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Free Infura alternative — no credit card required
NodeFlare is a free EVM RPC provider with 3,000,000 compute units per month, no credit card, and eth_getLogs, trace_* and debug_* unlocked on the free tier. It runs on own bare-metal nodes in multiple regions and covers young chains like Robinhood Chain, Arc and Ink. Test supported standard JSON-RPC calls by changing the endpoint URL, then verify compatibility before migrating.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Infura free | NodeFlare free |
|---|---|---|
| Included allowance | 3M Infura credits per day | 3M NodeFlare CU per month |
| Rate limit | 500 credits/second; method-dependent | 10 requests/second |
| eth_call cost | 80 credits | 5 CU |
| eth_getLogs cost | 255 credits | 25 CU; query limits apply |
| Debug / trace | Listed with paid plans | Supported methods included; varies by chain |
| Paid entry | $50/month; 15M credits/day | $10/month; 22.5M CU/month |
Checked 2 October 2026. Credits are provider-specific; daily and monthly quotas are not interchangeable. Method availability and limits vary by chain.
Infura pricing source →Infura method costs →Compare actual request costs →
Test your endpoint migration
This standard eth_blockNumber example uses the same request body. Provider-specific APIs and historical queries need separate compatibility checks.
# Before: Infura (Ethereum mainnet)
curl https://mainnet.infura.io/v3/YOUR_INFURA_KEY \
-X POST -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
-d '{"jsonrpc":"2.0","method":"eth_blockNumber","params":[],"id":1}'
# After: NodeFlare — one URL swap, same JSON-RPC body
curl https://rpc.nodeflare.app/eth/v1/YOUR_NODEFLARE_KEY \
-X POST -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
-d '{"jsonrpc":"2.0","method":"eth_blockNumber","params":[],"id":1}'
# Or test now with no key:
curl https://rpc.nodeflare.app/eth/public \
-X POST -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
-d '{"jsonrpc":"2.0","method":"eth_blockNumber","params":[],"id":1}'Chain slugs: eth, base, arb, op, bnb, polygon, avax — same pattern for every chain we serve.
Explore NodeFlare chain coverage
Check the supported methods and limits for the chains your application needs.
All chains share the same endpoint pattern and API key — swap the slug, nothing else.
Why developers switch
Heavy methods, free
Supported log and trace/debug methods are included within your CU allowance. Method costs and chain-specific limits apply.
Young chains, own nodes
Robinhood Chain, Arc, Ink, Zircuit, Soneium, BOB and Mode on bare-metal nodes — not a pass-through to a third-party API that doesn't support them.
x402 for agents
Call RPC or data endpoints and pay per request in USDC with no account. Designed for AI agents that need on-chain access without human onboarding.
FAQ
Is NodeFlare really free with no credit card?
Yes. Create a free key at nodeflare.app — no credit card, no billing info required. You get 3,000,000 compute units per month. eth_getLogs, trace_* and debug_* are all included without upgrading. The public endpoint (/{chain}/public) lets you test instantly before signing up.
Which methods are unlocked on the free tier?
Supported eth_getLogs, trace and debug methods are included within the CU quota. Availability and block-range limits vary by chain; check the method documentation before migrating.
How do I migrate from Infura to NodeFlare?
For supported standard JSON-RPC calls, replace the endpoint URL and test the same request body. Check archive depth, method support, block ranges and provider-specific APIs separately. Test a representative workload before switching production traffic.
Which chains does NodeFlare cover?
NodeFlare runs nodes for: Robinhood Chain (4663), Arc (5042 — Circle's USDC-native L1), Ink (57073), Zircuit (48900), Soneium (1868), BOB (60808), Mode (34443) and HyperEVM (999) — alongside Ethereum, Base, BNB Chain, Arbitrum, Optimism, Polygon, Avalanche, Unichain, Sonic, and X Layer.
What is Arc and why is it listed here?
Arc is Circle's USDC-native L1 that launched 16 September 2026. USDC is the gas token; gas accounts in 18 decimals. NodeFlare was live on Arc from day one with two regions (Chicago and Frankfurt). Chain ID is 5042 (0x13b2). Check both providers for current network and method coverage.
What is x402 pay-per-call?
x402 lets you call NodeFlare RPC or data endpoints and pay per request in USDC — no account, no API key, no dashboard. Your agent or script attaches a payment to the HTTP request using the x402 protocol; NodeFlare verifies it and processes the call. It is designed for AI agents that need on-chain access without a human setting up an account first.
Is NodeFlare built on Infura's infrastructure?
No. NodeFlare operates its own bare-metal nodes across US-East, US-West, EU and Asia. It is not a reseller or aggregator of third-party node infrastructure. Routing uses our configured regions and failover. Some chains have public upstream backstops; see our documentation for the request path.
Free key in under a minute
3M compute units/month, no credit card. Test the chains and methods your application needs before migrating.