Ankr is one of the most useful free Ethereum RPC providers for developers who want public endpoints, freemium API access and broad Web3 infrastructure. It is not the same polished developer suite as Alchemy, but it is a strong choice when free monthly capacity matters.
Quick answer: Ankr is best for developers who want generous free or freemium Ethereum RPC access and can work within public-rate-limit constraints. For the full ranking, read Coinsaga’s guide to the best free Ethereum RPC node providers.
What Is Ankr Ethereum RPC?
Ankr’s RPC Service gives developers endpoints that let Web3 apps interact with supported blockchains, including Ethereum. Apps can use Ankr’s Node API to query blockchain data, test RPC methods, view usage statistics and connect to supported networks.
For Ethereum builders, this means an app can read blocks, call smart contracts, fetch logs, send signed transactions and build basic dApp infrastructure without running an Ethereum node.
Ankr Free and Freemium Snapshot
| Feature | Ankr Public / Freemium |
|---|---|
| Public endpoints | Free |
| Freemium credits | 200M API credits monthly |
| Rate limits | Public rate limits |
| Node API | Included |
| Advanced API | Freemium and Premium |
| Full and archive data | Included |
| Connection | HTTPS on Public and Freemium |
| WebSockets | Premium only |
| Debug / Trace API | Premium only |
| Support | Community support on Public/Freemium |
Ankr says Freemium accounts receive 200 million API credits monthly under Public rate limits. Credits renew monthly, with no overdraft.
Why Developers Choose Ankr
- Free public RPC endpoints
- 200M monthly API credits on Freemium
- Broad multichain support
- Node API for standard RPC workflows
- Advanced API access on Freemium
- Usage statistics and method testing
- Upgrade path to Premium for stronger performance
Main Limitations
The biggest Ankr limitation is that free and freemium access runs under public rate limits. That makes it useful for prototypes, small apps and backup endpoints, but less ideal as the only RPC layer for serious production.
Another important detail is connection type. Ankr’s service plan table lists HTTPS for Public and Freemium, while Premium includes HTTPS and WebSocket access. Developers who need event subscriptions, live updates or WSS workflows should review the Premium plan.
Best Use Cases
Ankr is best for:
- Ethereum app prototypes
- Backup RPC endpoints
- Multichain dashboards
- Smart contract scripts
- Low-cost Web3 experiments
- Developers who want public endpoint access before paying
It is less ideal for apps that need guaranteed priority, WebSockets, private endpoints, Debug API or Trace API on the free tier.
Ankr vs Alchemy, Infura and Chainstack
Ankr is strongest when you want generous freemium usage and public RPC access. Alchemy is better for developer tooling and Smart WebSockets. Infura is better for a long-running Ethereum infrastructure brand with a daily credit model. Chainstack is better if you want a simple no-trial plan with clear monthly requests.
Final Verdict
Ankr is a strong free Ethereum RPC provider in 2026, especially for developers who value public access and a large freemium credit allowance. Its main trade-off is that free users must accept public rate limits and HTTPS-only access. For production apps, Ankr works best as part of a broader RPC setup with monitoring, retries and backup providers.
