Oracles differ first by how data reaches the chain. Chainlink Data Feeds push updates when a price moves past a threshold or a heartbeat passes; Pyth publishes every 400ms and lets apps pull the latest price; UMA confirms answers after a challenge period. The right oracle depends on which of these your contract needs.
Quick answer
Chainlink is the best default oracle for DeFi price feeds and has the widest product range. Use Pyth for low-latency pull prices on 100+ chains and UMA for questions that are not prices.
- 01Chainlink: Best overall
- 02Pyth Network: Best low-latency prices
- 03RedStone: Best push and pull choice
- 04UMA: best for non-price data
- 05API3: best for OEV recapture
The 6 best blockchain oracles
Chainlink offers push Data Feeds, pull-based Data Streams, CCIP, VRF, Automation and Proof of Reserve. Aave, GMX and Lido use it, per its homepage.
- Chains
- Ethereum, EVM networks and others
- Platforms
- Web, API
- Token
- LINK
- Open source
- Yes, Chainlink node code on GitHub (smartcontractkit/chainlink)
- Fees
- CCIP: blockchain fee + network fee; VRF 2.5: gas plus a premium (Ethereum example: 20% in LINK, 24% in ETH)
Pros
- Widest product range: feeds, streams, CCIP, VRF and Proof of Reserve
- Push feeds update on both a deviation threshold and a heartbeat
- Used by Aave, GMX and Lido, per its homepage
Cons
- Data Feeds do not stream: they update only on threshold or heartbeat
- Low-latency data needs the separate Data Streams product
Skip it if you need sub-second prices on a feed: Data Feeds update on threshold or heartbeat; use Data Streams or Pyth.
Pyth uses a pull model with 400ms updates on Pyth Core, data from 120+ first-party providers and 100+ supported blockchains.
- Chains
- 100+ blockchains
- Platforms
- Web, API
- Token
- PYTH
- Chains
- 100+ blockchains
- Fees
- Pyth Core update fee: 0 on all mainnet EVM chains (gas still applies); Hermes needs an API key
Pros
- 400ms update frequency on Pyth Core
- Data from 120+ first-party providers
- Available on 100+ blockchains
Cons
- Pull model: the app or user must post each update onchain and pay the gas
- Contracts must check price freshness themselves
Skip it if your contract cannot post price updates itself: pull feeds need an update transaction.
#3R
Best push and pull choice
RedStone offers pull, push and X-Layer delivery across 110+ chains and 1,300+ assets, with 15 audits listed on its homepage.
- Chains
- 110+ chains
- Platforms
- Web, API
- Token
- RED
- Chains
- 110+ chains
- Security audits
- Audited 15 times (Halborn, Cantina, PeckShield and others)
Pros
- Pull, push and X-Layer delivery in one oracle
- 1,300+ assets listed
- Audited 15 times, per its homepage
Cons
- Pull integrations change how contracts read prices
- RED token governance adds a token-holder layer to the oracle
Skip it if you want the longest track record: Chainlink has run feeds longer.
UMA's Optimistic Oracle accepts a bonded claim unless disputed during a challenge period, with disputes settled by UMA token-holder vote. Polymarket and Across use it.
- Chains
- Ethereum and EVM networks
- Platforms
- Web
- Token
- UMA
- Open source
- Yes, AGPL-3.0 on GitHub (UMAprotocol/protocol)
- Security audits
- OpenZeppelin audits since April 2020, latest March 2, 2026; bug bounty
Pros
- Handles arbitrary questions, not only prices
- Used by Polymarket and Across
- Code public on GitHub under AGPL-3.0
Cons
- Answers arrive only after the challenge period, so it does not fit live price feeds
- Disputed outcomes depend on UMA token-holder votes
Skip it if you need live prices: answers wait for the challenge period.
API3 returns oracle extractable value to the protocol using its feeds; its homepage lists $415,593 in OEV rewards paid, with Compound and Morpho among early users.
- Chains
- EVM networks
- Platforms
- Web, API
- Token
- API3
- Fees
- Feeds sold at cost as 3-month mainnet plans on Api3 Market; 80% of OEV revenue paid back to the dApp
- US availability
- Available: terms restrict only sanctioned jurisdictions
Pros
- Returns oracle extractable value to the app that uses the feed
- 100+ data feeds on every supported chain, per its homepage
- Early OEV users include Compound, Morpho and Moonwell
Cons
- Api3 Market offers only a 24-hour heartbeat and deviation thresholds from 0.25% to 5%
- Feed coverage centers on lending-market prices
Skip it if you need a wide asset catalog beyond lending prices.
#6B
Best standalone oracle chain
Band runs its own chain, BandChain, since 2018, secured by 52+ validators, with price feeds and VRF on 40+ chains.
- Chains
- 40+ chains
- Platforms
- Web, API
- Token
- BAND
- Chains
- 40+ chains
- Launched
- Securing data onchain since 2018, per its homepage; BandChain GuanYu mainnet launched October 2020
Pros
- Own chain secured by 52+ validators
- Price feeds plus VRF randomness
- Live since 2018
Cons
- $188M total value secured, small next to Chainlink or RedStone
- 11+ data sources listed on its homepage
Skip it if you need the largest security budget: Band lists $188M total value secured.
Blockchain Oracles compared
Select a name to jump to its review.
| Name | Best for | US availability | Fees | Chains | Token |
|---|
| Chainlink | DeFi price feeds and CCIP | Available: terms restrict only sanctioned jurisdictions | CCIP: blockchain fee + network fee; VRF 2.5: gas plus a premium (Ethereum example: 20% in LINK, 24% in ETH) | Ethereum, EVM networks and others | LINK |
|---|
| Pyth Network | Perps and fast markets | Available: terms restrict only sanctioned jurisdictions | Pyth Core update fee: 0 on all mainnet EVM chains (gas still applies); Hermes needs an API key | 100+ blockchains | PYTH |
|---|
| RedStone | Lending and long-tail assets | Available: terms name no country restrictions | Not verified | 110+ chains | RED |
|---|
| UMA | Prediction markets and claims | Available: terms restrict only sanctioned jurisdictions | Requesters pay the reward they set; asserters lock a bond of at least the finalFee, returned if undisputed | Ethereum and EVM networks | UMA |
|---|
| API3 | Lending protocols | Available: terms restrict only sanctioned jurisdictions | Feeds sold at cost as 3-month mainnet plans on Api3 Market; 80% of OEV revenue paid back to the dApp | EVM networks | API3 |
|---|
| Band Protocol | Cross-chain price feeds | Not verified | Offchain price data free; onchain requests pay BandChain gas (500k to 5M gas per MsgRequestData) | 40+ chains | BAND |
|---|
“Not verified” means we could not confirm the value on the project’s own pages.
How we rank blockchain oracles
- 01Data model: push, pull or optimistic, and how often data updates.
- 02Coverage: chains and assets listed by the oracle.
- 03Adoption: named users and value figures from the project's own page.
- 04Security: audits, open code and dispute design.
- 05Extras: VRF, cross-chain messaging, OEV recapture.
No project paid to be listed or ranked. Full rules: methodology.
What we did not test
- We did not open accounts, deposit money or place trades with these services.
- We did not audit smart contracts, reserves or security claims ourselves; we report what the project and its auditors publish.
- Fees, limits and availability change; the list date shows when we last checked them.
Rubric last updated Sep 26, 2026. Crypto assets are not insured by the FDIC or SIPC, and you can lose all the money you put in. This page is educational content, not financial advice.
How to choose
01Push or pull
Push feeds (Chainlink Data Feeds) write prices onchain on a schedule. Pull feeds (Pyth, RedStone) let your app post the latest signed price only when it needs one, which suits fast markets.
02Check freshness in your contract
Whatever oracle you use, reject prices older than your tolerance. Stale prices are a common cause of bad liquidations.
03Use optimistic oracles for events
Questions such as who won an election fit UMA's bond-and-dispute model better than a price feed.
04Recapture liquidation value
Lending protocols can use API3's OEV Rewards to keep part of the value liquidators pay for price updates.
Who should skip all of these
- Traders looking for price charts: oracles serve smart contracts, not people. See our analytics tools.
- Apps that only display prices off-chain: a market data API is simpler.
Bottom line
Chainlink is the safe default for price feeds; Pyth and RedStone win where latency or long-tail assets matter.
Use UMA for non-price questions, and check price freshness in your own code whichever oracle you pick.
Educational content, not financial advice. Crypto assets are volatile; do your own research.
FAQ
What is the most used blockchain oracle?
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Chainlink, whose homepage says it has enabled tens of trillions of dollars in transaction value and lists users including Aave, GMX and Lido.
What is the difference between push and pull oracles?
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A push oracle writes updates onchain on its own schedule. A pull oracle signs prices off-chain and your app posts the latest one when it needs it.
How fast is Pyth?
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Pyth Core updates every 400ms, per its docs.
How does UMA's optimistic oracle work?
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Someone posts a claim with a bond. If no one disputes it during the challenge period it is accepted; if disputed, UMA token holders vote.
Which oracles have tokens?
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Chainlink (LINK), Pyth (PYTH), RedStone (RED), API3 (API3), UMA (UMA) and Band (BAND).
What changed in this list
2026-09-26First version: 6 oracles compared by data model, coverage and adoption.
2026-09-26Replaced a dated Chainlink figure with the wording on its homepage now
Who made this page
✓
Fact check
Checked against 8 sourcesLast check: Sep 26, 2026
A value we could not confirm on the project’s own pages is marked “Not verified” instead of estimated.
How we review