Infura, owned by ConsenSys, excels at providing rock-solid, enterprise-grade reliability for Ethereum and EVM chains. Its deep integration with the MetaMask wallet and tools like Truffle and Hardhat creates a seamless developer experience. For example, Infura's historical uptime consistently exceeds 99.9%, making it the default choice for mission-critical DeFi protocols like Aave and Compound, which require unwavering node stability to manage billions in TVL.
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Comparisons
Infura vs Ankr: Web3 Infrastructure
A data-driven comparison for CTOs and architects. We analyze Infura's enterprise-grade Ethereum dominance against Ankr's multi-chain, decentralized node network to determine the best fit for high-scale dApps.
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introduction
THE ANALYSIS
Introduction: The Web3 Infrastructure Battle
A data-driven comparison of Infura and Ankr, the two dominant RPC providers powering millions of Web3 transactions daily.
Ankr takes a different approach by building a decentralized, geographically distributed node network. This strategy results in superior global latency and redundancy, but can introduce more variability in performance. Ankr's key innovation is its multi-chain Public RPC service, offering free, rate-limited access to over 40 chains including Ethereum, Polygon, Avalanche, and BNB Chain, which is ideal for bootstrapping dApps and handling unpredictable traffic spikes.
The key trade-off: If your priority is maximum reliability, deep Ethereum tooling integration, and enterprise support for a high-value application, choose Infura. If you prioritize cost-effective multi-chain access, global performance, and a decentralized infrastructure model from the start, choose Ankr.
tldr-summary
Infura vs Ankr
TL;DR: Key Differentiators at a Glance
A quick comparison of strengths and ideal use cases for the two leading Web3 infrastructure providers.
01
Infura: Enterprise Reliability
Proven uptime and scale: Industry leader since 2017, serving over 400,000 developers. Offers 99.9%+ SLA and dedicated support tiers. This matters for mission-critical dApps and enterprises that cannot afford downtime, like major DeFi protocols (e.g., Aave, Compound) and NFT platforms.
400K+
Developers
99.9%
Uptime SLA
02
Infura: Deep Ecosystem Integration
Native integration with the Consensys stack: Seamless connectivity to MetaMask, Truffle, and Hardhat. This creates a frictionless developer experience for teams already building within the Ethereum/Consensys ecosystem, reducing integration time and complexity.
03
Ankr: Multi-Chain Breadth
Unmatched chain support: Provides RPCs for 40+ blockchains, including Ethereum, Polygon, BNB Chain, Avalanche, and Solana, from a single dashboard. This matters for cross-chain developers and protocols building multi-chain strategies who want to avoid managing multiple provider accounts.
40+
Blockchains
04
Ankr: Decentralized & Cost-Effective
Hybrid decentralized infrastructure: Leverages a global node network, offering competitive pricing and resistance to single points of failure. Their Pay-As-You-Go model (vs. tiered plans) is ideal for startups and scaling projects needing predictable, usage-based costs without over-provisioning.
05
Choose Infura For
- Enterprise-grade Ethereum applications requiring maximum reliability and support.
- Teams deeply invested in the Consensys toolchain (MetaMask, Truffle).
- High-traffic dApps where proven scale and a premium SLA are non-negotiable.
06
Choose Ankr For
- Multi-chain or chain-agnostic projects needing a single provider for many networks.
- Cost-sensitive startups that benefit from a decentralized network and transparent, usage-based pricing.
- Developers prioritizing infrastructure decentralization and geographic distribution.
HEAD-TO-HEAD COMPARISON
Infura vs Ankr: Web3 Infrastructure Comparison
Direct comparison of key metrics and features for enterprise Web3 API providers.
| Metric | Infura | Ankr |
|---|---|---|
Free Tier Daily Requests | 100,000 | 1,000,000 |
Supported Chains | 15+ | 40+ |
Avg. Global API Latency | < 300 ms | < 200 ms |
Enterprise SLA Uptime | 99.9% | 99.95% |
Multi-Chain RPC Load Balancing | ||
Dedicated Node Service | ||
Archive Data Access | Add-on | Included in Pro |
pros-cons-a
PROS AND CONS
Infura vs Ankr: Web3 Infrastructure
Key strengths and trade-offs for CTOs evaluating core RPC providers.
01
Infura Pro: Enterprise Reliability
Industry-leading uptime and scale: Backed by ConsenSys, it serves over 400,000 developers and processes billions of daily requests. Offers a 99.9% SLA for paid tiers. This matters for mission-critical dApps like DeFi protocols (e.g., Uniswap, Aave) that cannot afford downtime.
400K+
Developers
99.9%
Uptime SLA
02
Infura Con: Centralization & Censorship Risk
Single-point-of-failure architecture: Infura is a centralized service, which led to notable outages affecting MetaMask and major dApps. It has also complied with OFAC sanctions, filtering transactions on its Ethereum endpoints. This is a critical risk for permissionless protocols and teams prioritizing decentralization.
03
Ankr Pro: Multi-Chain & Decentralized Network
Broad protocol support and distributed nodes: Ankr provides RPCs for over 40 chains (Ethereum, Polygon, Solana, Avalanche) and is building a decentralized node network. This matters for multi-chain strategies and teams seeking to reduce infrastructure vendor lock-in.
40+
Supported Chains
04
Ankr Con: Emerging Enterprise Features
Catching up on advanced tooling: While robust, Ankr's analytics dashboards, dedicated node SLAs, and enterprise support channels are not as mature as Infura's. This matters for large institutions requiring detailed usage audits, custom integrations, and guaranteed response times.
pros-cons-b
Infrastructure Showdown
Ankr: Pros and Cons
Key strengths and trade-offs between Infura and Ankr for Web3 infrastructure at a glance.
01
Ankr's Key Strength: Multi-Chain & App Chains
Specific advantage: Supports 40+ chains natively, including Aptos, Sui, and dedicated App Chain RPCs. This matters for protocols deploying on emerging L1s or building custom rollups who need a single, unified provider.
02
Ankr's Key Strength: Decentralized Node Network
Specific advantage: Leverages a globally distributed node network from independent providers, reducing centralization risk. This matters for dApps prioritizing censorship resistance and wanting to avoid single points of failure inherent in centralized infrastructure.
03
Infura's Key Strength: Enterprise Reliability & Scale
Specific advantage: Processes billions of daily requests with a proven 99.9%+ uptime SLA, backed by ConsenSys. This matters for high-traffic DeFi protocols like Aave or Uniswap where downtime directly translates to lost user funds and protocol risk.
04
Infura's Key Strength: Deep Ethereum Tooling
Specific advantage: Offers advanced Ethereum-specific APIs (Trace, Debug) and seamless integration with the MetaMask SDK and Truffle. This matters for teams building complex Ethereum-native applications that require deep chain introspection and wallet connectivity.
05
Ankr's Trade-off: Performance Variance
Specific consideration: Latency can vary across its decentralized node providers. This matters for high-frequency trading bots or real-time gaming applications where consistent sub-100ms response times are non-negotiable.
06
Infura's Trade-off: Centralization & Compliance Risk
Specific consideration: As a centralized service, it's subject to regulatory geo-blocking (e.g., OFAC compliance on Ethereum). This matters for permissionless protocols that must guarantee global, uncensored access to their frontends and smart contracts.
CHOOSE YOUR PRIORITY
Decision Framework: When to Choose Which
Infura for DeFi/DePIN
Verdict: The enterprise standard for high-value, high-security applications. Strengths: Unmatched reliability and uptime for mainnet operations. Deep integration with MetaMask, Truffle, and Hardhat. Advanced features like the Transaction Orchestrator for complex DeFi contract interactions. SOC 2 Type II compliance is critical for institutional DeFi. Considerations: Higher cost structure; rate limits can be a bottleneck for high-frequency data indexing.
Ankr for DeFi/DePIN
Verdict: Cost-effective, multi-chain powerhouse for scalable data access and node operation. Strengths: Superior multi-chain support (40+ chains) simplifies building cross-chain DeFi. The Ankr RPC service offers high request limits and predictable, often lower, pricing. Ankr's decentralized node infrastructure (Ankr Network) is ideal for DePIN projects needing geo-distributed, censorship-resistant endpoints. Considerations: While secure, lacks the long-standing enterprise audit pedigree of Infura for the most risk-averse institutions.
INFURA VS ANKR
Technical Deep Dive: Architecture and Performance
A data-driven comparison of two leading Web3 infrastructure providers, focusing on architectural differences, performance metrics, and the key trade-offs for enterprise decision-makers.
Yes, Infura generally offers higher throughput and lower latency for Ethereum mainnet requests. As the incumbent provider, Infura's globally distributed, load-balanced node infrastructure is optimized for high-volume, low-latency API calls. Ankr's performance is highly competitive, especially for its multi-chain RPC services, but its decentralized node network can introduce slight variability. For mission-critical, high-frequency Ethereum dApps, Infura's proven performance often leads. For multi-chain applications, Ankr's consistent performance across 40+ chains is a key advantage.
verdict
THE ANALYSIS
Final Verdict and Strategic Recommendation
Choosing between Infura and Ankr is a strategic decision between proven enterprise stability and a modern, multi-chain performance engine.
Infura excels at providing a battle-tested, enterprise-grade service for Ethereum and IPFS, with a proven track record of reliability for major protocols like Uniswap and MetaMask. Its strength lies in deep protocol integration, offering advanced features like the Ethereum Archive Node API and robust developer tooling (Truffle, Hardhat). For example, its historical 99.9%+ uptime SLA and direct support from ConsenSys make it the default choice for applications where risk mitigation and institutional trust are paramount, despite potentially higher costs at scale.
Ankr takes a different approach by architecting a globally distributed, multi-chain RPC network from the ground up. This decentralized infrastructure strategy results in superior latency performance and cost efficiency for high-throughput applications. Ankr supports over 40 chains natively, including Aptos, Sui, and Polygon zkEVM, and offers a compelling free tier. The trade-off is a younger operational history compared to Infura, though its public metrics, such as serving over 2 trillion blockchain requests annually, demonstrate significant scale and resilience.
The key trade-off: If your priority is maximum reliability for core Ethereum/IPFS operations, deep ecosystem tooling, and enterprise support, choose Infura. It's the conservative, low-risk choice for established DeFi protocols or institutional projects. If you prioritize cost-effective, low-latency access across a broad portfolio of L1s and L2s, or are building a high-frequency dApp requiring geographic distribution, choose Ankr. Its modern architecture is optimized for the multi-chain future.
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