The Graph vs Covalent (GoldRush)
A detailed head-to-head comparison of The Graph and Covalent (GoldRush) — 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 →Covalent (GoldRush)
Unified multi-chain data API with the broadest chain coverage
Covalent (now delivered via its GoldRush developer platform) provides a unified, multi-chain data API covering one of the broadest sets of blockchains in the industry — 100+ networks — giving develope…
Full review →Feature Comparison
| Feature | The Graph | Covalent (GoldRush) |
|---|---|---|
| Query Language | GraphQL | REST API |
| 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
Covalent (GoldRush) Pricing
Covalent (GoldRush)
Free (dev tier)
Free
- ✓Unified API, 100+ chains
- ✓Decoded on-chain data
- ✓Balances, tx, NFT data
- ✓Getting-started limits
Covalent (GoldRush)
Growth
$50/mo
$500/yr billed annually
- ✓Higher limits
- ✓More endpoints
- ✓Priority access
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. Covalent (GoldRush) wins when broadest multi-chain coverage (100+ networks). Both are production-ready — the right choice depends on your team's workflow and budget.