What Is Chainstack? A Developer's Guide to Blockchain Infrastructure

What Is Chainstack?

Chainstack is a blockchain infrastructure platform that offers managed RPC nodes, dedicated nodes, and developer tools. It was founded in 2018 and is headquartered in Burlington, MA. The platform supports over 70 blockchain networks, including Ethereum, Solana, Polygon, BNB Smart Chain, Arbitrum, and emerging ecosystems like Hyperliquid.

Chainstack's core value proposition is simplifying Web3 infrastructure management. Developers can spin up endpoints with a few clicks, access geo-balanced routing via Global Nodes, and choose from flexible pricing plans—including a free tier for experimentation. The platform also provides dedicated nodes for high-throughput applications and specialized Trader Nodes optimized for low-latency trading.

• Founded in 2018, headquartered in Burlington, MA
• Supports 70+ blockchain networks (mainnets and testnets)
• Products: Global Node, Dedicated Node, Unlimited Node, Trader Node
• Free Developer Plan available with rate limits
• Paid plans start at $49/month for production use

Key Features of Chainstack

Chainstack offers several distinct features that appeal to developers and enterprises. Understanding these can help you decide if Chainstack fits your project requirements.

• Global Node: A single, geo-balanced endpoint that automatically routes requests to the nearest region for low latency and high reliability.
• Dedicated Node: Isolated infrastructure for high-throughput applications, starting at $678/month.
• Unlimited Node: Flat-fee pricing with no per-request charges, suitable for predictable costs.
• Trader Node: Ultra-low latency nodes designed for trading bots and arbitrage strategies.
• Multi-chain support: Access to Ethereum, Solana, Polygon, BNB, Arbitrum, and many more.
• Developer tools: Open-source projects like chainbench (benchmarking), faucet, and dev portal.

How Developers Use Chainstack

Chainstack is used across a variety of Web3 applications. Here are common scenarios where developers leverage its infrastructure.

• dApp Backend: Connect your frontend or backend to blockchain data via RPC endpoints.
• Data Indexing: Use archive nodes to query historical data for analytics or dashboards.
• Multi-Chain Deployments: Manage endpoints for multiple chains from a single dashboard.
• Trading Bots: Use Trader Nodes for low-latency order execution and market data.
• Testnet Development: Access testnet faucets and endpoints for smart contract testing.

Chainstack vs. Other RPC Providers

When evaluating Chainstack against alternatives like OnFinality, consider your specific needs. Both platforms offer managed nodes, but they differ in network focus, pricing, and additional services.

OnFinality, for example, provides dedicated node infrastructure and RPC APIs with a strong emphasis on Polkadot, Kusama, and Substrate-based chains, while also supporting Ethereum, Solana, and other major networks. OnFinality's pricing is transparent, and the platform offers a free tier for development.

• Chainstack supports 70+ chains; OnFinality supports 100+ networks including Polkadot, Kusama, and Substrate chains.
• Chainstack offers flat-fee Unlimited Nodes; OnFinality offers pay-as-you-go and dedicated options.
• Both provide free tiers for testing.
• OnFinality has a strong focus on interoperability and cross-chain infrastructure.
• Consider your primary ecosystem: Chainstack is chain-agnostic; OnFinality excels in Polkadot/Kusama but covers many others.

Practical Considerations for Choosing an RPC Provider

Selecting the right RPC provider depends on your project's technical and business requirements. Here are key factors to evaluate.

• Network Coverage: Ensure the provider supports the chains you need, including testnets.
• Pricing: Compare free tiers, rate limits, and overage costs. Flat-fee plans can simplify budgeting.
• Performance: Look for geo-distributed endpoints, low latency, and high uptime guarantees.
• Support: Check documentation quality, community channels, and enterprise support options.
• Additional Services: Some providers offer data indexing, storage, or dedicated nodes for advanced use cases.

Getting Started with Chainstack

To begin using Chainstack, sign up for a free account on their website. You can create an endpoint for any supported network in minutes. The free Developer Plan includes limited requests, which is sufficient for prototyping. For production workloads, you can upgrade to a paid plan or opt for a dedicated node.

Chainstack also provides a developer portal with interactive API references and open-source tools like chainbench for load testing. Their GitHub organization hosts several repositories that can help you integrate faster.

Conclusion

Chainstack is a solid choice for developers seeking managed blockchain infrastructure with broad network support and flexible pricing. Its Global Node and Dedicated Node offerings cater to both small projects and enterprise-scale applications.

However, no single provider fits every use case. We recommend evaluating multiple providers—including OnFinality—based on your specific chain requirements, performance needs, and budget. OnFinality offers a complementary set of features, especially for developers building on Polkadot, Kusama, or looking for dedicated node infrastructure with transparent pricing.

Frequently Asked Questions