Solana RPC providers: a 2026 comparison
Helius, QuickNode, Triton One, Chainstack, Shyft and AllenHark, compared on what decides the choice: streaming, regions, how you pay, and which workload each is built for.
At a glance
| Provider | Best for | Yellowstone gRPC | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Helius | dApps, wallets, NFT platforms | LaserStream (Yellowstone-compatible) | Helius docs |
| QuickNode | Multi-chain teams | Yellowstone gRPC from the Scale plan; add-on below | QuickNode docs |
| Triton One | Infrastructure teams, gRPC workloads | Dragon's Mouth; maintains Yellowstone | Triton docs |
| Chainstack | Enterprise, multi-chain | Yellowstone gRPC Geyser add-on | Chainstack docs |
| Shyft | Indexed data, analytics apps | Multi-region Yellowstone gRPC network | Shyft docs |
| AllenHark | MEV, HFT, trading desks | Yellowstone gRPC, $5/day or $99/mo, Frankfurt or Amsterdam | Pricing |
How we're comparing
RPC providers are hard to compare head to head because they are built for different workloads. We grouped the comparison around three readers: the dApp builder, the MEV searcher or trading desk, and the enterprise or multi-chain team.
Five dimensions that matter
- Reads: how quickly
getAccountInfoorgetProgramAccountsreturns from your region, and what limits apply to heavy methods. - Writes: how your transactions reach the leader, and whether landing is a separate product.
- Streaming: Yellowstone gRPC support, which subscriptions and filters, and how a slow client is handled.
- Regions: is there an endpoint near your servers? Many Solana validators run in European data centres such as Frankfurt and Amsterdam.
- What you pay for: credits per call, a flat monthly plan, or a contract, and what each one includes.
Helius
Helius is Solana-only and has gone furthest on Solana-specific APIs: DAS for NFTs and compressed assets, Enhanced Transactions, webhooks and priority-fee estimates, with LaserStream for gRPC streaming. Its developer experience is among the best in the category.
Where Helius wins: NFT platforms, wallets, consumer dApps, anything that leans on the Solana asset graph.
Where it is not the pick: a trading system that wants flat monthly streaming, shreds and its own servers next to the endpoint.
QuickNode
QuickNode is the multi-chain incumbent. If you run a wallet, exchange or infrastructure product across Solana, Ethereum and more, it puts billing and vendor management in one place, and its Yellowstone gRPC comes with the larger plans.
Where QuickNode wins: teams on more than one chain, and operations that want a single vendor.
Trade-off: breadth over Solana-specific depth.
Triton One
Triton maintains Yellowstone gRPC, the Geyser interface the rest of the market exposes. If streaming is your main workload, or you run a serious indexer, going to the maintainers is the reference option.
Where Triton wins: infrastructure teams that want the authoritative implementation, dedicated nodes and an enterprise relationship.
Trade-off: expect a sales conversation rather than a checkout.
Chainstack
Chainstack is the enterprise option: many chains, contract terms procurement teams recognise, and Yellowstone gRPC as an add-on.
Where Chainstack wins: regulated entities, traditional-finance teams moving onto Solana, and anyone whose procurement won't sign a self-serve vendor.
Shyft
Shyft is as much a data platform as an RPC provider. Its indexed data (token holders, NFT metadata, DeFi positions) saves you building an indexer, next to a multi-region gRPC network.
Where Shyft wins: DeFi dashboards, NFT tools and wallet UIs that need pre-computed data.
AllenHark
AllenHark is built for MEV searchers, trading desks and bot operators. Each piece is a product with a published price, paid on-chain:
- RPC: JSON-RPC and WebSocket, $49 a month, Frankfurt or Amsterdam, access by IP allowlist.
- Yellowstone gRPC: $5 a day or $99 a month.
- ShredStream: data while the block is still being built, from $10 a day.
- AllenHark Relay and Slipstream for landing transactions.
- Servers in Frankfurt, Amsterdam and Chicago.
Where AllenHark wins: a bot that reads the chain, lands transactions and runs on a server next to both, bought as parts from one place.
Where it is not the pick: a consumer dApp, an NFT marketplace or a wallet. Helius fits those better.
Recommendation by persona
You're a solo trader or small team running bots
Start with AllenHark for sniping or arbitrage. The PumpFun sniper removes most of the setup work. If you also need general RPC for application glue, a Helius free plan pairs well.
You're building a consumer dApp or wallet
Start with Helius. DAS, Enhanced Transactions and webhooks save weeks of work. QuickNode is a close second if you are multi-chain.
You're running an MEV desk or quant fund
Run your servers where your data is, with AllenHark for streams, shreds and landing, and keep a second provider for general RPC as a fallback.
You're an enterprise moving onto Solana
Chainstack or a Triton contract, with compliance and contract terms as the first filter.
You're building an analytics or data product
Shyft for the indexed data, and Helius for raw feeds Shyft doesn't cover.
The honest caveat
RPC comparisons age quickly: providers change infrastructure, pricing and products all the time. Treat this page as a map, not a benchmark, and before any serious commitment run your own tests from the region your workload runs in.
Moving off one provider? See the guide to Helius alternatives.
Frequently asked questions
How do I compare Solana RPC providers on speed?
Measure from where your code runs. Speed depends on the distance between your server and the endpoint, the method you call and how busy the network is, so a figure measured elsewhere tells you little. Run the same requests against each provider from your own region, at the times you trade, before you commit.
What are stake-weighted connections (SWQoS), and do they matter?
Solana leaders reserve part of their inbound capacity for connections from staked validators, in proportion to stake. A provider that forwards your transactions over such a connection can get them through congestion more often. Ask each provider whether sendTransaction uses one. AllenHark RPC passes sendTransaction through unchanged; for landing, use the AllenHark Relay or Slipstream.
Do I need a paid RPC for a production dApp?
Yes, if you expect real traffic. The public endpoint (api.mainnet-beta.solana.com) is rate-limited and not meant for production. Free plans from the larger providers are fine while you build; move to a paid plan before launch.
What is the difference between Helius and QuickNode?
Helius is Solana-only and has built Solana-specific APIs such as DAS for digital assets, Enhanced Transactions and webhooks. QuickNode covers many chains, so it suits teams that want one vendor across ecosystems. For Solana-only work that leans on those APIs, Helius; for several chains, QuickNode.
How does AllenHark compare for trading workloads?
AllenHark is built for MEV searchers, trading desks and bot operators rather than dApps. It sells the pieces a trading system needs, each with a published price: RPC at $49 a month, Yellowstone gRPC from $5 a day, ShredStream from $10 a day, the AllenHark Relay and Slipstream for landing, and servers in Frankfurt, Amsterdam and Chicago. For a wallet or a marketplace, Helius or QuickNode will usually fit better.
What about Shyft, Chainstack and Alchemy?
Shyft pairs gRPC with indexed data (token holders, NFT metadata, DeFi positions) so you don't run your own indexer. Chainstack is enterprise-focused and multi-chain. Alchemy brings its Ethereum tooling to Solana. All are credible; pick on the workload.
How do I pick the right Solana RPC provider?
Work back from your use case. Consumer dApp or wallet: Helius or QuickNode. NFT marketplace or DAS-heavy app: Helius. Indexed-data app: Shyft, or Helius with caching. MEV, HFT or a trading desk: AllenHark, or Triton One. Enterprise procurement: Chainstack or a Triton contract. Several chains: QuickNode or Chainstack.
Evaluating AllenHark for a trading workload?
RPC for $49 a month, billed by the month, not by the call. Paid on-chain; Frankfurt or Amsterdam.