Chainstack excels at providing a multi-chain, unified API because it abstracts away blockchain-specific complexities. For teams building on Solana, Ethereum, Polygon, and others, this means a single SDK, dashboard, and billing system. For example, developers can manage RPC endpoints for Solana's 1,000+ TPS mainnet and Ethereum's L2s like Arbitrum from one pane of glass, simplifying operations for multi-chain protocols.
LABS
Comparisons
Chainstack vs Helius: Solana Infrastructure
A technical analysis comparing Chainstack and Helius as Solana infrastructure providers, focusing on RPC performance, developer tooling, cost models, and ideal use cases for CTOs and engineering leads.
Chainscore © 2026
introduction
THE ANALYSIS
Introduction: The Solana Infrastructure Decision
A data-driven breakdown of the core architectural and commercial trade-offs between Chainstack and Helius for Solana development.
Helius takes a radically different approach by building a Solana-native, hyper-specialized platform. This results in deeper, protocol-level tooling—like webhooks for on-chain events, enhanced APIs for compressed NFTs, and direct access to the Geyser plugin—but at the trade-off of being a single-chain vendor. Their infrastructure is optimized for the unique demands of high-throughput Solana applications, such as real-time gaming or DeFi arbitrage bots.
The key trade-off: If your priority is operational simplicity across multiple ecosystems, choose Chainstack. Its unified platform reduces vendor sprawl. If you prioritize maximizing performance and accessing deep, Solana-specific tooling for a single-protocol application, choose Helius. Your decision hinges on whether you value breadth or depth in your infrastructure layer.
tldr-summary
Chainstack vs Helius: Solana Infrastructure
TL;DR: Key Differentiators at a Glance
A data-driven breakdown of core strengths and trade-offs for CTOs and architects.
02
Chainstack: Enterprise-Grade SLAs
Guaranteed Uptime: Offers formal Service Level Agreements (SLAs) with 99.9%+ availability and dedicated support. This is critical for institutional DeFi protocols (e.g., Aave, Compound forks) and financial applications where downtime equals direct revenue loss.
04
Helius: Deep Solana Tooling
Specialized Debugging Suite: Offers tools like Transaction Inspector for failed TX analysis and Solana JSON-RPC extensions (e.g., getPriorityFeeEstimate). This is essential for protocol developers debugging complex interactions (e.g., Jupiter swaps, MarginFi lending) and optimizing gas costs.
05
Choose Chainstack If...
Your stack is multi-chain or you require enterprise reliability. Ideal for:
- CTOs managing infrastructure across Ethereum, Polygon, and Solana.
- Projects with compliance needs demanding formal SLAs.
- Teams valuing a single vendor for all RPC and node services.
06
Choose Helius If...
You are all-in on Solana and need maximum performance and insight. Ideal for:
- High-performance dApps requiring real-time data via WebSockets.
- Developers building complex Solana programs who need advanced debugging.
- Teams prioritizing deep integration with the Solana ecosystem (e.g., using Mango, Jupiter).
HEAD-TO-HEAD COMPARISON
Chainstack vs Helius: Solana Infrastructure
Direct comparison of key metrics and features for Solana RPC and node infrastructure.
| Metric / Feature | Chainstack | Helius |
|---|---|---|
Primary Architecture | Multi-chain, Node-as-a-Service | Solana-specialized RPC & APIs |
Solana RPC Request Cost (per 1M) | $199 | $0 |
Solana Enhanced APIs | ||
Global Geo-Redundant RPC | ||
WebSocket Connections | Unlimited | Unlimited |
Max Requests per Second (Tier) | 1,500 RPS | 12,000 RPS |
Free Tier Daily Requests | 3 Million | 25 Million |
Supported Chains (Total) | 30+ | 1 (Solana) |
CHAINSTACK VS HELIUS: SOLANA INFRASTRUCTURE
Performance & Reliability Benchmarks
Direct comparison of key metrics and features for Solana RPC and node infrastructure.
| Metric | Chainstack | Helius |
|---|---|---|
Solana RPC Requests per Month (Free Tier) | 3M | 25M |
Solana RPC Requests per Month (Paid Tier) | Custom | Unlimited |
Enhanced APIs (e.g., Webhooks, DAS) | ||
Solana Validator Node Hosting | ||
Multi-Chain Support (e.g., Ethereum, Polygon) | ||
Uptime SLA Guarantee | 99.9% | 99.95% |
Max Concurrent WebSocket Connections | 100 | Unlimited |
pros-cons-a
PROS AND CONS
Chainstack vs Helius: Solana Infrastructure
A data-driven comparison for CTOs and architects evaluating Solana RPC and node providers. Key strengths and trade-offs at a glance.
01
Chainstack Pro: Multi-Chain Standardization
Unified API for 30+ chains: A single SDK and dashboard for Solana, Ethereum, Polygon, Avalanche, and more. This matters for teams building cross-chain applications or managing a diverse protocol portfolio, reducing operational overhead and developer context-switching.
30+
Supported Chains
02
Chainstack Pro: Enterprise-Grade SLAs
Guaranteed 99.9% uptime with formal Service Level Agreements. Offers dedicated, isolated nodes and advanced security features like DDoS protection. This is critical for institutional clients, exchanges, and high-value DeFi protocols where reliability and compliance are non-negotiable.
05
Chainstack Con: Solana-Specific Optimization
Generalist approach can lag in niche features. While robust, it may not match Helius's pace in rolling out Solana-specific enhancements (e.g., Geyser plugin support, custom indexers). This is a trade-off for teams that prioritize bleeding-edge Solana tooling over multi-chain management.
06
Helius Con: Chain Agnosticism
Solely focused on Solana. Teams building on or integrating with EVM chains, Bitcoin, or other L1s will need to source, manage, and pay for additional infrastructure providers, increasing complexity and potential points of failure.
pros-cons-b
SOLANA INFRASTRUCTURE COMPARISON
Helius: Pros and Cons
Key strengths and trade-offs at a glance for CTOs and architects evaluating Solana RPC providers.
01
Solana-Native Specialization
Deep protocol expertise: Helius is built exclusively for Solana, offering features like the WebSocket API for real-time transaction streams and the Enhanced Transaction API for decoded on-chain data. This matters for building high-frequency trading bots, NFT mints, or applications requiring sub-second state updates.
< 0.1 sec
WebSocket Latency
03
Multi-Chain Agnosticism
Broad protocol support: Chainstack provides managed nodes for EVM chains (Ethereum, Polygon, Arbitrum), non-EVM (Solana, Aptos), and Layer 2s. This matters for enterprises or dApps like Aave or Chainlink that operate across multiple ecosystems and want a single vendor, unified API, and consolidated billing.
25+
Supported Networks
05
Ecosystem Lock-in Risk
Single-chain dependency: Helius's value is tied to Solana's performance and adoption. During network congestion or outages, your application has no built-in fallback to other chains. This matters for risk-averse teams who need business continuity plans beyond a single Layer 1.
06
Pricing Complexity at Scale
Usage-based model: Costs can become unpredictable for applications with spiky, high-volume demand (e.g., during a major NFT drop or token launch). This matters for growth-stage startups with tight infrastructure budgets who prefer the cost predictability of fixed-rate enterprise plans.
CHOOSE YOUR PRIORITY
Decision Framework: Choose Based on Your Use Case
Chainstack for DeFi & Trading
Verdict: Enterprise-Grade Reliability. Ideal for high-frequency trading bots and established protocols like Jupiter or Raydium that require consistent, low-latency access to Solana's mempool and historical data. Chainstack's global node infrastructure and dedicated RPC endpoints minimize slippage and failed transactions. Key Strengths:
- Guaranteed Uptime (99.9% SLA): Critical for arbitrage and liquidation bots.
- Advanced APIs: Full historical data via Archive Nodes, WebSocket streams for real-time price feeds.
- Security Focus: SOC2 compliance and private RPC endpoints protect sensitive trading strategies.
Helius for DeFi & Trading
Verdict: Native Performance & Enhanced Data. Superior for applications needing deep Solana-specific insights beyond standard RPC calls. The Enhanced APIs (e.g., getPriorityFeeEstimate, getAsset) provide direct access to Jito-style priority fees and compressed NFT data, giving traders an edge.
Key Strengths:
- Solana-Optimized APIs: Lower latency for complex queries involving SPL tokens and NFTs.
- WebSocket Performance: Higher throughput for real-time event streaming (e.g., new pools on Orca).
- Developer Experience: Seamless integration with Solana tooling like Anchor and the
@helium/spl-utilsSDK.
verdict
THE ANALYSIS
Final Verdict and Recommendation
Choosing between Chainstack and Helius hinges on your application's core requirements for multi-chain flexibility versus Solana-native depth.
Chainstack excels at providing a unified, multi-chain API and node service, enabling teams to manage infrastructure across Ethereum, Polygon, Arbitrum, and Solana from a single dashboard. This is ideal for protocols like cross-chain DeFi aggregators or NFT marketplaces that require consistent RPC reliability (99.9%+ SLA) and access to historical data across multiple ecosystems without managing separate vendor contracts.
Helius takes a radically different approach by focusing exclusively on Solana, offering deep enhancements like the Enhanced WebSocket for real-time transaction updates and webhook-based Geyser plugins for direct program state streaming. This native specialization results in superior performance for Solana-specific needs—such as high-frequency trading bots or real-time NFT mint monitoring—but trades off the convenience of a built-in multi-chain solution.
The key trade-off: If your priority is multi-chain deployment, enterprise-grade SLAs, and a unified operational view, choose Chainstack. Its global node distribution and support for EVM standards make it a robust, generalist platform. If you prioritize maximizing Solana performance, accessing low-latency data streams, and leveraging Solana-specific tooling like the Debug API, choose Helius. Its deep integration is unmatched for builders all-in on the Solana ecosystem.
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