A head-to-head comparison of Helius and Chainstack — pricing, the features that actually differ, and which one fits which use case.
The leading Solana-specialized RPC and developer platform
Managed node infrastructure with predictable pricing and global reach
These are the 3 capabilities where the two tools genuinely diverge — the rest of their feature sets overlap.
| Capability | Helius | Chainstack |
|---|---|---|
| Webhook Notifications | Yes | No |
| Multi Chain Support | No | Yes |
| Debug Trace Api | No | Yes |
| Feature | Helius | Chainstack |
|---|---|---|
| Enhanced Apis | ✓ | ✓ |
| Webhook Notifications | ✓ | ✗ |
| Archive Node Access | ✓ | ✓ |
| Account Abstraction | ✗ | ✗ |
| Sdk Available | ✓ | ✓ |
| Multi Chain Support | ✗ | ✓ |
| Dedicated Nodes | ✓ | ✓ |
| Websocket Support | ✓ | ✓ |
| Debug Trace Api | ✗ | ✓ |
| Mev Protection | ✗ | ✗ |
Helius has the lower entry price of the two.
Helius
$49/mo
$490/yr billed annually
Helius
$199/mo
$1990/yr billed annually
Chainstack
$49/mo
$490/yr billed annually
Chainstack
$199/mo
$1990/yr billed annually
Watch out: Solana-only.
Watch out: Specialists may edge it on specific chains.
Helius edges ahead on our editorial score (4.6/5), but these tools aren’t straight substitutes. Pick Helius when the leading solana-specialized rpc provider matters most to your workflow; pick Chainstack when predictable, transparent request-based pricing is the priority. The deciding factor is usually the trade-off you can least afford — Helius means accepting that solana-only, while Chainstack means specialists may edge it on specific chains.
Helius carries the higher editorial rating (4.6/5 vs 4.4/5), but they solve different problems. Helius is the stronger pick when you need the leading solana-specialized rpc provider. Chainstack wins when predictable, transparent request-based pricing.
Helius starts lower, at $49/month versus $49/month. Both also offer a free tier.
Helius's main limitation is that solana-only. For Chainstack, specialists may edge it on specific chains. Weigh these against how you actually plan to use the tool.
In most cases yes — many teams run both, using each where it's strongest. Since Helius leads on the leading solana-specialized rpc provider and Chainstack on predictable, transparent request-based pricing, the two are often complementary rather than mutually exclusive.