The Graph vs Airstack
A detailed head-to-head comparison of The Graph and Airstack — pricing, features, and which one wins for different use cases.
The Graph
The decentralized indexing protocol for querying blockchain data via GraphQL subgraphs
The Graph is the canonical decentralized indexing protocol for blockchain data, used by Uniswap, Aave, Compound, Balancer, and virtually every major DeFi protocol to serve their front-end data. Develo…
Full review →Airstack
GraphQL APIs for identity, social, and on-chain data (Farcaster, ENS, NFTs)
Airstack is a data platform providing GraphQL APIs that unify on-chain data with web3 identity and social graphs — notably Farcaster, ENS, Lens, token holdings, and NFT ownership — enabling developers…
Full review →Feature Comparison
| Feature | The Graph | Airstack |
|---|---|---|
| Query Language | GraphQL | GraphQL |
| Decentralized | ✓ | ✗ |
| Multi Chain | ✓ | ✓ |
| Custom Subgraphs | ✓ | ✗ |
| Real Time Indexing | ✓ | ✓ |
| Historical Data | ✓ | ✓ |
| Open Source | ✓ | ✗ |
| Streaming Data | ✓ | ✗ |
| Governance Token | ✓ | ✗ |
| Self Hostable | ✓ | ✗ |
The Graph Pricing
The Graph
Subgraph Studio (Free to develop)
Free
- ✓Build and test subgraphs
- ✓Development queries
- ✓Publish to network
The Graph
Network (GRT per query)
Custom
- ✓Decentralized indexing
- ✓40+ chains
- ✓GraphQL API
- ✓Production SLA via Indexers
Airstack Pricing
Airstack
Free (dev tier)
Free
- ✓GraphQL identity + on-chain APIs
- ✓Farcaster, ENS, Lens data
- ✓Token + NFT holdings
- ✓Getting-started limits
Airstack
Growth
$49/mo
$490/yr billed annually
- ✓Higher limits
- ✓Social graph queries
- ✓Webhooks
Verdict: Which Should You Choose?
The Graph is the better pick if you need standard for defi data — uniswap, aave, compound all run on the graph. Airstack wins when unifies identity, social, and on-chain data. Both are production-ready — the right choice depends on your team's workflow and budget.