SQD vs Envio
SQD vs Envio: which onchain data layer should you build on?
225+ networks across 5 VMs · Sub-second Portal hot path · OSI-licensed, forkable
Envio and SQD are both indexing data layers: you write an indexer and get decoded onchain data out. Envio's HyperIndex is a TypeScript framework powered by its HyperSync engine, strong on EVM (85+ chains with first-class HyperSync support, thousands more via your own RPC) plus Fuel, with Solana support that runs over HyperSync but Envio still marks experimental. SQD covers 225+ networks across EVM, Solana, Substrate, Bitcoin, and Hyperliquid through one streaming Portal API and runs as a decentralized network. A practical difference we verified by running both: an Envio indexer requires an Envio HyperSync API token (HyperSync returns 401 without one), while SQD's public Portal serves decoded data, including real-time Solana, with no API key.
Pick SQD if
- → You need first-class non-EVM coverage today (Solana, Substrate, Bitcoin, Hyperliquid), not experimental RPC-only support.
- → You want a no-key public Portal and a decentralized network, not a hosted indexer that requires a HyperSync API token.
- → You want a decentralized network and a single streaming Portal endpoint with a sub-second, independently benchmarked hot path.
Pick Envio if
- → Your work is EVM-centric or on Fuel and you want a focused TypeScript indexer that outputs a GraphQL API with minimal setup.
- → You are migrating from The Graph and want subgraph hosting plus AI-assisted subgraph migration tooling.
- → You prefer a single managed hosted service (Envio Cloud) with HyperSync access bundled in, and don't need a decentralized network.
Two different layers
Where SQD and Envio sit in your data stack
Envio and SQD occupy the same layer of the stack: both turn raw onchain data into decoded, queryable data and both offer a framework developers write indexers in. Envio centers on HyperIndex (a TypeScript or ReScript indexer that outputs a GraphQL API over Postgres) powered by its HyperSync data engine; it is EVM-first with Fuel, and its Solana support runs over HyperSync but is still marked experimental. SQD provides the Portal streaming API plus the Squid and Pipes SDKs across EVM, Solana, Substrate, Bitcoin, and Hyperliquid, and runs as a decentralized worker network with a free public Portal. The two differ most on chain breadth, non-EVM maturity, and architecture: a centralized hosted service whose indexers require a HyperSync token, versus a decentralized network with a no-key public Portal.
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- Indexed data
- Our focus Read-side infrastructureSQD decentralized, validated, multi-chain at source
- Node providers
SQD optimizes for
- ✓Chain breadth: 225+ networks across EVM, Solana, Substrate, Bitcoin, and Hyperliquid
- ✓Real-time latency: sub-second from chain head to query response
- ✓TypeScript-native indexing with typed decoders, plus a streaming Portal API
- ✓Cryptographically validated data with 6-step verification at ingestion
- ✓OSI open source (Pipes SDK MIT, Portal node AGPL-3.0), self-hostable, free public Portal
Envio optimizes for
- ✓HyperIndex: a TypeScript, JavaScript, or ReScript indexer that outputs a GraphQL API over Postgres
- ✓The HyperSync engine for fast EVM and Fuel backfills (its own figures cite 25k+ events/sec)
- ✓A subgraph migration path with subgraph-compatible hosting and AI-assisted tooling
- ✓A single managed cloud (Envio Cloud) with a free development tier
At a glance
Side-by-side comparison
| Dimension | SQD | Envio |
|---|---|---|
| Coverage & Performance | ||
| Networks supported Envio /chains page; SQD /chains catalogue | 225+ networks, one Portal endpoint | 85+ chains with first-class HyperSync support; thousands more EVM chains via your own RPC; plus Fuel |
| Ecosystems / VMs Verified: envio init svm scaffolds a HyperSync-backed Solana indexer (solana.hypersync.xyz) under an `experimental` config block. | EVM, Solana, Substrate, Bitcoin, Hyperliquid | EVM (first-class), Fuel; Solana via HyperSync, marked experimental |
| Solana maturity SQD's Portal reports start_block 0 for solana-mainnet, i.e. complete Solana history from genesis to a real-time head (verified June 2026). Envio: verified from the generated svm project, the handler is indexer.onInstruction({program, instruction}) keyed by a discriminator (e.g. 0x21) with account indices mapped by hand. | Production, and indexed from slot 0 (genesis) to a real-time head: full Solana history, decoded instructions and accounts, one Portal endpoint | Experimental: HyperSync source; onInstruction matched by discriminator with manual account mapping; no automatic IDL/Anchor decoding; few templates |
| Solana history depth SQD indexes the full Solana ledger from slot 0; the svm template config sets a recent start_block by default. | Genesis (slot 0) to head, queryable from one endpoint | HyperSync-backed; backfill from a configured start slot |
| Read API latency | Sub-second hot path; independent benchmark 27ms P50 / 48.5ms P90 | Real-time indexing; historical backfill ~25k-30k+ events/sec; head latency not published as a benchmark |
| Historical backfill speed Envio HyperIndex overview / May 2026 update | Streaming HTTP, zero egress, decoded data | ~25,000 events/sec standard, 30,000+ peak (Envio's own figures) |
| Architecture & openness | ||
| Self-hostable | Yes (Squid SDK + Portal node), plus managed Cloud and free public Portal | Yes: run HyperIndex yourself (it needs a HyperSync API token) or use managed Envio Cloud |
| Decentralized network | Yes, worker operators paid in SQD; multi-chain data lake | No, centralized hosted service |
| Indexer language Envio HyperIndex overview | Squid SDK is TypeScript; Pipes SDK streaming ETL | TypeScript, JavaScript, or ReScript handlers |
| Output / storage | GraphQL or any TypeORM-compatible database | GraphQL API over PostgreSQL; ClickHouse as secondary store (V3) |
| Data validation | 6-step cryptographic validation at ingestion | Reorg handling built in; cryptographic ingestion validation not documented |
| The Graph subgraph migration Envio has dedicated subgraph-compatibility tooling | Migrate via Squid SDK rewrite | Subgraph hosting and AI-assisted subgraph migration tooling |
| Economics | ||
| Free tier | Free public Portal, no API key, no card | Free Development plan; 30-day max lifespan, fair-usage soft limits, grace-period then deletion |
| Pricing model Exact Envio dollar prices not published on docs | Network-based tiers, predictable, not per-call metered; final pricing not yet published | Usage-based Envio Cloud plans; HyperSync/HyperRPC usage plans with rate limits |
| API key to run Verified by running the scaffold: without a valid token, HyperSync returns 401 Unauthorized and the indexer cannot fetch data. Neither side requires a crypto/protocol token. | None: the public Portal needs no API key, card, or token | Required: indexers read from HyperSync, which needs an Envio API token; Envio Cloud-hosted indexers are exempt |
Facts verified June 2026 against Envio’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
- →Multichain projects spanning EVM plus Solana, Substrate, Bitcoin, or Hyperliquid in production.
- →Teams that need to self-host under a true open-source license with the freedom to fork.
- →Low-latency read paths where sub-second hot-path delivery and benchmarked P50/P90 matter.
- →Workloads that benefit from a decentralized data network rather than a single vendor's cloud.
When Envio is the better choice
- →EVM-only or Fuel indexers where HyperIndex's TypeScript/ReScript framework and HyperSync engine are a tight fit.
- →Direct subgraph migrations off The Graph using Envio's subgraph-compatible hosting and tooling.
- →Teams wanting a single managed cloud with a free development tier for prototyping.
- →Projects that value HyperRPC as a drop-in JSON-RPC endpoint for sparse-data reads.
Switching
Migrating from Envio to SQD
Porting from Envio HyperIndex to SQD is a framework-to-framework move at the same layer: both decode onchain data and let you write handlers in TypeScript, so the mental model and much of the business logic carry over. The main work is swapping Envio's config and HyperSync data source for SQD's Squid SDK and Portal API, and re-pointing your handlers and schema at SQD's storage targets. Teams already on TypeScript will find the handler logic familiar; the deltas are the data-source configuration, the deployment path, and the broader non-EVM coverage you gain.
Data source
HyperSync engine / bring-your-own RPC to SQD Portal API
Replace Envio's HyperSync data source (or RPC fallback) with SQD's streaming HTTP Portal endpoint. One endpoint covers 225+ networks across EVM, Solana, Substrate, Bitcoin, and Hyperliquid, with zero egress and decoded data.
Indexer framework
HyperIndex handlers (TS/JS/ReScript) to Squid SDK (TypeScript)
Reimplement event handlers in the Squid SDK. Both are handler-based and TypeScript-friendly, so decoding and business logic transfer; you rewrite the config/schema and adapt to Squid's processor and entity model.
Storage and deployment
GraphQL/Postgres on Envio Cloud to GraphQL or any TypeORM database, deployed via Squid CLI
Envio outputs GraphQL over Postgres; the Squid SDK stores to GraphQL or any TypeORM-compatible database and deploys via Squid CLI to SQD Cloud, Docker, or self-host, with no commercial-EULA restriction on forking.
Read the SQD docs for the current migration guide and step-by-step examples.
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
6-step
Validation at ingestion
Frequently asked questions
Do you need an API token to run an Envio indexer?
401 Unauthorized and the indexer cannot fetch data. SQD's public Portal serves decoded data, including real-time Solana, with no API key, no card, and no token, so you can start querying immediately.Envio vs SQD: how many chains does each support?
Does Envio support Solana?
envio init svm scaffolds a HyperSync-backed Solana indexer with an indexer.onInstruction handler that matches a program's instructions by discriminator; you map the instruction's account indices yourself in the handler, and there is no automatic IDL/Anchor argument decoding, with only a couple of starter templates. SQD serves production Solana data, decoded, from slot 0 (genesis) all the way to a real-time head through the Portal, across the same program and 200+ other networks.What language do you write an Envio indexer in?
Can you self-host Envio HyperIndex?
Is Envio decentralized or does it have a token?
Envio alternative for multichain and non-EVM indexing?
Sources & methodology (9 citations, verified June 2026)
Every comparison cell and statement about Envio is anchored to Envio’s own public documentation. Spotted something stale? Let us know.
Products and architecture
- Envio offers HyperIndex, HyperSync (query onchain data up to 2,000x faster than standard JSON-RPC, Envio's own claim), HyperRPC, Envio Cloud, and subgraph hosting with AI-powered migration [Envio homepage]
- HyperIndex supports TypeScript, JavaScript, and ReScript handlers; GraphQL API over PostgreSQL; self-hosted and managed options; EVM/SVM/Fuel; real-time with reorg handling; 30,000+ events/sec backfill [HyperIndex overview docs]
Chain coverage
- 85+ chains with first-class HyperSync/HyperRPC support, ~2,435 more EVM chains via RPC, plus non-EVM Solana and Fuel [Envio supported chains page]
- HyperSync provides clients for Python, Rust, Node.js, and Go and serves EVM, Fuel, and Solana data [HyperSync overview docs]
- Solana support is marked experimental: envio init svm scaffolds a HyperSync-backed indexer whose indexer.onInstruction handler matches a program's instructions by discriminator, with account indices mapped by hand and no automatic IDL/Anchor decoding (verified from the generated svm project) [Envio Solana docs]
Repository
- hyperindex repo public, release 3.2.0 on 2026-06-11, actively maintained [hyperindex GitHub repo]
Pricing and access
- Plans: Development (Free), Production Small/Medium/Large (Paid), Dedicated (Custom); Development plan has 30-day max lifespan and fair-usage limits; no dollar amounts published on docs [Envio Cloud billing docs]
- HyperSync requires an Envio API token; running the scaffolded indexer without a valid token returns 401 Unauthorized (verified June 2026); Envio Cloud-hosted indexers are exempt [HyperSync API tokens docs]
Adoption
- HyperIndex V3 launched May 2026; named users include Polymarket (4 billion events in 6 days on Polygon, replacing eight subgraphs), Revert Finance (1.7B events on BNB Smart Chain), Privacy Pools, Katana/SushiSwap [Envio developer update, May 2026]
Decoded data on 225+ chains, one endpoint
Free public Portal, open-source SDK, and 225+ chains indexed from day one.
Indexing more than 100M events a day or need a dedicated portal? Talk to sales.