SQD vs Triton One
SQD vs Triton One: indexed multi-chain data or Solana RPC and gRPC streaming?
225+ networks · Sub-second decoded Portal API · Zero egress fees
Triton One is a Solana-first node provider: bare-metal RPC, Dragon's Mouth Geyser gRPC streaming, the Old Faithful historical archive, and a Jet transaction-sending engine, with Sui and Monad also supported. SQD is a multi-chain indexed-data network covering 225+ networks that serves decoded, query-ready data through one streaming Portal endpoint with no egress fees. They overlap on Solana history and streaming, but Triton One focuses on running nodes and the live RPC/send path while SQD focuses on cross-chain decoded data for indexing and analytics.
Pick SQD if
- → You need decoded, query-ready data across many chains (225+ networks across EVM, Solana, Substrate, Bitcoin, Hyperliquid), not just Solana.
- → You want to build indexers/analytics with a TypeScript SDK and store to GraphQL or any TypeORM-compatible database, with no egress fees.
- → You want a free public Portal to start, with predictable network-based pricing rather than per-GB plus per-call metering.
Pick Triton One if
- → You need a production Solana RPC with a fast transaction-sending path (Jet, direct-to-leader); SQD is read-side only and has no sendTransaction.
- → You need a low-latency raw Solana Geyser stream (Dragon's Mouth gRPC, sub-slot) for trading bots where raw account writes and timing matter.
- → You want the open-source Solana ledger archive (Old Faithful), built with Solana Foundation sponsorship, downloadable and verifiable from genesis.
Two different layers
Where SQD and Triton One sit in your data stack
Triton One is a node and RPC provider centered on Solana (with Sui and Monad added), serving raw JSON-RPC, WebSockets, and Geyser-fed gRPC streams from bare-metal clusters. SQD sits one layer up: it is an indexed-data network that serves decoded, query-ready history and a streaming Portal API across 225+ networks, rather than running validator nodes or a sendTransaction path. Most teams use a provider like Triton One for live reads and transaction sending and use SQD for backfills, multi-chain history, and analytics-shaped queries.
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- Indexed data
- Our focus Read-side infrastructureSQD decentralized, validated, multi-chain at source
- Node providers
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
Triton One optimizes for
- ✓Bare-metal Solana RPC with a fast transaction-sending path (Jet, direct-to-leader)
- ✓Dragon's Mouth Geyser gRPC streaming at sub-slot latency for trading
- ✓The open-source Old Faithful Solana ledger archive, verifiable from genesis
- ✓Dedicated Solana, Sui, and Monad node clusters with operator support
At a glance
Side-by-side comparison
| Dimension | SQD | Triton One |
|---|---|---|
| Coverage & data shape | ||
| Networks supported Triton One is Solana-first; SQD is multi-VM. | 225+ networks across EVM, Solana, Substrate, Bitcoin, and Hyperliquid | Solana (primary), plus Sui and Monad |
| Data shape Dragon's Mouth streams raw Geyser updates. | Decoded, query-ready data via one streaming Portal endpoint | Raw node data: JSON-RPC, WebSockets, and Geyser gRPC updates (not decoded/indexed) |
| Single endpoint across chains Triton uses one dashboard but per-chain RPC endpoints. | ✓ | ✗ |
| Historical / archival access Both reach Solana genesis: Old Faithful is a downloadable Solana-only ledger archive (Solana Foundation sponsored); SQD's Portal serves decoded, queryable Solana from slot 0 to head (start_block 0, verified) alongside 225+ other networks. | Full history per network via the Portal data lake, including Solana decoded from slot 0 (genesis) to a real-time head | Old Faithful archive (Solana genesis to latest) + Superbank ClickHouse history service |
| Real-time & performance | ||
| Real-time streaming Triton's stream is lower-level and Solana-specific; SQD's is decoded and multi-chain. | Streaming Portal API, sub-second hot path | Dragon's Mouth Geyser gRPC, sub-slot (cited up to 400ms ahead of RPC) |
| Live Solana gRPC streaming Different roles: Triton operates the Geyser source; SQD's Spray is a filter/proxy you point at one (bring your own endpoint). github.com/subsquid/spray. | Spray: SQD's open-source proxy re-exposes a Yellowstone gRPC source as filtered JSON-RPC WebSocket subscriptions in the Portal query format | Dragon's Mouth: first-party Geyser gRPC source, sub-slot |
| Latency Different layers; not directly comparable. | Independent benchmark 27ms P50 / 48.5ms P90 on the Portal | Not published as a single figure; sub-slot gRPC plus 10+ data-center bare-metal clusters |
| Transaction sending (write path) Triton runs Jet, a direct-to-leader sendTransaction engine. SQD is read-side only. | ✗ | ✓ |
| Egress / bandwidth fees Bandwidth is a core line item in Triton's pricing. | Zero egress fees | Bandwidth billed at $0.08/GB on every service |
| Architecture & openness | ||
| Architecture RPC 2.0 with the Solana Foundation aims at a more neutral read layer. | Decentralized network of worker operators paid in SQD; multi-chain data lake | Operator-run bare-metal RPC clusters across 10+ data centers |
| Open source Both have significant open-source components. | Pipes SDK MIT, Portal node AGPL-3.0 | Yellowstone gRPC AGPL-3.0 (Cloudbreak/Superbank also AGPL) and Old Faithful tooling open-sourced; hosted platform proprietary |
| Self-hostable | Yes (Squid SDK + Portal node), plus managed Cloud and free public Portal | Partial: open-source Yellowstone/Old Faithful self-hostable; managed RPC clusters are not |
| Validation | 6-step cryptographic validation at ingestion | Old Faithful integrity validated from genesis; live RPC trusts node output |
| Developer interface | ||
| SDK / interface Different developer model: indexer SDK vs RPC client. | TypeScript Squid SDK; store to GraphQL or any TypeORM-compatible DB; Pipes streaming ETL | Standard Solana JSON-RPC, WebSockets, and gRPC client libraries |
| Economics | ||
| Pricing model | Free public Portal; paid tiers network-based, not per-call metered (final pricing not yet published) | Pay-as-you-go: per-GB bandwidth + per-million-call rates; dedicated nodes by custom quote |
| Free tier Source: triton.one/pricing. | Free public Portal, no API key, no card | No free tier; $125 minimum prepaid balance (non-refundable, valid 12 months) |
| Token required for production Triton bills in fiat/stablecoin prepaid balance; no token needed. | ✗ | ✗ |
Facts verified June 2026 against Triton One’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
- →The project spans multiple chains or VMs beyond Solana and you want one decoded data source.
- →You need decoded, indexed data for an app or analytics rather than raw RPC/Geyser output.
- →Backfilling full history into your own database where per-GB egress and per-call billing would get expensive.
- →You want to self-host the full read pipeline or start free with no deposit or card.
When Triton One is the better choice
- →You run latency-sensitive Solana trading needing sub-slot raw Geyser gRPC and direct-to-leader transaction sending.
- →You need to submit transactions, not just read data.
- →You want dedicated bare-metal Solana RPC nodes with hands-on operator support.
- →You want the open-source, Solana-Foundation-sponsored Old Faithful ledger archive as a public, verifiable dataset.
Most production teams use both: Triton One for its layer, and SQD for the decoded data layer above it.
What changes, what stays
Where SQD replaces Triton One, and where you keep both
SQD does not replace Triton One's live RPC or transaction-sending path. Most teams keep Triton One for Solana reads, the Dragon's Mouth raw Geyser stream, and Jet for submitting transactions, and add SQD for decoded history, multi-chain coverage, and backfills where per-GB egress and per-call billing add up. On Solana history specifically there is real overlap: SQD's decoded Portal data can replace ad-hoc archival RPC queries, while Old Faithful remains the canonical public ledger archive.
SQD replaces
- →Archival RPC calls and large backfills paid per-GB and per-call
- →Stitching multiple per-chain RPC endpoints for cross-chain data
- →Building your own decoding/indexing layer on top of raw Geyser or RPC output
You keep Triton One for
- →Live Solana JSON-RPC and WebSockets for app reads
- →Dragon's Mouth raw Geyser gRPC as the sub-slot, latency-critical source (SQD's open-source Spray proxy can sit on top of it to add Portal-format filtering over JSON-RPC WebSocket)
- →Jet transaction-sending (sendTransaction / direct-to-leader)
- →Old Faithful as the public, verifiable Solana ledger archive
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 |
225+
Networks indexed
27ms
Median Portal response
6-step
Validation at ingestion
Frequently asked questions
Triton One vs SQD: what is the difference?
Triton One is a Solana-focused node provider. It runs bare-metal RPC clusters, Dragon's Mouth Geyser gRPC streaming, the Old Faithful historical archive, and the Jet transaction-sending engine, with Sui and Monad also supported. SQD is a multi-chain indexed-data network covering 225+ networks that serves decoded, query-ready data through one streaming Portal API with no egress fees. Triton One focuses on the live RPC and write path; SQD focuses on decoded read-side data for indexing and analytics.
Is Triton One open source?
Partly. The Dragon's Mouth Yellowstone gRPC code is open source under AGPL-3.0 (github.com/rpcpool/yellowstone-grpc), Triton states Cloudbreak and Superbank are released under AGPL, and the Old Faithful archive tooling is open-sourced. The hosted RPC platform and engines like Jet and Metis are proprietary services you pay for. SQD's Squid SDK, Pipes SDK (MIT), and Portal node (AGPL-3.0) are open source on github.com/subsquid.
What is Dragon's Mouth gRPC and does SQD have an equivalent?
Dragon's Mouth is Triton One's Geyser-fed gRPC interface that streams Solana account writes, transactions, slots, blocks, and entries as raw updates, often ahead of end-of-slot RPC. SQD's streaming Portal API also delivers real-time data, but decoded and across 225+ networks rather than raw Solana Geyser updates, with a sub-second hot path and an independent benchmark of 27ms P50. For live Solana raw streaming with transaction sending, Triton One is purpose-built; for decoded multi-chain data, SQD fits better.
How much does Triton One cost compared to SQD?
Triton One uses pay-as-you-go pricing: $0.08/GB bandwidth plus per-million-call rates ($10/M standard RPC, $50/M Metaplex/Photon, $80/M Metis), with streaming billed on bandwidth only, and a $125 minimum prepaid balance; dedicated Solana nodes are priced by custom quote. There is no free tier. SQD offers a free public Portal with no API key or card, and paid tiers that are network-based rather than per-call metered (final pricing not yet published). See triton.one/pricing.
Triton One alternative for multi-chain indexing?
Triton One supports Solana plus Sui and Monad and serves raw node data, not decoded indexes. If you need decoded, query-ready data across many chains, SQD covers 225+ networks across EVM, Solana, Substrate, Bitcoin, and Hyperliquid through one Portal endpoint, with the TypeScript Squid SDK to build indexers that store to GraphQL or any TypeORM-compatible database. Teams often keep Triton One for Solana live reads and transaction sending and add SQD for cross-chain history and analytics.
Can I get full Solana history from SQD instead of Old Faithful?
Old Faithful is the open-source Solana ledger archive (genesis to latest) Triton One built with Solana Foundation sponsorship, distributed via Filecoin and S3-compatible storage and queryable through Superbank. SQD also serves full Solana history from its data lake, but as decoded data you query through the Portal alongside other chains, rather than as a downloadable Solana-only ledger archive. For a verifiable, public Solana ledger dump, Old Faithful is the canonical source; for decoded queries integrated with an indexer, use SQD.
Does Triton One require a token?
No. Triton One bills via a prepaid balance, with no native token required for production use. SQD also does not require a token to use the public Portal in production; the SQD token is used to pay worker operators in the network's economics, not as a gate on the Portal API.
Sources & methodology (9 citations, verified June 2026)
Every comparison cell and statement about Triton One is anchored to Triton One’s own public documentation. Spotted something stale? Let us know.
Products & chains
- Triton One supports Solana, Sui, and Monad with one dashboard; Solana has RPC clusters across 10+ data centers, Dragon's Mouth gRPC, Whirligig WebSockets, Superbank history, and Jet transaction sending. [triton.one Solana chain page]
- Triton offers RPC, streaming, historical data, ledger queries, and transaction landing; open-source foundation, self-hostable on commodity hardware; RPC 2.0 to be open-source under AGPL via a neutral RPC organization with the Solana Foundation. [triton.one homepage]
Project Yellowstone (Dragon's Mouth, Old Faithful)
- Dragon's Mouth is a Geyser-fed gRPC interface streaming account writes, transactions, slots, blocks, and entries, with up to a cited 400ms advantage over RPC for DeFi traders, and replay limited to the server's retained replay window via from_slot. [Triton docs: Dragon's Mouth gRPC]
- Old Faithful is Triton's open-source solution to the Solana historical ledger problem, sponsored by the Solana Foundation, covering Solana from genesis to the latest block. [Triton docs: Old Faithful historical archive]
- Triton One validated the Old Faithful archive's integrity from genesis and uploaded copies to Filecoin and S3-compatible storage. [Triton One on X: Old Faithful Filecoin/S3]
Open source & maintenance
- yellowstone-grpc (Dragon's Mouth) is a gRPC interface for Solana built around the Geyser interface, licensed AGPL-3.0, with 248 releases, latest v13.2.2-triton-ext+solana.4.0.0 dated June 5, 2026, and 967 stars, confirming active maintenance. [GitHub: rpcpool/yellowstone-grpc]
- SQD's Spray is a proxy for a Yellowstone Geyser gRPC source that exposes filtered Solana transactions and blocks over JSON-RPC WebSocket subscriptions; you configure your own Geyser endpoint(s). [SQD docs: Solana streaming (Spray)]
Pricing
- Pay-as-you-go: $0.08/GB bandwidth + $10/M calls standard RPC/indexed accounts/ledger queries, $50/M Metaplex/Photon, $80/M Metis; streaming/Titan Prime bandwidth only; $125 minimum prepaid balance, non-refundable, valid 12 months, usable across every service; no free tier. [triton.one/pricing]
- Dedicated Solana nodes require multi-TB storage and are priced separately by custom quote; the $125 prepaid balance is usable across services. [Triton One FAQs]
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.