Ankr is a Web3 infrastructure platform that provides blockchain RPC endpoints, APIs and node services across many networks. For Solana developers, Ankr can be used to connect apps to Solana RPC methods without running a validator or maintaining node infrastructure directly.
In our broader guide to free Solana RPC node providers, Ankr appears as a flexible public and freemium RPC option. It is not the most Solana-specialized provider on the list, but it is useful for developers who want quick access, multi-chain support and a clear path from public endpoints to premium RPC services.
The key thing to understand is how Ankr separates Public, Freemium, Premium and Enterprise access.
Quick Answer: What Is Ankr?
Ankr is a blockchain infrastructure provider that offers RPC access through its Web3 API platform. For Solana, Ankr supports standard JSON-RPC methods such as account queries, balance checks, block data, slot information, token account lookups, transaction requests and transaction simulation. Developers can use Ankr for lightweight testing, app development, scripts, dashboards and production infrastructure on paid plans.
Ankr Free and Freemium Plans: What Is Included?
Ankr’s official service-plan docs list four main options: Public, Freemium, Premium and Enterprise.
The Public plan gives developers free public endpoints for blockchain interaction. The Freemium plan is designed to let users try premium-style features before becoming fully Premium. As of July 8, 2026, Ankr’s docs state that Freemium provides 200 million API credits monthly for API interactions.
The important detail is that Freemium access still uses public rate limits. Developers get access to more platform features, but they should not treat it as equivalent to a paid Premium endpoint.
For Solana, Ankr lists the public and freemium Node API rate limit as about 1,800 requests per minute guaranteed across all endpoints, with more possible depending on load. Premium Solana Node API access is listed at up to about 4,000 requests per second per endpoint.
What Are Ankr API Credits?
Ankr uses API credits to measure paid API usage. Its docs state that API credits are pegged to USD, with 0.10 USD equal to 1 million API credits.
Under the paid credit model, Solana RPC over HTTPS is listed at 500 API credits per request, or $0.00005. For Solana WebSocket usage, Ankr also lists 500 API credits for subscriptions and 500 API credits for notifications.
For developers, this means Solana usage should be estimated based on actual request volume. A small script may use very few credits, while a frequently refreshing dashboard or wallet backend can use credits much faster.
What Does Ankr Offer for Solana?
Ankr’s Solana API documentation lists a broad set of supported Solana JSON-RPC methods. These include common calls such as:
getAccountInfo
getBalance
getBlock
getBlockHeight
getEpochInfo
getLatestBlockhash
getProgramAccounts
getSignaturesForAddress
getSlot
getTokenAccountBalance
getTokenAccountsByOwner
getTransaction
sendTransaction
simulateTransactionThis makes Ankr useful for standard Solana app workflows: checking balances, reading accounts, monitoring blocks, submitting transactions, querying token accounts and testing app logic.
Ankr’s docs also show Solana request examples using endpoints such as https://rpc.ankr.com/solana_devnet/YOUR_ANKR_API_KEY, which makes it familiar for developers working with cURL or Solana libraries.
Important Solana Limitation: Transaction History Window
One detail Solana developers should notice is Ankr’s transaction history note. Ankr says its Solana RPC nodes are configured with a ledger size of about 100 million, retaining approximately the last 16 hours of transaction history. Requests such as getTransaction, getBlock or getSignaturesForAddress for older slots may return null or an error.
For many live app workflows, this may be fine. For deeper historical research, explorers, analytics products or backtesting tools, developers may need a Solana archive provider or a dedicated historical data API.
This is a practical limitation to understand before choosing Ankr for analytics-heavy Solana workloads.
Ankr Solana Features
Public RPC Endpoints
Ankr’s Public plan gives developers free RPC access through public endpoints. This is useful for testing, learning, scripts and small experiments that do not require premium performance.
Freemium Monthly API Credits
Freemium provides 200 million API credits per month. It is useful for developers who want to test more of Ankr’s platform before paying, but it still operates under public rate limits.
Solana JSON-RPC Method Support
Ankr supports a wide list of Solana methods, covering account data, balances, slots, blocks, token accounts, transactions, simulation and network information.
WebSocket Support
Ankr’s service-plan comparison lists HTTPS and WebSocket support for Freemium and Premium. WebSockets are useful when apps need to listen for activity instead of polling repeatedly.
Global Node Coverage
Ankr lists global node coverage across Public, Freemium and Premium plans. For developers, global coverage can help with reliability and performance compared with relying on a single local endpoint.
Advanced API Access
Ankr’s Advanced API is available to authenticated users and is included in Freemium and Premium plans. It is designed for indexed multi-chain data workflows and supports SDKs and React Hooks.
Batch Requests
Ankr supports batch requests across service plans. The maximum batch size differs by plan, with public access more limited than Freemium or Premium.
Ankr Pricing: When Should You Upgrade?
Ankr’s free and freemium access can be useful, but production Solana apps should usually evaluate Premium or Enterprise options.
Premium access provides private endpoints, higher performance, larger rate limits, priority order during high traffic, priority support and more advanced features. Ankr’s pay-as-you-go model starts with a minimum deposit of $10 or an equivalent amount in ANKR tokens for Premium features.
You should consider upgrading from public or freemium access when:
- Your app needs private endpoints
- Public rate limits are too restrictive
- You need more predictable performance during high traffic
- You need priority support
- Your app handles real users or transactions
- Your Solana requests exceed the 1,800 requests-per-minute guaranteed public/freemium level
- You need higher batch sizes
- You need deeper usage statistics, multi-project tracking or enterprise support
Who Should Use Ankr for Solana?
Beginners Testing Solana RPC
Ankr is useful for beginners who want to test standard Solana RPC methods without managing node infrastructure. Public endpoints and docs make it approachable for simple scripts and learning.
Multi-Chain Developers
Ankr supports many chains, which makes it helpful for developers building across more than one ecosystem. If a team needs Solana plus EVM chains, Ankr can reduce the need to manage separate providers for every network.
Small Apps and Internal Tools
Small apps, internal dashboards, monitoring scripts and low-traffic tools may fit Ankr’s public or freemium model, especially if they are not mission-critical.
Teams Testing Premium Features
The Freemium plan is useful for developers who want to test Ankr’s premium-style platform features before committing funds to Premium.
Apps That Need Standard Solana Methods
If an app mostly needs standard Solana JSON-RPC methods, Ankr can be a practical option. More specialized Solana apps should compare Ankr with Solana-native providers before deciding.
Ankr Pros and Cons
Pros
- Free public RPC access
- Freemium plan with 200 million API credits monthly
- Supports Solana and many other chains
- Broad Solana JSON-RPC method coverage
- HTTPS and WebSocket support on Freemium and Premium
- Global node coverage
- Clear API credit pricing for Solana requests
- Premium and Enterprise paths for higher-performance needs
Cons
- Freemium still uses public rate limits
- Public and freemium plans are not ideal for production apps
- Solana HTTPS requests cost more API credits than EVM-compatible requests under the paid model
- Solana transaction history has a limited recent-history window in Ankr’s docs
- Developers who need deep Solana-specific tooling may prefer Solana-native providers
- Public endpoint performance can depend on load
Ankr vs Other Solana RPC Providers
Ankr’s main advantage is accessibility. Developers can start with public endpoints, move to Freemium and then upgrade to Premium if the app needs higher performance.
Compared with Helius, Ankr is less Solana-specific but more multi-chain. Compared with Alchemy, Ankr is more focused on RPC and Web3 API service plans than a broad developer dashboard experience. Compared with Chainstack, Ankr’s Freemium plan offers a large API credit allowance, but Chainstack’s free quota may feel easier to estimate. Compared with dRPC, Ankr gives a more clearly documented distinction between public, freemium and premium access.
The best choice depends on your app. If Solana is the core product layer, compare Ankr with Solana-native providers. If your project spans many chains and you want simple public or freemium RPC access, Ankr is worth testing.
Is Ankr Good for Beginners?
Yes. Ankr is beginner-friendly because developers can use public RPC access, review Solana method docs and test standard JSON-RPC requests before paying.
Beginners should still watch rate limits. Public and freemium access may be enough for tutorials, but a dashboard or app that refreshes frequently can hit limits quickly.
Is Ankr Good for Production Solana Apps?
Ankr can be considered for production Solana apps, but production teams should usually use Premium or Enterprise infrastructure rather than relying on Public or Freemium access.
For production, the most important questions are rate limits, endpoint reliability, support, transaction workload, batch size, WebSocket usage and historical data needs. If your app depends on real-time Solana activity or older transaction history, test those workflows carefully before choosing Ankr.
Final Verdict: Should You Use Ankr for Solana RPC?
Ankr is a practical Solana RPC provider for developers who want free public access, a freemium path and broad multi-chain infrastructure. It is especially useful for learning, prototypes, internal tools and small applications.
The Freemium plan is attractive because it includes 200 million API credits monthly, but developers should remember that it still uses public rate limits. For production apps, Ankr’s Premium or Enterprise plans are more relevant.
If you want a quick way to test Solana RPC methods and compare providers, Ankr is worth trying. If you are building a high-traffic Solana wallet, DeFi app, trading tool or analytics product, compare Ankr’s paid plans with Solana-native RPC providers before making the final infrastructure decision.
