Snapshot vs Tally: Off-Chain Voting & Delegation Platforms

Snapshot excels at low-cost, high-participation signaling because it operates entirely off-chain using signed messages. For example, protocols like Uniswap and Aave use it to poll thousands of token holders without incurring gas fees, enabling governance participation for users with small holdings. Its plugin architecture supports complex voting strategies, such as quadratic voting or delegation to Safe multisigs, making it the de facto standard for initial community sentiment gathering.

Tally takes a different approach by integrating directly with on-chain governance contracts. This results in a trade-off: votes are binding and execute proposals automatically via Governor Bravo-compatible systems, but require voters to pay gas. Tally provides a full-stack dashboard for proposal lifecycle management, delegate discovery, and real-time vote tracking, serving as the front-end for protocols like Compound and Fei Protocol that require enforceable on-chain execution.

The key trade-off: If your priority is maximizing voter turnout and cost-free community signaling, choose Snapshot. If you prioritize enforceable, on-chain execution with full delegate accountability and a professional governance dashboard, choose Tally. Many mature DAOs, such as Gitcoin, use both in tandem: Snapshot for temperature checks and Tally for final on-chain execution.

Snapshot excels at broad community accessibility and rapid deployment because of its gasless, signature-based voting model and massive existing user base. For example, with over 6,000 active spaces and integrations with major wallets like MetaMask and WalletConnect, it offers unparalleled network effects. Its flexible, plugin-based architecture allows for custom voting strategies, making it the de facto standard for DAOs like Uniswap and Aave seeking maximum participation with minimal technical overhead.

Tally takes a different approach by deeply integrating on-chain execution and delegation management. This results in a trade-off: it requires gas fees for proposal creation and voting, but creates a seamless bridge from sentiment to action. Tally's real strength is its comprehensive delegate dashboard, which tracks voting history and delegation across protocols, serving as a critical tool for professional delegates in ecosystems like Compound and Gitcoin that prioritize enforceable governance.

The key trade-off: If your priority is maximizing voter turnout and testing governance ideas quickly with a proven, low-friction platform, choose Snapshot. Its gasless model and vast adoption are decisive. If you prioritize binding on-chain execution, professional delegate ecosystems, and detailed voter accountability, choose Tally. Its tight integration with Governor contracts makes it the superior choice for protocols where governance directly controls the treasury or protocol parameters.