indexer.ink

← All comparisons

Covalent (GoldRush) vs The Graph

How Covalent (GoldRush) and The Graph differ on type, speed, chains and developer experience.

Covalent (GoldRush)The Graph
TypeData APIDecentralized protocol
How it worksGoldRush by Covalent serves a unified REST/GraphQL API over standardized blockchain data (the Block Specimen model), so you read multichain data without running your own indexer.Define a subgraph (schema + mappings); independent indexers stake GRT to index it and serve GraphQL queries. The hosted service was fully deprecated in 2026 — everything now runs on the decentralized network.
Chains100+55+
SpeedAPIBaseline
CodingREST / GraphQLAssemblyScript
Best forQuick multichain reads & dashboardsDecentralized, censorship-resistant data

Covalent (GoldRush)

  • No indexer to build — just call the API
  • Standardized multichain data
  • Great for dashboards & analytics
  • Less custom than a real indexer
  • API rate limits / pricing

The Graph

  • Most battle-tested & widely adopted
  • Decentralized + censorship-resistant
  • Huge subgraph ecosystem
  • Slowest in sync benchmarks
  • Hosted service deprecated (migration needed)

Bottom line

Pick Covalent (GoldRush) for quick multichain reads & dashboards; pick The Graph for decentralized, censorship-resistant data.