The Graph vs Subsquid (SQD)
A detailed head-to-head comparison of The Graph and Subsquid (SQD) — 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 →Subsquid (SQD)
High-performance indexing across 225+ networks with fast historical backfill
Subsquid (SQD) is a high-performance blockchain indexing framework and decentralized data network providing access to data across 225+ networks — real-time, historical, and validated — used in product…
Full review →Feature Comparison
| Feature | The Graph | Subsquid (SQD) |
|---|---|---|
| Query Language | GraphQL | GraphQL / SQL |
| 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
Subsquid (SQD) Pricing
Subsquid (SQD)
Free (dev tier)
Free
- ✓Open-source framework
- ✓225+ networks
- ✓Fast historical backfill
- ✓TypeScript indexers
Subsquid (SQD)
Growth
$49/mo
$490/yr billed annually
- ✓Hosted service
- ✓Higher limits
- ✓Priority processing
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. Subsquid (SQD) wins when 225+ networks, evm and non-evm. Both are production-ready — the right choice depends on your team's workflow and budget.