Best Blockchain Indexers in 2026: Real Benchmark Comparison
Choosing a blockchain indexer should be straightforward, but most comparisons rely on self-reported metrics or product descriptions rather than independently benchmarked data and publicly verifiable sources.
This article takes a different approach. Every claim is backed by public documentation or third-party benchmarks, with clear notes where only self-reported data exists.
We cover seven blockchain indexers: Envio, The Graph (Subgraphs), Goldsky, SubQuery, Subsquid (SQD), Ormi and Ponder.
If you would like to review the raw benchmark data yourself, it is fully open: https://github.com/enviodev/open-indexer-benchmark
An open, honest, and objective benchmark for blockchain indexers across EVM, Solana, and more. It compares historical backfill speed, latency, data storage, developer experience, and anything else that matters.
We welcome anyone to contribute, run it, test it, and explore the results. We encourage you to share what you find.
What is a blockchain indexer?
A blockchain indexer is a system that listens to blockchain events, organises raw onchain data (transactions, logs, state changes, and blocks) into structured, queryable formats, and exposes that data via APIs. Without an indexer, developers would need to query raw RPC endpoints for every piece of data, which is slow, expensive, and impractical at scale.
Custom indexing frameworks (the focus of this article) let you define exactly what data to track, write handlers that transform onchain events into your own data model, and query the results via a GraphQL or SQL API. This is different from pre-built data APIs like Dune Analytics or Covalent, which expose pre-indexed, read-only data that you query but cannot customise. Want a deeper breakdown? Check out our blog “What is a Blockchain Indexer”. Or watch our intro tutorial “How to set up a blockchain indexer” on YouTube.
TL;DR: Quick verdict
| Indexer | Best For |
|---|---|
| Envio | The fastest independently benchmarked EVM indexer. True wildcard indexing, multichain in a single indexer, TypeScript throughout. Fully managed or self-hosted. |
| The Graph | Ecosystem access, existing public subgraphs, decentralised network |
| Goldsky | Managed subgraphs plus real-time data streaming to your own database |
| SubQuery | Non-EVM chains, broadest network coverage |
| Subsquid (SQD) | Fast historical backfills, non-EVM |
| Ormi | Fully managed, Graph-compatible |
| Ponder | Self-hosted TypeScript stack, full control |
How we evaluated
Feature lists rarely tell the full story. We evaluated each indexer on six criteria that matter in production:
-
Indexing speed: How fast can it sync historical data and stay at the chain head? We used the open benchmark results from Sentio (April 2025) as our primary reference, cross-checked against each indexer's own documentation.
-
Feature completeness: Does it support event handlers, block handlers, wildcard indexing, and multichain from a single indexer? These are not nice-to-haves once you are building at scale.
-
Developer experience: What language do you write handlers in? TypeScript is the standard. AssemblyScript adds friction.
-
Chain support: EVM-only vs multi-ecosystem matters depending on what you are building.
-
Operational model: Fully managed vs self-hosted vs decentralised. Each has real trade-offs.
-
AI compatibility: Does the indexer have first-class support for AI-assisted development workflows? This includes Claude Code markdown, Claude skills, and tooling that integrates naturally into AI-native development environments.
The rankings
#1 Envio: Fastest EVM indexer with one of the most complete feature sets
Best for: Teams building on EVM chains who need the fastest possible indexing with minimal infrastructure overhead.
Envio is the only indexer in this list powered by a proprietary high-performance data engine. HyperSync delivers up to 2000x faster data access than traditional RPC. Two independent benchmarks run by Sentio confirm this: in the LBTC benchmark (April 2025), HyperIndex completed in 3 minutes versus 3 hours 9 minutes for The Graph. In the Uniswap V2 Factory benchmark (May 2025), HyperIndex completed in 1 minute, 15x faster than the nearest competitor (Subsquid), 143x faster than The Graph, and 158x faster than Ponder.
HyperSync's speed also makes HyperIndex the fastest data source for onchain AI agents, where query latency and data freshness directly impact decision quality.
Key strengths:
- Powered by HyperSync, up to 2000x faster than RPC
- Independently benchmarked as fastest in class: 15x faster than nearest competitor, 158x faster than Ponder, 143x faster than The Graph (Sentio, May 2025, Uniswap V2 Factory benchmark)
- Wildcard indexing (only indexer in this list with full support)
- Single indexer across multiple chains with unordered multichain mode
- Write handlers in TypeScript or ReScript (no AssemblyScript required)
- Full block handler support
- Fully managed hosted service available, no infrastructure management required
- White glove migration support for teams moving from any stack
Honest caveats:
HyperSync native support covers 70+ EVM chains and Fuel. For chains not supported by HyperSync, indexing falls back to standard RPC speed, which is subject to the RPS limits of the endpoint. If you need non-EVM chains like Polkadot or Cosmos, SubQuery or Subsquid are better options.
Get started:
pnpx envio init
#2 The Graph: Best for ecosystem access and public subgraphs
Best for: Teams that need access to the existing ecosystem of public subgraphs, or who want a decentralised indexing network.
The Graph pioneered declarative blockchain indexing and remains the most established player in the space. Its decentralised network of indexers and curators provides a layer of resilience that no single managed service can replicate. If you need access to community-maintained subgraphs for major protocols such as Uniswap, Aave, and Compound, The Graph is where those live.
Key strengths:
- Largest ecosystem of existing public subgraphs
- Decentralised network (not reliant on a single vendor's uptime)
- 40+ chains on The Graph Network, 90+ chains total
Honest caveats:
Handlers are written in AssemblyScript, a TypeScript subset compiled to WebAssembly. It is stricter than TypeScript and adds a learning curve. Subgraphs are deployed per chain. There is no native single-subgraph multichain indexing. Based on the April 2025 Sentio benchmarks, The Graph was over 63x slower than HyperIndex on the same workload.
#3 Goldsky: Best for data streaming to your own database
Best for: Teams that want to stream raw blockchain data directly into their own infrastructure alongside managed subgraph hosting.
Goldsky is the most infrastructure-oriented indexer in this list. Its two primary products are Subgraphs (instant GraphQL APIs, fully Graph-compatible, zero maintenance) and Mirror ( streaming of blockchain and some offchain data directly into your own database or data warehouse, no configuration needed). The Mirror product is particularly suited for data-heavy teams who want to own their entire downstream data pipeline.
Key strengths:
- 150+ chains supported
- Fully managed, no infrastructure to run
- Mirror pipelines stream data directly to your own database automatically
- Reorg handling is fully automatic for Mirror pipelines (no configuration needed). For Compose pipelines, reorg handling is built-in but requires configuration via a
depthsetting and a chosen behaviour such asreplayorlog - Graph-compatible subgraphs for instant GraphQL APIs
- Compose product for event-triggered onchain and offchain workflows
Honest caveats:
Goldsky does not support traditional block handlers in the subgraph sense. Their docs do not cover this as a feature. For block-level data access, Goldsky provides pre-indexed Blocks Subgraphs. Block-triggered processing via Compose requires additional setup. Subgraph handlers are written in AssemblyScript (Graph-compatible), not TypeScript. Wildcard indexing is not documented as a feature.
#4 SubQuery: Best for non-EVM chain coverage
Best for: Teams building across EVM and non-EVM ecosystems, including Polkadot, Cosmos, Bitcoin, and more.
SubQuery stands out for its chain coverage. With support for 300+ chains across EVM and non-EVM ecosystems,it is one of the most chain-inclusive indexers in this list. If your product lives on Polkadot or Cosmos and you also need EVM support, SubQuery is the most natural fit for now.
Key strengths:
- 300+ chains, broadest coverage including non-EVM
- Single project can index data across multiple chains
- TypeScript handlers
- Block handlers supported
- Decentralised hosted service via SubQuery Network
Honest caveats:
Data ingestion runs on standard RPC speed. Block handlers are noted in SubQuery's own documentation to slow indexing as they fire on every block.
#5 Subsquid (SQD): Best option with fast historical backfills
Best for: Teams who want fast historical data access, and non-EVM chain support.
Subsquid's decentralised data lake processes historical blockchain data at tens of thousands of blocks per second. SQD describes this approach as up to 1000x faster than traditional methods like subgraphs, based on their own published benchmarks (source).
Key strengths:
- Decentralised data lake, significantly faster than RPC for historical data (SQD’s own claim: up to 1000x faster than traditional methods like subgraphs (source))
- 100+ chains including EVM and non-EVM
- TypeScript handlers
- Block handlers supported
- Factory contract wildcard patterns supported
Honest caveats:
The wildcard support is scoped to factory contract patterns and is not the same as Envio's fully address-free wildcard indexing. Live chain-head performance is not independently benchmarked against the other indexers in this list.
#6 Ormi (0xGraph): Best fully managed option for Graph-compatible subgraphs
Best for: Teams already using The Graph's subgraph standard who want a managed, low-latency alternative without rebuilding their indexing logic.
Ormi's main pitch is a managed, high-performance layer on top of the subgraph standard. If you have existing subgraphs and want to migrate to a lower-latency managed service without rewriting your handlers, Ormi is a credible path. They also offer GraphQL, REST, and SQL query interfaces in a single platform, which is a genuine differentiator.
Key strengths:
- Fully managed service
- GraphQL, REST, and SQL query interfaces
- The Graph subgraph standard compatible
- 70+ EVM chains
Honest caveats:
Ormi's performance claims (sub-30ms query latency at 4,000 RPS) are self-reported and have not been independently verified in third-party benchmarks. Handlers are written in AssemblyScript only, with no native TypeScript support. Wildcard indexing is not documented.
#7 Ponder: Best for self-hosted TypeScript stacks
Best for: Teams with strong DevOps capability who want full control over every layer of their indexing infrastructure.
Ponder is a TypeScript-native, self-hosted indexer designed for developers who want maximum flexibility and no managed dependency. It is clean, well-designed, and has a growing community. If you want to own your entire stack and have the engineering capacity to manage it, Ponder is worth evaluating.
Key strengths:
- TypeScript-native throughout
- Full control over infrastructure
- Block handlers via configurable block intervals
- Multichain support
Honest caveats:
There is no official hosted service. You deploy and manage your own infrastructure. Data ingestion relies on standard RPC endpoints. Not suited for teams who want managed reliability out of the box.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Envio | The Graph | Goldsky | SubQuery | Subsquid (SQD) | Ormi | Ponder |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Event handlers | Yes | Yes | Yes (subgraphs) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Block handlers | Yes | Yes | No direct support. Pre-indexed Blocks Subgraphs available. Compose task triggers for event processing | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes (intervals) |
| Multichain single indexer | Yes | No | No (Mirror can stream multiple chains, but subgraphs are per-chain) | Yes | Yes | No (subgraphs are deployed per chain) | Yes |
| Reorg handling | Yes (automatic, configurable) | Yes | Yes (automatic for Mirror, configurable for Compose) | Yes | Yes | Yes (claimed) | Yes |
| Handler language | TypeScript, JavaScript, ReScript | AssemblyScript | AssemblyScript for subgraphs, TypeScript for Mirror transforms | TypeScript | TypeScript | AssemblyScript | TypeScript |
| GraphQL API | Yes (auto-generated). SQL access available on dedicated plans. | Yes (auto-generated) | Yes (subgraphs) | Yes | Yes | Yes, plus REST and SQL | Yes |
| Hosted service | Yes | Yes (decentralised network) | Yes (fully managed) | Yes (SubQuery Network) | Yes (SQD Network) | Yes (fully managed) | No |
| Wildcard indexing | Yes | No | Not documented | No | Factory patterns only | No | No |
| Supported networks | 70+ EVM chains and Fuel via HyperSync, Solana (experimental) and any EVM via RPC | 40+ on network, 90+ total | 150+ chains | 300+ (EVM and non-EVM) | 100+ (EVM and non-EVM) | 70+ EVM | Any EVM via RPC |
| Independently benchmarked speed | Fastest: 1 min (Sentio Uniswap V2 Factory benchmark, May 2025) | 2h23m (Sentio Uniswap V2 Factory benchmark, May 2025) | Benchmarked (Goldsky_Subgraph, Sentio benchmarks) | Benchmarked (single-contract benchmark) | 15 min (Sentio Uniswap V2 Factory benchmark, May 2025) | Not benchmarked | 2h38m (Sentio Uniswap V2 Factory benchmark, May 2025) |
| White glove migration | Yes | No | No | No | No | Partial | No |
| AI-assisted development | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
How to choose the right blockchain indexer
The right indexer depends on what you are building, which chains you need, and how much infrastructure you want to manage.
If you need the fastest EVM indexing with the most complete feature set. Use Envio. It is the only indexer independently benchmarked as fastest in class, powered by HyperSync rather than standard RPC. It also has wildcard indexing, multichain in a single indexer, TypeScript throughout, a fully managed hosted service, and first-class support for AI-assisted development.
If you need non-EVM chains (Polkadot, Cosmos, Bitcoin, etc.). Use SubQuery (300+ chains) or Subsquid (100+ chains). Both support EVM and non-EVM networks in a single framework.
If you have existing Graph subgraphs and want a managed upgrade. Migrate to Envio for significantly faster indexing with white glove migration support. Or use Goldsky (149+ chains, Mirror streaming, fully managed) or Ormi (fully managed, GraphQL/REST/SQL) for a near-zero-rewrite migration. Both are Graph-compatible.
If you want to stream raw blockchain data into your own database. Use Envio HyperSync for custom pipelines, up to 2000x faster than RPC with client libraries for Python, Rust, Node.js, and Go. Or use Goldsky Mirror for automatic streaming to Postgres and other sinks with no code required.
If you need a self-hosted indexer with maximum performance. Use Envio. It is self-hostable via Docker, powered by HyperSync, and independently benchmarked as the fastest blockchain indexer available. 143x faster than The Graph on the Uniswap V2 Factory benchmark (Sentio, May 2025).
If you need access to the broadest ecosystem of existing community subgraphs. Use The Graph. Its decentralised network has the largest collection of publicly maintained subgraphs for major protocols.
The honest bottom line
For most teams building on EVM chains, Envio HyperIndex is the strongest choice. It is the only indexer in this list independently benchmarked as fastest in class, the only one with true wildcard indexing, and the only one powered by a purpose-built data engine rather than standard RPC. It supports multichain indexing from a single indexer, offers fully managed hosting or self-hosted via Docker, and has white glove migration support for teams moving from The Graph or any other indexer.
If you are not on EVM chains, SubQuery or Subsquid cover the broadest non-EVM network range. If you need access to existing community subgraphs for major protocols, The Graph remains the largest ecosystem for those. For every other use case, start with Envio.
Get started in under 5 minutes: pnpx envio init
Frequently asked questions
What is a blockchain indexer?
A blockchain indexer is a system that listens to onchain events (transactions, logs, state changes, blocks) and organises them into a structured, queryable database. Developers use indexers to build fast, reliable backends for dApps, DeFi protocols, NFT platforms, and analytics tools without querying slow RPC endpoints directly.
What is the fastest blockchain indexer in 2026?
Based on two independent benchmarks run by Sentio, Envio HyperIndex is the fastest blockchain indexer in independent benchmarks. In the Uniswap V2 Factory benchmark (May 2025), HyperIndex completed in 1 minute, 15x faster than the nearest competitor (Subsquid), 143x faster than The Graph, and 158x faster than Ponder. In the LBTC benchmark (April 2025), the same task took 3 minutes with HyperIndex and 3 hours 9 minutes with The Graph. All benchmark data is publicly available.
Which blockchain indexer supports the most chains?
SubQuery supports the most chains at 300+, including both EVM and non-EVM networks such as Polkadot, Cosmos, and Bitcoin. Subsquid supports 100+ chains. Goldsky supports 150+ chains. Envio supports 70+ EVM chains with native HyperSync support for maximum speed, plus any EVM chain via RPC.
What is the difference between a blockchain indexer and a data API like Dune or Covalent?
A custom indexing framework (HyperIndex, The Graph, Ponder, etc.) lets you define exactly what data to track, write handler logic that transforms onchain events into your own schema, and query the results via a generated API. A pre-built data API like Dune Analytics or Covalent exposes pre-indexed, read-only data. You query what they have already indexed, but you cannot define custom indexing logic or schemas. Both are useful, but they solve different problems.
How do I migrate from The Graph to Envio HyperIndex?
HyperIndex has a dedicated migration guide that walks you through it in 3 simple steps. Envio also offers white glove migration support for teams moving from any stack. Reach out to us via Discord for support.
What is HyperSync?
HyperSync is Envio's high-performance blockchain data engine that powers HyperIndex. It provides a low-level data access layer that is up to 2000x faster than traditional JSON-RPC endpoints. HyperSync can also be used directly for custom data pipelines in Python, Rust, Node.js, and Go. It supports 70+ EVM chains and Fuel.
Build With Envio
Envio is the fastest independently benchmarked EVM blockchain indexer for querying real-time and historical data. If you are building onchain and need indexing that keeps up with your chain, check out the docs, run the benchmarks yourself, and come talk to us about your data needs.
Stay tuned for more updates by subscribing to our newsletter, following us on X, or hopping into our Discord.
Website | X | Discord | Telegram | GitHub | YouTube | Reddit