Tenderly vs The Graph: Debugging vs Indexing
Tenderly and The Graph address different stages of Web3 engineering. Tenderly is a centralized developer platform focused on smart contract simulation, visual debugging, and virtual testing across more than 50 EVM networks. It lets teams inspect code line-by-line, run private Virtual TestNets, and trace transaction failures before deployment.
The Graph is an open-source decentralized data indexing protocol operating across more than 60 blockchains. Rather than debugging execution logic, it extracts on-chain events into structured GraphQL APIs via independent indexers. While Tenderly provides infrastructure and live debugging tools with Node RPC locked behind paid tiers, The Graph charges for data retrieval starting at $20 per million queries with 100,000 free queries per month.
Quick verdict
The core distinction comes down to development diagnostics versus live application data querying. Tenderly provides a specialized sandbox for inspecting execution traces, running simulations, and monitoring contract balances directly. The Graph provides decentralized query pipelines to display contract states and historical activity inside application interfaces.
Choose Tenderly if you need to debug smart contract execution line-by-line, test cross-chain flows on Virtual TestNets, or simulate transactions across EVM networks before broadcasting them on-chain.
Choose The Graph if you build decentralized frontends that require structured GraphQL querying, need multichain data extraction across non-EVM chains like NEAR, or prefer decentralized indexing operated by independent node runners.
| Feature | ||
|---|---|---|
| Ratings | ||
| Our score | 4.3/5 | 4.2/5 |
| User rating | No reviews yet | No reviews yet |
| Reliability | 4.5 | 4.5 |
| Chain coverage | 4.5 | 4.5 |
| Pricing | 3.5 | 4.0 |
| Developer experience | 5.0 | 4.5 |
| Support | 4.0 | 3.5 |
| Specs | ||
| Services | Developer tooling | Indexing |
| Chains supported | 50 | 60 |
| Free tier | Yes | Yes |
| Pricing from | Not disclosed | $20 per million queries |
| Open source | Not disclosed | Yes |
| Token | Not disclosed | GRT |
| Uptime SLA | Not disclosed | 99.99% |
| Free tier limits | Not disclosed | 100,000 queries per month |
| Company | ||
| Founded | 2018 | 2018 |
| Headquarters | United States | — |
| Investors | Spark Capital | Digital Currency Group, Multicoin Capital, Reciprocal Ventures, Tiger Global Management +15 |
| Strengths and weaknesses | ||
| Pros |
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| Cons |
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| Best for | Smart contract protocol developers, DeFi risk engineering teams, Institutions managing multisig governance | Dapp frontend developers, DeFi protocol data teams, Cross-chain analytics platforms |
Highlighted cells show the stronger value in each row. Data comes from each provider's site and public sources; check details before you sign up.
FAQ
What is the primary difference between Tenderly and The Graph?
Tenderly is a developer debugging and simulation platform, while The Graph is an on-chain data indexing and query protocol. Tenderly helps engineers test code and inspect transaction traces, whereas The Graph lets frontend applications retrieve organized smart contract data via GraphQL.
Do Tenderly and The Graph have free tiers?
Yes, both offer free access. Tenderly includes basic debugging and transaction simulation on its free tier, while The Graph provides 100,000 free monthly queries in Subgraph Studio.
Which networks do Tenderly and The Graph support?
Tenderly focuses exclusively on EVM networks across 50 supported chains. The Graph indexes data across more than 60 networks, including EVM chains and non-EVM blockchains such as NEAR.
Does Tenderly use a cryptocurrency token like The Graph?
No, Tenderly operates as a traditional software company without a native token. The Graph relies on its native utility token, GRT, for query fee settlement, indexer staking, and network coordination.