Building, deploying, and testing decentralized applications (dapps) is easier than ever, thanks to the growing number of reputable blockchain service providers (also called “Blockchain as a Service providers”) and Web3 infrastructure companies available in 2023. A blockchain service provider saves developers time and resources by creating various node services, application programming interfaces (APIs), and smart contract development frameworks. These tools remove many complexities associated with connecting to a blockchain so that developers can get their products to market quickly. So, which are the best blockchain service providers 2023 has to offer?
In this article, we’re going to explore the best blockchain service providers in 2023. We’ll discuss what a blockchain service provider does and the advantages of using one. Also, we’ll compare some of the different services available to help you decide which is the best fit for your project. This top blockchain service providers 2023 list will explore the leading companies to watch out for, including Moralis, Infura, Hyperledger Fabric, Chainalysis, Amazon Web Services, Blockstream, and several other leading platforms.
What is a Blockchain Service Provider?
Before we dive into the best blockchain service providers 2023 list, let’s explore what a blockchain service provider does. Building a blockchain network or application from scratch can be a time-consuming process. Blockchain service providers (also called Blockchain as a Service providers) develop solutions like application programming interfaces (APIs), node services, authorization tools, software development kits (SDKs) and other components to save developers time and money when building decentralized applications (dapps).
Blockchain service providers streamline dapp development by enabling developers to bypass the process of interacting with blockchains directly. Instead, these services simplify the dapp creation process by removing time-consuming backend development processes and blockchain complexities. Resultantly, development teams can ship their products quickly and without friction.
The Web3 landscape is built around open-source code. While many innovative technologies are being developed throughout the industry, most projects don’t need to reinvent the wheel. Many of the top dapps are forks of other dapps, so proprietary code is unnecessary for building a successful Web3 application. Instead, many Web3 developers rely on tools created by blockchain service providers to optimize their workflow and integrate battle-tested code snippets, APIs, and plugins.
Blockchain service providers cater to various sectors, including computing, traditional finance (TradFi), decentralized finance (DeFi), media and entertainment, smart contract development, and Web3 gaming. However, computing and smart contract development are the most-prominent sectors where blockchain service providers are present.
Moreover, the terminology used to describe these services differs depending on the context in which it is used. While some of the projects in the Blockchain Service Providers 2023 list focus on cryptocurrencies and payments, others focus on smart contract development frameworks and dapp development.
Top Blockchain Service Providers 2023: Terminology
Several terms exist that describe very similar services in Web3. For example, some of the sections in this article may refer to a Web3 provider, a Blockchain-as-a-Service (BaaS) provider, or a blockchain infrastructure provider. There are subtle differences that distinguish some of these services. For example, “Blockchain-as-a-Service” (or simply Blockchain as a Service) often refers to technologies catering to cryptocurrency projects. In contrast, a “Web3 infrastructure provider” typically caters to enterprise needs and may provide modern smart contract-based tools and customizable development frameworks.
While these services provide Web3 developers with similar time-saving resources, their applications vary. First-generation BaaS companies often focus on providing blockchain infrastructure for cryptocurrencies. Modern Web3 infrastructure providers tend to offer Blockchain as a Service for interacting with smart contracts and building dapp infrastructure. Blockchain as a Service providers are Web3-specific versions of Software as a Service providers. They make it easy for businesses to integrate Web3 functionality into their projects with easy-to-use tools. Plus, they save businesses time and money by offering building blocks that expedite development.
How Does Blockchain as a Service Work?
Blockchain as a Service providers create blockchain infrastructure tools and make them available to Web3 developers via a managed blockchain development platform or tool kit. Blockchain service providers cater to various types of Web3 development, from building and deploying dapps to integrating crypto payments and Web3 authorizations. Also, users can apply these tools to both frontend and backend development.
Computing is one of the leading sectors adopting blockchain service providers. This adoption can be broadly categorized into five areas of the computing sector; the internet of things (IoT), oracles, private computing, shared networks, and decentralized file storage. When it comes to dapp development, blockchain infrastructure companies often provide things like node services, wallets, APIs, blockchain explorers, and smart contract development frameworks.
Node Services
A node provider allows dapp developers to connect to blockchains without having to run a node of their own. Running a blockchain node requires a lot of time and knowledge. Also, downtime can result in a financial loss on Proof-of-Stake (PoS) chains, so maintaining a node is often at odds with efficient dapp development. As such, blockchain node providers make it easy for dapp developers to interact with public blockchains without the hassle of maintaining a node.
Web3 API Providers
Web3 APIs create a stable environment for optimal dapp development and allow dapps to communicate and interoperate using a set of universal functions and requests. For example, Moralis’ Ethereum API allows developers to fetch native balances, token balances, and NFT data using single lines of code. APIs are an essential component of the tech world as they allow our devices to connect to the internet and our applications to interpret and communicate data back to us in a readable format.
Web3 APIs facilitate efficient communication between blockchain nodes and the backend scripts of dapps. Also, a reputable Web3 API makes it easy for developers to integrate JavaScript tooling into their dapp development workflow and fetch all kinds of on-chain data. Moreover, Web3 APIs make blockchain data accessible and remove many of the complexities associated with blockchain interactions that hinder dapp development.
Check out the Moralis NFT API for the fastest way to build and scale your NFT project.
Smart Contract Development Frameworks
Integrated development environments (IDEs) and smart contract development frameworks are popular tools that blockchain service providers offer to developers who want to interact with programmable blockchains. These tools make it easy for developers to build, test, and deploy smart contracts. Plus, they lower the barrier to entry for dapp development by streamlining each step of the process.
Wallets and Block Explorers
Several prominent Blockchain as a Service providers offer Web3 wallet tools to enable businesses to manage crypto payments without friction. Web3 wallets also play a crucial role in authenticating and testing smart contract interactions, which most dapps require. Additionally, you’ll likely find blockchain service providers offer various block explorer tools to make it easy for businesses to track on-chain data.
Enterprise adoption of Web3 is on the rise. Save our Enterprise Ethereum Alliance article for later to learn about Web3 adoption among businesses.
The Best Blockchain Service Providers in 2023
So, which are the best blockchain service providers 2023 has to offer? Below, we explore the top companies offering Web3 and blockchain infrastructure services. Each blockchain service provider offers a slightly different group of services catering to different needs. However, this list covers the broad spectrum of Blockchain as a Service providers available to development teams in 2023.
Alchemy
The first in our blockchain service providers 2023 list is Alchemy. Alchemy is an established node infrastructure and Web3 service provider that also provides various tools and products to enhance the dapp development experience. Alchemy saves developers time by allowing them to avoid setting up and running their own nodes. Plus, users gain easy access to Ethereum and various layer-2 networks.
Amazon Web Services
Amazon Web Services is a subsidiary of the online retail behemoth Amazon. The Amazon Managed Blockchain is the AWS flagship enterprise blockchain solution. As one of the biggest players in the Blockchain as a Service (BaaS) sector, AWS uses Ethereum and Hyperledger Fabric to develop flexible private blockchain frameworks for businesses to help them integrate Web3 functionality. The Amazon Managed Blockchain service makes it easy for businesses to connect to blockchain nodes and manage sensitive data on-chain.
Blockdaemon
Blockdaemon is a blockchain infrastructure platform that provides cloud-based node services for some of the top blockchain networks, including Bitcoin and Ethereum. The platform simplifies the dapp development and node connection process and makes Web3 accessible. Instead of setting up and running a node to power dapps, developers can use Blockdaemon to save time. Additionally, the platform offers various monitoring tools and support services.
Blockstream
Blockstream is a Blockchain as a Service provider specializing in building financial infrastructure on the Bitcoin blockchain. The company is on a mission to engineer scaleable, robust, cutting-edge technologies that encourage businesses to build applications on Bitcoin. While many Blockchain as a Service providers focus on Ethereum for developing smart contracts and dapps, Blockstream promotes Bitcoin and the Lightning Network as viable alternatives for building decentralized, privacy-preserving financial applications.
Bloq
Bloq is a software company that develops flexible BaaS security and reconciliation tools for businesses. The firm offers a range of products to help businesses create bespoke solutions for their Web3 needs. This includes cloud services, a “smart” wallet, and smart contract development tools. Moreover, Bloq makes it easy for businesses to integrate Web3 features and manage on-chain data without friction.
Chainalysis
Chainalysis is one of the longest-standing blockchain software companies. It provides industry-leading analytics tools that help financial institutions and government agencies use blockchain in a compliant manner. Furthermore, Chainalysis helps organizations track on-chain activity and build solutions to help prevent cryptocurrencies from being used in crime.
Hyperledger Fabric
Hyperledger Fabric is a leading provider of Web3 tools and services. The project was developed by the Linux Foundation to develop a suite of products and tools to help businesses integrate smart contracts and blockchain functionality in closed environments. Also, Hyperledger Fabric supports various data models and provides a suite of components to help businesses adopt Web3 and decentralized technologies.
Infura
Infura is a blockchain service provider that allows developers to scale their decentralized applications quickly. The company provides node services that allow developers to connect to Ethereum using APIs for various use cases. Also, Infura provides Web3 analytics and security tools. Plus, the platform offers connectivity to a selection of popular blockchains and layer-2 networks.
Moralis
Moralis is a leading name in Web3 infrastructure provision. Some of the top development teams rely on Moralis for expediting innovation and getting dapps to market quickly, including MetaMask, Delta, and Polygon. Moralis allows developers to access all kinds of on-chain data with minimal effort, including token data, NFT metadata, and more. Also, the Moralis Web3 API is highly-scalable, making it ideal for enterprise needs.
Whether you’re a Web2 developer moving into Web3 or part of a Web3-native project, Moralis makes it easy to integrate the top blockchains and layer-2 networks, programming languages, and development environments. Moreover, Moralis saves developers an average of 87% on their time-to-market. Instead of trying to reinvent the wheel, developers can use Moralis’ industry-leading APIs to access a broad range of on-chain data without friction.
Moralis’ core products include the cross-chain EVM API, Solana API, NFT API, Auth API, Streams API, Token API, and industry-leading authentication tools. All of which support legacy programming languages and development platforms with cross-chain interoperability.
Why Use a Blockchain Service Provider?
Using a blockchain service provider helps you save time and money. Instead of building everything from scratch and sewing together all kinds of different API calls and authentication requests, developers can integrate various security-tested tools and services from one of the reputable companies mentioned in this article. For example, if you don’t have the time to run a full node to power your dapp, you can choose a reliable node provider to take care of that. However, modern dapp development requires more than just node providers, which have limited functionality.
Most dapps rely on APIs to display internet data in a human-readable fashion. APIs are the backbone of the Web3 landscape because they create a consistent and stable coding environment while removing many complexities associated with connecting to nodes. Finding a reliable Web3 API is a priority for dapp developers. Not only do API providers make it easy to connect to nodes, but they also save developers a significant amount of time by enabling them to interact with precompiled on-chain data.
Top Blockchain Service Providers in 2023 – Summary
Blockchain service providers develop tools to support Web3 development and make it easier for developers to build dapps and interact with blockchains without creating the entire infrastructure from scratch. Blockchain infrastructure and service providers help to promote Web3 adoption by developing tools that save businesses time and money when integrating decentralized technologies.
Before Blockchain as a Service providers came about, dapp developers had to spend a long time creating the infrastructure needed to power their projects. However, thanks to the growing number of blockchain service providers in 2023, building dapps and getting them to market is more straightforward than ever. So, the next time someone asks you, “what is a blockchain service provider?” or “what is blockchain infrastructure as a service?” cast your mind back to this best blockchain service providers 2023 list!
If you want to pursue a career in blockchain development but need coding experience, check out the JavaScript Programming 101 course at Moralis Academy. It’s an ideal starting point for anyone pursuing a career in blockchain development. Plus, it’s a great way to transition from Web2 development into Web3.
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