When should I use The Graph instead of GoldRush?

When you need protocol-specific data shapes that do not fit a generic API (for example position tracking inside a specific DEX or governance state on a specific DAO), or you want a decentralized indexing network. The Graph's Token API (GA) now also covers wallet, NFT, and price basics without a subgraph, currently on about 10 chains. For broad, generally available decoded primitives across 100+ chains, GoldRush is the wider option.

Yes. Using GoldRush for cross-cutting wallet, NFT, and pricing primitives, plus a subgraph for one protocol-specific data shape, is a common stack.

Where can I ask follow-up questions?

Drop into the open GoldRush Discord at discord.gg/wTkSjU6ZhU. The engineering team and other builders hang out there.

API comparison

GoldRush vs The Graph

API-first decoded data vs decentralized subgraph indexing.

The Graph is best known as a decentralized indexing protocol: you write a subgraph that maps events to entities and query it over GraphQL. It now also offers a Token API (GA) with REST balances, NFT, and price endpoints that need no subgraph, currently across about 10 chains. GoldRush is a production, GA decoded-data API across 100+ chains. Pick GoldRush for broad, ready-to-use multichain primitives today. Pick The Graph when you need custom protocol indexing via subgraphs, or its decentralized network.

Try GoldRush free View docs

Verify current details on The Graph.

Broad coverage, no subgraphBroader chain coverage

GoldRushvs The Graph

Decoded-data chains100+ chainsvs ~~~10 (Token API)~~

Decoded-data APIGAvs GA

Data beyond the basicsREST + subsvs ~~Build a subgraph~~

Why teams choose GoldRush over The Graph

The differences that matter when you're shipping multichain data, drawn from each product's public docs and pricing.

Broad coverage, no subgraph

Decoded balances, NFTs, and prices across 100+ chains. The Graph's no-subgraph Token API is GA and covers about 10 chains.

Broader chain coverage

Decoded balances, NFTs, and prices across 100+ chains. The Graph's Token API covers about 10 chains.

Custom data without indexing ops

For data beyond the Token API basics, The Graph requires authoring and operating a subgraph. GoldRush stays a managed API call.

x402 on both, broader data on GoldRush

Both ship x402 pay-per-request. GoldRush pairs it with wider chain coverage and OHLCV/DEX analytics.

Best for

GoldRush

Teams that want broad, production-ready multichain data primitives in minutes, GA across 100+ chains, with x402 for agents.

The Graph

Teams that need protocol-specific custom-indexed data via subgraphs, or a decentralized indexing network.

Feature comparison

Data sourced from public documentation.

Feature	GoldRush	The Graph
Time to first data	Minutes, one API call	Instant (Token API); hours–days (subgraph build)
Chain coverage (decoded data)	100+	~10 (Token API GA)
Subgraph networks	n/a	60+
No subgraph required for basics The Graph via Token API (GA)	Yes	Yes
Decoded wallet balances The Graph via Token API (GA)	Yes	Yes
NFT metadata Token API (GA)	Yes	Yes
Token prices and OHLCV Token API has prices + OHLC	Yes	Yes
Custom protocol indexing	Limited	Excellent
x402 pay-per-request The Graph ships x402 via its Graph Gateway	Yes	Yes
Decentralized indexing	No	Yes

Pricing

Current rates as published by each provider.

GoldRush

14-day trial (100k credits, 5 req/s, no card)$0/mo
Vibe Coding$10/mo
Professional$250/mo
Inner Circle (Enterprise SLA)Custom
x402 (No signup, autonomous agents)Pay-per-request

The Graph

Free queries (Studio hosted service quota)Free up to a quota
Pay-per-query (Decentralized network, varies by subgraph)Per-query fee in GRT
EnterpriseCustom

Pricing details sourced from The Graph. Verify on their site for current rates.

Code: Get a user's NFT holdings on Ethereum

Same task, both APIs. Read top to bottom to see request shape and how much data each call returns.

GoldRush

// GoldRush: one call, decoded, with metadata and traits
const res = await fetch(
  "https://api.covalenthq.com/v1/eth-mainnet/" +
  "address/0xd8da.../balances_nft/",
  { headers: { Authorization: "Bearer " + process.env.GOLDRUSH_API_KEY } }
);

The Graph

// The Graph: query a custom subgraph you author
const query = `{
  account(id: "0xd8da...") {
    tokens {
      id
      tokenURI
      collection { name symbol }
    }
  }
}`;
const res = await fetch(SUBGRAPH_URL, {
  method: "POST",
  headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" },
  body: JSON.stringify({ query }),
});
// Metadata is not fetched. You resolve tokenURI yourself.

Frequently asked questions

Querying public subgraphs on the decentralized network costs a per-query fee paid in GRT, which varies by subgraph. The hosted Studio service includes a free query quota. Authoring and maintaining your own subgraph also costs development time and curation signal.