Avalanche vs. Solana: Novel mechanisms for better blockchains
Oct 20, 2025・7 min read
Ethereum (ETH) has been the leader in blockchain for years, but competitors called “Ethereum killers” have gained ground. Offering faster speeds, better scalability, and lower costs, these platforms aren’t just scalability experiments or up-and-coming projects anymore.
Ethereum alternatives Avalanche (AVAX) and Solana (SOL) are shaping how developers build apps, how traders move money, and how businesses test new uses for blockchain technology. Avalanche is a smaller blockchain that uses community verification and customizable nets for developers, but Solana is a bigger name with faster speeds, lower prices, and mainstream recognition.
In this article, compare Avalanche versus Solana to see which Ethereum alternative best fits your needs for adaptation, scalability, and customization.
Avalanche: An overview
Ethereum struggles with high fees and slow network confirmation times that can make scalability difficult. Avalanche, launched by Ava Labs in 2020, was built to overcome those limits with something faster and more flexible for developers.
In 2025, Avalanche’s focus remains centered on speed, scalability, and customization at low prices. It works with Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM), which gives developers an option to create their own blockchains (called subnets) while still using Avalanche’s secure platform. So, Avalanche is a serious contender for users interested in decentralized finance (DeFi), gaming platforms, and even enterprise institutions looking for scalable blockchain solutions.
Avalanche is built with a special kind of consensus called the Snowman consensus protocol. Validators repeatedly ask a small, random group for their preferences. If a majority of validators respond with the same answer, the Avalanche network will agree. This system means there’s no need for top-down hierarchies or energy-heavy mining, though it will take a few rounds of validation before a transaction finalizes.
Each of Avalanche’s three chains has its own use and protocol:
- Exchange chain (X-Chain): All digital assets "live" and exchange hands on the X-Chain. It’s made for issuing tokens or NFTs and uses a high-speed, DAG-based version of Avalanche consensus that handles many moves at once.
- Contract chain (C-Chain): Home of smart contracts, the C-Chain is fully EVM-compatible so developers can easily move their Ethereum apps here. Avalanche C-Chain uses the Snowman consensus to keep transactions equal and efficient.
- Platform chain (P-Chain): The P-Chain cares for the Avalanche network on a high level. It tracks validators and staking, and launches subnets or custom blockchains as developers’ needs change. P-Chain also uses Snowman in its validation processes.
Solana: An overview
Solana began development in 2017 with founder Anatoly Yakovenko, a former Qualcomm engineer. He and co-founder Raj Gokal, who joined the project in 2018, wanted to make a blockchain faster than Ethereum without lowering high security standards.
One notable part of Solana is its Proof of History (PoH) mechanism. PoH is like a built-in clock for the blockchain: It stamps each transaction with a time record, so everyone knows the exact order of events without waiting for the entire network to sync and catch up. Solana, then, processes transactions in near-exact chronological order (unless you’re willing to pay extra to boost your spot in line), which significantly streamlines the process. PoH works side by side with Proof of Stake (PoS). Validators stake their Solana tokens to secure the network, confirm transactions, and decide who adds the next block.
With this scalable system, Solana can handle thousands of transactions every second. And because finality usually comes in a few seconds, costs are low and energy use is minimal compared to Ethereum. This mix of speed and affordability drew in DeFi developers and NFT creators when Ethereum became prohibitively expensive during the 2021 NFT boom. The recognition also made Solana a hotspot for dApps, especially those that need high frequency trading and cheap transactions. They also offer their own wallet, called the Phantom Wallet.
Solana’s blockchain technology also caught the attention of big names outside DeFi. Visa has been expanding its stablecoin and other crypto payment options and, in 2023, tested massive USDC crypto payments using Solana’s blockchain. Shopify also has an active Solana Pay system that lets merchants accept crypto payments from this blockchain with low fees almost instantly.
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Avalanche vs. Solana: Key differences
Taking a closer look at Avalanche versus Solana’s ecosystems and consensus methods, both aim for high speed, low costs, and opportunities for a wide range of activities. But they’re built on different ideas and crypto use cases, so one may be a better fit for your needs.
Avalanche relies more on modular architecture and customizable networks. Solana, on the other hand, uses its high throughput, low costs, and centralization to build a case for mainstream retail adoption.
Here are the major ways the two platforms differ for users.
Transaction speed
It’s unlikely you’ll have to wait longer than it takes to check your phone with either Avalanche or Solana, but there are some differences in the Avalanche versus Solana speed debate.
Solana claims a theoretical maximum of 65,000 transactions per second (TPS), and one stress test even pushed Solana to 100,000 TPS. The results in practice vary, but average around 1,000 TPS.
Avalanche has a much slower transaction speed. They cite a 2,500 TPS average on their website, but average closer to 13 TPS on a given day. However, their time to finality – the amount of time it takes from initiation to completion – is about two seconds, compared to Solana’s 12. Even though there’s a wide discrepancy between maximum output and average, the difference in these numbers is more closely related to the number of users on a server. Bitcoin (BTC), a hugely popular platform, has a TPS average of seven.
Fees
Avalanche and Solana were both created as alternatives for Ethereum’s high prices, but in a battle of Avalanche versus Solana’s fees, Solana delivers ultra-cheap transactions at a fraction of a cent (averaging $0.0006 per transaction).
Avalanche tries to keep the fees low, but they are still a bit higher than Solana’s at an average of $0.02. However, the platform launched a new subnet in December 2024 – and is still developing more – that optimizes cost for DeFi and NFTs with custom settings.
Consensus and architecture
Solana runs on a combination of PoH and PoS mechanisms. This unique setup schedules operations like a cryptographic clock so the Solana network can process transactions at high speeds with minimal effort.
Avalanche offers a modular design and customizable subnets, plus three main chains. This added flexibility lets developers isolate workloads or tailor governance and performance needs. Avalanche also stands out for its safety and scalability with a consensus process built for high throughput, low-latency finality, and full EVM support.
Ecosystem and adoption
While Avalanche is more prominent for its approach to DeFi and scalability, Solana is the most popular option for NFTs, gaming, and retail DeFi with visible emphasis on branding. Solana seems to have a bigger user base with 29.7 million active accounts, whereas Avalanche’s activity is less transparent, but outside sources cite anywhere from 50,000 to 400,000 addresses.
Stability and reliability
The Avalanche team has maintained a consistent uptime and few disruptions in the protocol since it launched. Unfortunately, however, Solana has had seven outages over its life cycle so far. One Solana halt lasted for several hours. Its developers have learned and grown from these interruptions and are consistently pushing new updates to prevent more outages from occurring.
Developer experience
Solana developers need to use Rust (or C/C++), which is powerful but has a steep learning curve. Avalanche’s C-Chain is EVM-compatible, meaning developers who are familiar with Solidity and Ethereum tooling can adapt quickly.
Avalanche vs. Solana: Pros and cons
Here are the biggest perks and drawbacks of Avalanche and Solana.
Avalanche pros
- Highly customizable subnets
- Strong institutional support, protocol, and scalability
- Verification process incentivizes community participation
- EVM compatibility for ETH developers
Avalanche cons
- Smaller ecosystem
- Slightly higher fees
Solana pros
- Ultra-fast
- Affordable fees
- Thriving NFT, dApp, and retail adoption
- Strong partnerships with brands like Visa and Shopify
Solana cons
- History of network outages
- Less popular Rust-based dApp development
Which blockchain should you choose?
Before you choose between Solana and Avalanche, consider the features that are most important to you. Do you need scalability potential for a project you think will explode, or a fast and low-cost network for frequent high-volume trading?
Avalanche and Solana’s features cater to different audiences:
- Developers: Avalanche works well for scalability or anyone needing custom subnets, while Solana is ideal for consumer apps and NFTs.
- Investors: Solana might be growing fast, but it comes with some concerns over potential outages. Avalanche has a steadier platform, but the ecosystem is smaller.
- Traders: When it comes to comparing Avalanche versus Solana’s transactions for an average trader, Solana’s cheap, approachable platform is hard to beat. However, Avalanche offers more flexibility for those interested in staking, DeFi, or private networks.
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Disclaimer: This post is informational only and is not intended as tax advice. For tax advice, please consult a tax professional.
FAQ
Which is faster, Avalanche or Solana?
It depends. Solana’s average speed is much closer to Avalanche’s current theoretical maximum. Solana has a maximum theoretical TPS of 65,000, compared to Avalanche’s 2,500 TPS. In practice, Solana’s average speed of 1,050 TPS significantly outpaces Avalanche’s average of 13 TPS. However, because there are fewer users on Avalanche than Solana at any given time, the average time to completion is about two seconds – much shorter than Solana’s 12.
Which has lower fees, Avalanche or Solana?
Even with network use variability, Solana’s fees are consistently lower than Avalanche’s, averaging $0.0006 compared to $0.02, respectively, per transaction.
Which blockchain has more dApps?
While Avalanche’s focus on DeFi and enterprise means it has access to more dApps than Solana, which leads in NFTs and retail connections, neither blockchain tops the leaderboard for the total number of dApps. BNB Smart Chain (BNB), Binance’s blockchain, has the biggest number of associated dApps with almost 6,000 applications. Ethereum, which has substantial name-brand recognition for dApp development, follows closely behind at just over 5,000 dApps.