📢 Disclosure: CoinCodeCap may earn affiliate commission when you sign up via links in this article. Our reviews remain editorially independent — we test products, validate claims, and report honestly. API pricing and rate limits change frequently; verify on the provider’s pricing page before committing.
The Ethereum ecosystem has expanded far beyond DeFi and NFTs — supply chain tracking, DAOs, decentralized identity, and L2 rollups all run on top of it. Building anything on Ethereum starts with the right API: a programmatic doorway into transactions, blocks, smart contracts, token transfers, and wallet activity. Pick the right one and months of node-running and indexing work disappear.
This guide ranks the 8 best Ethereum APIs based on coverage, latency, developer experience, and pricing — led by Bitquery for full on-chain plus DEX data via GraphQL across 40+ chains, with CoinStats API at #3 for portfolio aggregation across Ethereum wallets, exchanges, and DeFi positions. Whether you’re indexing token flows, building a trading bot, or tracking smart contract events, the right pick is below.
⚡ TL;DR — Best Ethereum APIs
- 🥇 Best on-chain + DEX data: Bitquery — GraphQL, 40+ chains, real-time DEX trades, mempool data
- 🔍 Best block explorer API: Etherscan — verified contracts, transaction lookup, token metadata
- 💼 Best portfolio + multi-wallet: CoinStats API — 600+ exchanges, 5M+ wallets, DeFi positions
- 🌐 Best general-purpose RPC: Infura — Ethereum nodes, IPFS, multi-network access
- ⚙️ Best for dApp builders: Alchemy — enhanced APIs, Web3.js integration, debugging
- 🪙 Best for ERC-20 tokens: Ethplorer — token-focused data and transfer history
- 📊 Best for price + market data: CryptoCompare — real-time prices, OHLCV, news feeds
- ⚡ Best mempool tracking: Blocknative — pending transactions, MEV detection, gas estimation
📖 How We Ranked These APIs
- Coverage — Ethereum mainnet, L2s (Arbitrum, Optimism, Base), testnets, and supporting EVM chains
- Data types — transactions, blocks, smart contract events, token transfers, mempool, DEX trades
- Delivery options — REST, WebSocket, GraphQL, JSON-RPC, gRPC
- Developer experience — documentation quality, SDKs, error handling, response formats
- Pricing transparency — public free tiers and predictable rate limits vs custom enterprise quotes
- Reliability — uptime, multi-node failover, historical replay capability
We don’t accept payment for favourable rankings — affiliate disclosure is transparent above. Pricing was verified directly from each provider’s website at the time of publication.
Table of Contents
1. Bitquery — Best On-Chain + DEX Data API for Ethereum
🥇 OUR #1 PICK
Bitquery is the most comprehensive Ethereum API for teams that need real on-chain data alongside DEX trades and market prices. While most APIs focus on basic RPC methods or centralised exchange feeds, Bitquery exposes the underlying blockchain: every Uniswap swap, every ERC-20 transfer, every smart contract event, every mempool transaction — queryable in real time via GraphQL, REST, or WebSocket.
The GraphQL interface lets you compose complex queries (e.g. “all swaps by wallet X across Uniswap, Sushiswap, and Curve in the last 24 hours”) in a single request rather than stitching together multiple endpoints. Coverage extends across all major Ethereum L2s — Arbitrum, Optimism, Base, Polygon — plus 35+ other chains, so the same API serves your multi-chain roadmap. The free tier offers 10k queries/month for prototypes; paid tiers start at $49/month.
Key features
- Full Ethereum + L2 coverage — Mainnet, Arbitrum, Optimism, Base, Polygon, plus 35+ EVM chains
- GraphQL-first with REST and WebSocket — compose multi-entity queries in one call
- Real-time DEX trades from Uniswap V2/V3, Sushiswap, Curve, Balancer, 1inch, and 100+ DEXes
- Mempool data for MEV analysis, front-run detection, and pending transaction monitoring
- Smart contract events — token transfers, NFT mints, contract calls, all decoded
- Money flow analysis — track funds across wallets and bridges for compliance
- Historical depth from genesis block — full backfills available
Bitquery Pricing
| Plan | Price | API Calls/min | Points/month | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 10 | 10K | Prototypes |
| Developer | $49/mo | 60 | 3M | Small projects |
| Startup | $99/mo | 180 | 10M | Production apps |
| Pro | $249/mo | 480 | 40M | High-volume |
| Enterprise | Custom | Unlimited | Unlimited | Institutional |
2. Etherscan API — Best Block Explorer API
Etherscan is the most-used Ethereum block explorer, and its API exposes the same data programmatically — verified contracts, transaction lookups, ABI definitions, gas tracker, and token metadata. For wallet apps, transaction explainers, contract verification flows, and any tool that needs reliable lookups without running a node, Etherscan is the standard.
Key features
- Detailed transaction data — sender, recipient, value, hash, gas used
- ERC-20, ERC-721, and ERC-1155 token transfer history
- Verified smart contract source code and ABIs
- Gas tracker with real-time gas price recommendations
- NFT-related data including ownership, transfers, and metadata
Etherscan Pricing
- Free — 5 calls/sec, 100k calls/day
- Standard — higher rate limits for production use
- Advanced/Professional — enterprise quotas with priority support
3. CoinStats API — Best for Portfolio & Multi-Wallet Data
⭐ EDITOR’S PICK — PORTFOLIO API
CoinStats API powers one of the largest crypto portfolio tracking ecosystems globally — and the same data infrastructure is available to developers building Ethereum portfolio dashboards, multi-wallet analytics tools, and DeFi-aware applications. Where Bitquery shines on raw on-chain queries and Etherscan on verified contract data, CoinStats fills a different niche: ready-made portfolio aggregation across 600+ exchanges and 5M+ wallets with DeFi position tracking baked in.
For Ethereum-focused builders, CoinStats handles the harder problems — wallet balance tracking across mainnet plus L2s, DeFi protocol positions (Aave lending, Lido staking, Uniswap V3 LP positions), and centralised exchange portfolio sync via API keys. If you’d otherwise need to integrate dozens of chain RPCs and exchange APIs separately, CoinStats consolidates that into one REST API.
Key features
- 600+ exchanges integrated for portfolio sync via API keys
- 5M+ wallets trackable across Ethereum mainnet, Arbitrum, Optimism, Base, Polygon, plus other chains
- DeFi position data — Aave, Compound, Lido, Uniswap V3 LPs, yield farms tracked automatically
- Real-time prices on 8,000+ assets with OHLCV history
- News & sentiment feed integrated alongside market data
- Webhooks for portfolio events (deposits, withdrawals, position changes)
CoinStats Pricing
- Free tier — limited rate, ideal for testing
- Basic $49/mo — production-ready quotas for small apps
- Plus $149/mo — higher limits with portfolio sync access
- Pro $499/mo — full portfolio + DeFi data at scale
- Enterprise (custom) — white-label and SLAs
4. Infura API — Best General-Purpose Ethereum RPC
Infura, owned by ConsenSys, is one of the most-used Ethereum infrastructure providers. It gives developers access to Ethereum nodes without running their own — JSON-RPC endpoints for transactions, blocks, smart contracts, plus IPFS integration for decentralised file storage. For dApps that need reliable node access without DevOps overhead, Infura is the default starting point.
Key features
- Standard JSON-RPC access to Ethereum mainnet, testnets, plus L2s
- Send transactions, deploy contracts, interact with smart contracts
- Subscribe to blockchain events for real-time application updates
- IPFS integration for decentralised file storage and retrieval
- Multi-network support — Ethereum, Polygon, Arbitrum, Optimism, Linea, more
Infura Pricing
- Free Core — 100k requests/day across networks
- Developer $50/mo — 200k requests/day, archive data access
- Team $225/mo — higher quotas with team management
- Growth/Custom — enterprise SLAs and dedicated infrastructure
5. Alchemy API — Best for dApp Builders
Alchemy provides Ethereum node access plus enhanced APIs that simplify common dApp patterns — getting all NFTs by wallet, tracking token balances across addresses, monitoring contract events without running an indexer. For builders who want infrastructure plus higher-level abstractions in one place, Alchemy reduces the boilerplate that pure RPC providers leave to the developer.
Key features
- Ethereum node access with enhanced JSON-RPC methods
- NFT API — fetch all NFTs for a wallet, get NFT metadata, track ownership changes
- Token API — balances, allowances, transfer history across ERC-20s
- Webhooks for real-time event notifications without polling
- Composer tool for testing and debugging RPC calls
- Strong Web3.js, Ethers.js, and Viem integration
Alchemy Pricing
- Free — 300M compute units/month, ideal for testing
- Growth $49/mo — 400M compute units, higher rate limits
- Scale $289/mo — production-grade with priority support
- Enterprise — custom pricing and dedicated infrastructure
6. Ethplorer API — Best for ERC-20 Token Data
Ethplorer specialises in ERC-20 token data — token holdings per address, transfer history, top holders, and price/volume metrics for thousands of Ethereum tokens. While Etherscan covers everything, Ethplorer’s token-first design makes it faster for use cases where you only care about token activity rather than every transaction or contract event.
Key features
- Detailed token holdings per address with price valuation
- ERC-20 and ERC-721 transfer history
- Top token holders for any contract
- Token info — name, symbol, decimals, supply, market cap
- NFT data including transfers and ownership
Ethplorer Pricing
- Free — limited rate, basic endpoints
- Pro — paid plans for higher quotas and premium endpoints
7. CryptoCompare API — Best for Price & Market Data
CryptoCompare (now part of CoinDesk Data) delivers real-time and historical Ethereum-related market data — ETH and ERC-20 token prices, OHLCV history, exchange-level trades, and aggregated indices. For dashboards, charting tools, or any app that needs reliable price feeds rather than raw chain data, CryptoCompare is the workhorse.
Key features
- Real-time and historical ETH plus ERC-20 token prices
- OHLCV candle data across multiple timeframes and exchanges
- News feeds and articles aggregated from major crypto media
- Trade-level data with exchange attribution
- WebSocket streams for real-time price updates
CryptoCompare Pricing
- Personal Free — 100k calls/month, basic endpoints
- Professional $79.99/mo — 250k calls/month, OHLCV access
- Corporate $199.99/mo — 750k calls/month, full data access
- Enterprise — custom pricing and licensing
8. Blocknative API — Best for Mempool & Pending Transactions
Blocknative specialises in mempool monitoring and pending transaction insights — exactly what you need for MEV bots, gas estimation tools, and any app that reacts to transactions before they’re mined. Where most Ethereum APIs only show confirmed data, Blocknative streams the pending state in real time, with detection for replacement, cancellation, and confirmation events.
Key features
- Real-time mempool tracking with pending transaction streams
- Gas Platform — accurate gas price predictions for next block inclusion
- Transaction lifecycle events — pending, confirmed, dropped, replaced
- MEV detection signals for sandwich and front-running attacks
- Multi-chain mempool support across Ethereum and L2s
Blocknative Pricing
- Free — limited mempool subscriptions and gas API access
- Developer/Pro — paid plans for higher quotas and premium endpoints
- Enterprise — custom pricing for institutional MEV and trading infrastructure
Side-by-Side Comparison
| API | Best For | Free Tier | Entry Paid | Delivery |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bitquery | On-chain + DEX + multi-chain | 10k queries/mo | $49/mo | GraphQL, REST, WebSocket |
| Etherscan | Block explorer + contracts | 100k calls/day | Custom | REST |
| CoinStats API | Portfolio + multi-wallet | Yes (rate-limited) | $49/mo | REST, webhooks |
| Infura | General-purpose RPC | 100k req/day | $50/mo | JSON-RPC, WebSocket |
| Alchemy | dApp builders + enhanced APIs | 300M CU/mo | $49/mo | JSON-RPC, REST, WS |
| Ethplorer | ERC-20 token data | Free (limited) | Pro tier | REST |
| CryptoCompare | Price + market data | 100k calls/mo | $79.99/mo | REST, WebSocket |
| Blocknative | Mempool + pending tx | Free (limited) | Custom | WebSocket, REST |
How to Choose the Right Ethereum API
- Building a DEX analytics tool or trading bot? Start with Bitquery — its GraphQL interface and DEX coverage handle real swap data that no node-only RPC can match.
- Building a portfolio tracker or DeFi dashboard? CoinStats API saves months of integration — 600+ exchange syncs, 5M+ wallets, and DeFi position data come pre-built.
- Building a wallet or transaction explainer? Etherscan covers verified contracts, ABIs, and lookup data better than anyone.
- Building a dApp that needs node access? Infura or Alchemy — Infura for raw JSON-RPC, Alchemy if you want enhanced APIs and NFT helpers.
- Building MEV bots or gas tools? Blocknative’s mempool streams are essential — pair with Bitquery for confirmed-trade context. See our guide on how to make a crypto trading bot for the full stack.
- Building a charting or research tool? CryptoCompare for price/OHLCV, Ethplorer for token-level views.
Frequently Asked Questions
💡 Bottom Line
For most Ethereum builders, Bitquery is the right starting point — its GraphQL interface, DEX coverage, mempool data, and L2 support handle the majority of on-chain needs in a single API. CoinStats API is the right pick when you specifically need portfolio aggregation across exchanges and wallets. Etherscan remains the standard for verified contracts and explorer-style lookups.
For raw node access, Infura or Alchemy. For mempool and MEV work, Blocknative. For ERC-20 token specifics, Ethplorer. For prices, CryptoCompare. The right answer almost always involves combining 2–3 of these — start with the free tiers, validate the data, then upgrade where you need higher quotas.
Continue Reading
- API guides: Best Crypto Market Data APIs · 8 Best Cryptocurrency APIs for Developers · Best CoinGecko API Alternatives
- Chain-specific APIs: Best Solana APIs for Trading Bots · Best Crypto API for Developers
- Trading bots & tools: Best Crypto Trading Bots · Free Open Source Trading Bots
