DeFi Orbit vs Subgraphs for LP Position Data Subgraphs answer protocol-wide questions. DeFi Orbit returns finished wallet-level positions, PnL and fees in one REST call. Canonical: https://defiorbit.xyz/compare/subgraphs --- [Compare Solutions](/compare)/Indexing protocols # DeFi Orbit vs. subgraphs Subgraphs are a good way to read what a protocol has indexed. They give you entities and events, one protocol at a time. DeFi Orbit gives you finished positions: value, PnL, fees and history, in one schema across protocols. This page shows where the two differ and when each is the better choice. Last reviewed October 13, 2026 Subgraphs are a good fit when You need raw entities and events from one protocol You want protocol-wide data: every pool, swap or market, not specific wallets Your team is happy to write and maintain the calculations on top Use DeFi Orbit when You need position value, PnL and fees already calculated You track positions across several protocols and chains You report these numbers to clients, investors or auditors 01 / Side by side ## What you get from each Topic Subgraphs ![DeFi Orbit](/assets/logo-white.png) What you receive Entities and events as the subgraph author defined them Finished positions: value, PnL, fees, impermanent loss, APR, health factor Schema A different schema for each protocol, and often for each deployment One schema across Uniswap V3, Aerodrome, Orca, Aave, Morpho and Kamino Query style GraphQL you write, paginate and maintain REST endpoints by wallet or position Uncollected fees Not a stored field on Uniswap V3 style positions. You derive them from fee growth values or contract calls Returned on the position PnL and impermanent loss Not provided. You add prices and write the formulas Calculated, with documented methods Prices Pool-derived prices where the subgraph tracks them. Historical USD values are your job Applied to every event and snapshot History Past state by block number, one query at a time Full event history and daily snapshots per position Solana Solana subgraphs run on Substreams, a different toolchain from EVM subgraphs, so each Solana protocol is a second integration. Covered in the same API Freshness Depends on the indexer. A subgraph can lag the chain or stop syncing Real time on every request Lending positions Separate subgraphs per lending protocol, each with its own model Same API, with health factor and liquidation data AI agent access You build the tool layer Included through DeFi Orbit AI, on the same key 02 / From query to number ## What sits between a subgraph query and a number you can report A subgraph answers the query you send it. Turning that answer into a position value, a PnL figure or a fee total is your work, and it is different for every protocol. 1. 01 Find the right subgraph One per protocol and often one per chain, with different maintainers and different levels of upkeep. 2. 02 Learn each schema Field names, units and entity relationships differ between protocols and between versions. 3. 03 Paginate and join Results are paginated with “first”, and The Graph advises against “skip” for large sets, so wallets with many positions need cursor-style queries stitched together. 4. 04 Fill in what is not indexed Uncollected fees and pending rewards usually need on-chain calls next to the subgraph query. 5. 05 Add prices A USD value for each token at the time of each deposit, withdrawal and collection. 6. 06 Write the calculations PnL against holding, impermanent loss, APR and health factors, with rules you decide and document. 7. 07 Repeat for the next protocol Little of the work carries over. Aerodrome is not Uniswap V3, and lending is a different model again. 03 / In production ## What teams run into once subgraphs are in production None of this is a flaw in subgraphs. It is what comes with using raw indexed data as a reporting source. ### A subgraph is someone else’s schema It was designed for the protocol’s own needs. Each deployment has its own schema, and fields can change when the subgraph is redeployed. ### Sync status is your problem When a subgraph falls behind or fails, your numbers go stale without an error. You need your own checks to notice. ### The gaps need on-chain calls Once you call contracts for fees and rewards, you are running RPC infrastructure next to the subgraph. ### Every protocol is a new integration Each one adds a schema, a set of edge cases and a set of formulas to maintain. ### The calculations are still yours When an investor or auditor asks how a figure was reached, your team owns the answer. ### Query costs scale with usage The first 100,000 queries a month are free on The Graph Network, then $2 per 100,000. That sounds cheap until every wallet, position and refresh is a query, and the RPC calls that fill the gaps sit on top. 04 / When we are not the fit ## When subgraphs are the better choice Subgraphs do several things we do not. If one of these is your case, use them. ### Protocol-wide analytics Total volume, every pool, every swap. Subgraphs are built for this. Our API is built around wallets and positions. ### A protocol or contract we do not cover If a subgraph exists and we do not support the protocol, the subgraph is the faster route. You can also ask us about Custom Data. ### Your own contracts If you are indexing your own protocol, write a subgraph. That is what they are for. ### You need decentralized infrastructure Subgraphs on The Graph Network are served by independent indexers. DeFi Orbit is a hosted API. 05 / FAQ ## Questions teams ask before deciding Can we use both? Yes, and many setups should. Subgraphs are the right tool for protocol-wide questions, such as every pool, every swap or total volume, and DeFi Orbit is the right tool for what a specific wallet’s positions are worth and have earned. The two don’t overlap much, so there’s rarely a reason to pick one. We already query subgraphs. What changes if we switch? You replace three things with one call: the per-protocol GraphQL queries, the on-chain calls you make for uncollected fees and rewards, and the code that turns events into PnL and impermanent loss. One REST request per wallet or position returns the finished numbers, in the same shape for every protocol we cover. How do we check your numbers against ours? Run the API on the wallets you already track and compare position by position. The methods for PnL, impermanent loss, fees and APR are documented, so where a figure differs you can see which rule explains it. Most differences come down to pricing at the time of an event or how fees are attributed after a rebalance. What does it cost? Each endpoint has a fixed cost of 1 to 30 credits per call, and packs start at 500 credits for $10. Failed requests are free and purchased credits don’t expire while your account is active, so you can price your usage before you integrate. There’s no per-query metering to watch and no RPC bill behind it. What if we need a protocol you do not support? We add protocols and networks as scoped Custom Data projects, with a timeline and a price agreed before work starts. If a subgraph exists for a protocol we don’t cover, using it in the meantime is sensible, and we’ll say so. Do you need access to our keys or funds? No. Everything is read-only and works from public wallet addresses. There’s nothing to connect and nothing we could move. [See all comparisons](/compare) Sources 1. [The Graph, GraphQL API ↗](https://thegraph.com/docs/en/subgraphs/querying/graphql-api/) 2. [The Graph, Distributed Systems ↗](https://thegraph.com/docs/en/subgraphs/querying/distributed-systems/) 3. [The Graph, Subgraph Studio Pricing (read October 13, 2026) ↗](https://thegraph.com/studio-pricing/) 4. [The Graph, Supported Networks ↗](https://thegraph.com/docs/en/supported-networks/) 5. [The Graph, Indexing Solana with Substreams (November 2022) ↗](https://thegraph.com/blog/indexing-solana-substreams/) Statements about subgraphs are linked to The Graph documentation and were last checked on October 13, 2026. Other comparisons [All comparisons →](/compare) [ Build it yourself Your own tracker + DeFi Orbit ](/compare/build-your-own-tracker)[ Build it yourself DeFi Orbit vs. building it in-house ](/compare/in-house)[ Manual tracking DeFi Orbit vs. spreadsheets ](/compare/spreadsheets) ## Compare the two on wallets you know Run one API key next to your subgraph queries and see which numbers you would rather report. [Get API key](https://platform.defiorbit.xyz)[Book a demo](/book-a-demo) × Book a demo ## See how DeFi Orbit fits your stack Thirty minutes with the team. Bring a wallet address and the report you wish you had. - A walkthrough using your positions, not sample data - Which product fits: Portfolio, the API or both - Pricing for your wallets, clients and volume Just want to try it? [Get an API key](https://platform.defiorbit.xyz) or[launch the app](https://app.defiorbit.xyz). 1. 1 · Your details 2. 2 · Pick a time ## Pick a time, there 30 minutes · Video call · Your details are filled in for you ← Edit details[Open the calendar in a new tab ↗](#)