All comparisons
SQD vs Bitquery
SQD vs Bitquery: hosted GraphQL API or data you own?
225+ chains · Open & self-hostable · No vendor lock-in
SQD and Bitquery both serve onchain data, but on different terms. Bitquery is a hosted, GraphQL-first API with distinctive DEX and money-flow products, run on Bitquery's own infrastructure. SQD is open read-side infrastructure: decoded, validated data across 225+ chains that you query through a sub-second Portal, pipe into your own warehouse, or self-host. Bitquery is a managed API to call; SQD is a data layer you can own.
Pick SQD if
- → You want open, self-hostable data with no vendor lock-in
- → You want decoded raw data in your own schema and warehouse
- → You want a free tier you can run in production
Pick Bitquery if
- → You want a ready GraphQL schema over onchain data
- → You need Coinpath money-flow forensics or broad DEX data
- → A fully managed API with no infrastructure to run fits you
Two different layers
Where SQD and Bitquery sit in your data stack
Bitquery is a data-API vendor: it indexes onchain data and exposes it as a hosted GraphQL service with streaming and forensic add-ons. SQD sits one layer down, in read-side infrastructure: a decentralized data lake producing decoded, validated, multi-chain data that any tool, a GraphQL API included, can consume. The stack below shows the relationship.
- Apps & productsWallets Tax Payments KYC RWA
- IntelligenceComparison coming soon Comparison coming soon Comparison coming soon Comparison coming soon Comparison coming soon
- Protocol analyticsDune Comparison coming soon
- Indexed data
- Our focus Read-side infrastructureSQD decentralized, validated, multi-chain at source
- Node providers
SQD optimizes for
- ✓Open, self-hostable data with no lock-in to one vendor's infrastructure
- ✓Decoded data at source you can pipe anywhere: your warehouse, your app, your schema
- ✓Chain breadth: 225+ networks across EVM, Solana, Substrate, Bitcoin, Hyperliquid
- ✓A free public Portal you can use in production, no key or card
- ✓Validated data with 6-step verification at ingestion
Bitquery optimizes for
- ✓A ready GraphQL schema over onchain data, one schema across interfaces
- ✓Coinpath money-flow forensics for compliance and investigation
- ✓Broad DEX and trading data with published streaming latency
- ✓A fully managed API with WebSocket, Kafka, and gRPC streaming
At a glance
Side-by-side comparison
| Dimension | SQD | Bitquery |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | ||
| Layer | Read-side data infrastructure | Hosted blockchain data API |
| Query model Bitquery describes its model as "one schema, multiple interfaces" across GraphQL, WebSocket, Kafka, and cloud exports. | Portal API, SQL-style queries, TypeScript SDK | GraphQL-first (one schema, multiple interfaces) |
| Access model Bitquery bills by "resources you take on our infrastructure"; it is a hosted service. | Self-host or public network | Hosted API on Bitquery infrastructure |
| Coverage & data | ||
| Networks covered Bitquery docs state "40+ networks across V1 & V2"; its homepage advertises "20+ Chains Supported". The actively maintained V2 set is smaller than the combined figure. | 225+ | 40+ (V1 & V2) |
| Multi-VM support | EVM, Solana, Substrate, Bitcoin, Hyperliquid | EVM, Solana, Tron, Bitcoin, and more |
| Specialty data Bitquery offers Coinpath money-tracing APIs and broad DEX coverage as distinctive products. | Decoded raw data across chains, your schema | DEX/trading data + money-flow forensics (Coinpath) |
| Architecture & openness | ||
| Self-hostable Bitquery is a hosted SaaS; no self-hosting option is offered on its site. | ✓ | ✗ |
| Open source | Squid SDK GPLv3, Portal AGPL-3.0 | ✗ |
| Decentralized | ✓ | ✗ |
| Real-time & streaming | ||
| Real-time delivery Bitquery publishes per-transport latency: WebSocket ~1s, Kafka sub-500ms, and gRPC (Solana CoreCast) under 100ms. | Sub-second Portal hot path | WebSocket ~1s, Kafka <500ms, gRPC <100ms |
| Streaming access Bitquery Kafka streams require separate credentials; the docs direct users to contact sales. | Open public Portal | Kafka streams are sales-gated |
| Economics | ||
| Free tier Bitquery Developer (free) plan: 10 requests/minute, 10 rows per request, and is marked "Personal Use Only"; new users get 10K points for the first month. | Public Portal (no key, no card), production use OK | Developer $0, "Personal Use Only" |
| Paid pricing model Bitquery meters usage in points; only the $0 Developer plan has a published price. The paid "Commercial" plan is "Talk to our team for pricing". | Network-based monthly tiers | Points-based; paid plans are quote-only |
Facts verified June 2026 against Bitquery's public docs and pricing. Every cell value is cited in the Sources section at the bottom of this page.
Decision framework
Choose based on what you're building
When SQD is the better choice
- →You want to own the data layer and avoid lock-in to a hosted vendor.
- →You want decoded raw data in your own schema, or in your own warehouse.
- →You need broad coverage, including Substrate and Hyperliquid.
- →You want a free tier you can ship to production on.
When Bitquery is the better choice
- →You want a ready-made GraphQL schema and do not need to self-host.
- →Coinpath money-flow forensics or its DEX datasets are central to your use case.
- →You want managed WebSocket, Kafka, or gRPC streams with published latency.
- →A fully hosted API matches how your team prefers to work.
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 |
225+
Networks indexed
27ms
Median Portal response
$0
Free tier, no card
Frequently asked questions
Is SQD a good Bitquery alternative?
Yes, if you want open, self-hostable data instead of a hosted API. Bitquery is a hosted, GraphQL-first blockchain data API with strong DEX and money-flow products. SQD is the read-side data infrastructure underneath: decoded, validated data across 225+ chains that you query through a sub-second Portal, pipe into your own warehouse, or self-host. SQD is the better Bitquery alternative when you want to avoid vendor lock-in, run the data layer yourself, or use the free tier in production. Bitquery fits when you want its GraphQL schema and its Coinpath forensics out of the box.
What is the difference between SQD and Bitquery?
Bitquery is a hosted service you query in GraphQL over its own infrastructure. SQD is open infrastructure: a decentralized data lake plus a Portal API and a TypeScript SDK, all self-hostable. Bitquery optimizes for a ready GraphQL schema and forensic products; SQD optimizes for owning the data, broad chain coverage, and no lock-in.
Is Bitquery open source or self-hostable?
No. Bitquery is a hosted SaaS; its site offers no open-source or self-hosting option, and usage is billed by resources consumed on Bitquery's infrastructure. SQD's Squid SDK (GPLv3) and Portal node software (AGPL-3.0) are open source and self-hostable, and the data is served over a decentralized network, so you are not tied to a single vendor.
Is the Bitquery free tier free for commercial use?
No. Bitquery's free Developer plan is marked "Personal Use Only", with 10 requests per minute and 10 rows per request; commercial use requires a paid plan. SQD's public Portal is free with no API key or card and can be used in production, which is a practical difference for teams that want to ship on a free tier.
Does SQD cover the same chains as Bitquery?
SQD covers 225+ networks across EVM, Solana, Substrate, Bitcoin, and Hyperliquid. Bitquery states 40+ networks across its V1 and V2 APIs (EVM, Solana, Tron, Bitcoin, and more) and advertises "20+ Chains" on its homepage. Both cover the major EVM chains plus Solana; SQD's catalogue is broader and adds Substrate and Hyperliquid.
How does SQD pricing compare to Bitquery?
Bitquery meters usage in points; only its $0 Developer plan has a published price, and paid "Commercial" plans are quote-only. SQD's Portal has a free public tier with no API key or card, and paid tiers are network-based. Final SQD pricing has not been published. For teams that want a published, predictable model and a free tier usable in production, SQD's approach is more transparent.
Sources & methodology (14 citations, verified June 2026)
Every comparison cell and statement about Bitquery is anchored to Bitquery's own public documentation and pricing. Spotted something stale? Let us know.
Chains & products
- Bitquery: 40+ networks across V1 & V2 (EVM, Solana, Tron, Bitcoin, and more) [docs.bitquery.io/.../blockchain/introduction]
- Bitquery homepage advertises "20+ Chains Supported" [bitquery.io]
- Bitquery Coinpath money-flow / forensics APIs [bitquery.io/products/coinpath]
- Bitquery DEX / trading data APIs [bitquery.io/products/dex]
- SQD covers 225+ networks across EVM, Solana, Substrate, Bitcoin, Hyperliquid [/chains/ catalogue]
Streaming & model
- Bitquery streaming latency: WebSocket ~1s, Kafka <500ms, gRPC <100ms [docs.bitquery.io/docs/streams]
- Bitquery "one schema, multiple interfaces" (GraphQL, WebSocket, Kafka, exports) [docs.bitquery.io]
- SQD Portal benchmark and latency claims [/portal/]
Architecture & openness
- Bitquery bills by resources on its own infrastructure (hosted SaaS) [bitquery.io/pricing]
- SQD is open source (Squid SDK GPLv3, Portal AGPL-3.0) and self-hostable [github.com/subsquid]
Economics
- Bitquery Developer (free) plan: 10 req/min, 10 rows/request, "Personal Use Only"; paid plans quote-only [bitquery.io/pricing]
- Bitquery points-based metering [docs.bitquery.io/docs/ide/points]
- SQD free public Portal (no API key, no card) [/portal/]
- SQD pricing model [/pricing/]
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Own your blockchain data layer
Free public Portal, open-source SDK, and 225+ chains you can pipe anywhere or self-host.
Indexing more than 100M events a day or need a dedicated portal? Talk to sales.