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Introduction to Consumers

SubQuery TeamAbout 1 min

Introduction to Consumers

Info

The SubQuery Kepler Network does not yet have the consumer role. Consumers will launch with the SubQuery Mainnet.

What is a Consumer?

A Consumer is a participant in the SubQuery network and is either an individual or organisation that pays for processed and organised blockchain data from the SubQuery Network. Consumers effectively make requests to the SubQuery Network for specific data and pay an agreed amount of SQT in return.

Consumers are typically dApp (decentralised application) developers, data analytic companies, blockchain networks, middleware developers, or even web aggregating companies that need access to blockchain data to provide services to their end-users.

Requirements to be a Consumer

There are no requirements as such to become a SubQuery Consumer. However, Consumers will need to understand how to obtain SQT, how to advertise their data requirements and how to consume the JSON data returned.

Benefits of being a Consumer

As a Consumer, you can receive indexed data from the Network for your dApps, thereby saving you time figuring out how to get blockchain data yourself. Other benefits include:

  • Easy access to blockchain data. There is no need to learn about the intricacies of a blockchain. Just get access to the exact data you need to run your applications.
  • Focus on developing your appplication, not on time consuming blockchain integration.
  • Cost effective. Combining the two points from above, consuming data from SubQuery results in a very cost effective way to power your applications.

Costs to being a Consumer

The cost of querying data on the blockchain will be based on supply and demand and will be comparable to other similar services currently available. The advantage of an open and transparent network and ecosystem is that competition is encouraged to provide the best service to the Consumer.

For flexibility, Consumers have 3 payment options to pay for blockchain data, you can read more about these, how they work, and the advantages/disadvantages on the Payment Methods article.