The Graph vs Substreams vs Envio: Indexer Comparison

Frequently Asked Questions

01.How much does blockchain indexing cost?

The Graph Network charges per GRT query fees, with hosted alternatives like Goldsky, Alchemy Subgraphs, or Envio's hosted service billing by indexer CPU-time, storage, or query volume. Self-hosting Graph Node or Envio locally eliminates query fees but shifts cost to infrastructure at production scale, plus the engineering time required to harden the indexer.

02.What language does Envio use?

Envio HyperIndex supports event handlers written in TypeScript, JavaScript, and ReScript, running on a Node.js runtime. This contrasts with subgraphs' AssemblyScript mappings and Substreams' Rust modules, making Envio the most accessible option for JavaScript-native Web3 development teams.

03.When should I choose Substreams over a subgraph?

Choose Substreams when you need parallel, streaming-first processing across high-throughput chains such as Solana, or when your indexer consumes raw blocks directly and writes to custom sinks like PostgreSQL, Kafka, or a subgraph. Subgraphs remain simpler for standard EVM read-models and GraphQL APIs with smaller data volumes.

04.Is The Graph still relevant in 2026?

Yes. The Graph Network indexes more than 90 chains and has served over 1.27 trillion queries across thousands of subgraphs, making it the default indexing layer for most production dApps. Substreams, built by StreamingFast and integrated with The Graph, extends this ecosystem for high-performance use cases that sequential subgraphs cannot handle.

05.What is the fastest blockchain indexer in 2026?

Envio HyperIndex publishes benchmarks showing the fastest historical sync for common EVM workloads, claiming over 10,000 events per second on multi-contract indexing. Substreams is the fastest streaming-first option for high-throughput parallel processing on chains like Solana. The Graph's subgraphs remain the most mature choice but are slower on initial sync for deep histories.