multi-VM indexed coverage. You keep Ankr for what node providers do best: live JSON-RPC for submitting transactions, reading current state, and serving wallet-style queries, plus its prebuilt Token/NFT/Query methods where those exact endpoints fit. The practical split is to route bulk historical and analytical reads through SQD's Portal and keep latency-sensitive write paths and live state on Ankr RPC.

SQD replaces

  • →High-volume historical data reads and backfills
  • →Custom indexed datasets and transform logic
  • →Broad indexed coverage across EVM and non-EVM chains

You keep Ankr for

  • →Live JSON-RPC for sending transactions and reading head-of-chain state
  • →Prebuilt Token/NFT/Query lookups where Ankr's methods match your need
  • →Decentralized RPC endpoints across 80+ chains

The matrix above breaks the comparison down dimension by dimension. Every claim is cited in Sources.

The full SQD toolkit

What you get with SQD

SQD offers four products that share the same underlying data lake. Pick the layer that fits your workload.

Product What it does Best for
Portal API Sub-second multi-chain query API Real-time apps, trading, agents
Squid SDK TypeScript indexer framework Custom data products, GraphQL APIs
Pipes SDK Streaming ETL pipelines Warehouses, analytics, batch loads
SQD Network Decentralized data lake Open access, no vendor lock

Need a custom API? Build it with SQD. When a fixed, hosted endpoint doesn't fit, the Squid SDK and Pipes SDK let you build your own indexer or streaming pipeline in TypeScript over any of 225+ chains, shaped to your schema. The Squid SDK deploys to SQD Cloud, or self-host either.

225+

Networks indexed

27ms

Median Portal response

6-step

Validation at ingestion

+215 more

Frequently asked questions

Is Ankr a good alternative to SQD for indexing?
They solve different problems. Ankr is mainly an RPC provider with a fixed set of pre-indexed Advanced API methods (Token, NFT, Query) on about two dozen mostly-EVM chains. SQD is a data layer for streaming decoded historical and real-time data across 225+ networks and building custom indexers with the Squid SDK. If you need ready-made token or NFT lookups, Ankr's Advanced API is fast to adopt; if you need custom datasets, high-volume backfills, or non-EVM coverage, SQD fits better.
What is the difference between Ankr and SQD?
Ankr serves per-call JSON-RPC from a decentralized node-provider network and layers a curated indexed Advanced API on top. SQD streams decoded blockchain data over a Portal API and lets you write custom indexers in TypeScript that store to any TypeORM-compatible database or GraphQL. Ankr is RPC-first; SQD is data-first.
How many chains does Ankr support compared to SQD?
Ankr's RPC supports 80+ chains on its Premium tier (40+ on Public, 65+ on Freemium), but its indexed Advanced API covers 25 chains (18 mainnet, 7 testnet), mostly EVM plus Stellar. SQD covers 225+ networks across EVM, Solana, Substrate, Bitcoin, and Hyperliquid through one Portal endpoint.
How does Ankr pricing compare to SQD?
Ankr bills per method via API credits, pegged at 0.10 USD per 1M credits (about $10 per 100M), with a free Public tier and a Freemium tier of 200M credits/month; every Advanced API method costs 700 credits (about $0.00007 per request), and Premium Deal subscriptions run $500-$3,000/month with 20% bonus credits. Per-method credit consumption can make costs hard to forecast. SQD offers a free public Portal (no key, no card) and predictable network-based paid tiers that are not per-call metered. Final SQD pricing is not yet published. See Ankr's pricing docs and SQD pricing.
Do I need the ANKR token to use Ankr?
No. Developers pay for Premium RPC and the Advanced API with a USD card via Stripe, or with ANKR, USDT, or USDC. The ANKR token is mainly used if you want to operate or stake on a node in Ankr's decentralized network. SQD likewise does not require a token for production use of its Portal.
Is Ankr decentralized and open source?
Ankr runs a decentralized DePIN network where independent node providers deposit 100,000 ANKR as collateral and share a planned 70% of pay-as-you-go RPC revenue, so the RPC layer is decentralized. Its client SDKs like Ankr.js and the Python SDK are open source (MIT), but the RPC network and Advanced API indexing backend are proprietary. SQD is decentralized via worker operators paid in SQD and open-sources its Squid SDK, Pipes SDK, and Portal node (AGPL-3.0).
Can I self-host Ankr or SQD?
Ankr offers dedicated node deployment (funded with a USDT or ANKR deposit), but its core RPC network and Advanced API indexing remain a managed service. SQD can be fully self-hosted: run the Squid SDK and the open-source Portal node yourself, or use managed SQD Cloud and the free public Portal.
Sources & methodology (8 citations, verified June 2026)

Every comparison cell and statement about Ankr is anchored to Ankr’s own public documentation. Spotted something stale? Let us know.

Chains & coverage

  • RPC tiers: Public 40+, Freemium 65+, Premium 80+ chains; Freemium 200M credits/month; Advanced API gated to Freemium/Premium [Ankr service plans docs]
  • Advanced API supports 18 mainnet + 7 testnet chains (25 total) via JSON-RPC, EVM-centric plus Stellar [Ankr Advanced API overview]
  • 76+ blockchains, 800+ nodes across 12 countries, 99.99% uptime, 2.5B+ daily requests, 56ms average response time [Ankr Web3 API page]

Advanced API methods & interface

Pricing & payments

Decentralization & token

  • Decentralized DePIN network; node providers deposit 100,000 ANKR collateral and share a planned 70% of PAYG RPC revenue (49% stakers, 21% providers); developers pay via USD card (Stripe), ANKR, or USDT/USDC [Chainstack Ankr RPC overview (2026)]

Open source & SDKs

  • Ankr maintains open-source client SDKs (ankr.js and ankr-python-sdk, both MIT, updated Oct 2025) on GitHub; RPC network and indexing are proprietary [Ankr GitHub organization]

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225+ chains, TypeScript SDK

SQD vs Helius

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Decoded data on 225+ chains, one endpoint

Free public Portal, open-source SDK, and 225+ chains indexed from day one.

Try the Portal Read Docs

Indexing more than 100M events a day or need a dedicated portal? Talk to sales.