Blockchain Comparison
How Each Blockchain
Stores Your Inscription
Not all blockchains are the same. Here is what makes each one unique, and why it matters for your inscription.
Bitcoin: The Original
Bitcoin stores data in several ways. OP_RETURN is the simplest: a special transaction output that permanently embeds data, battle-tested since 2014. OnChainImprint's Basic tier gives you roughly ~70 words (429 UTF-8 bytes) per inscription. For longer messages, Chained tier links transactions across multiple blocks — from ~70 words per linked inscription, growing automatically as you write ($24.99 per link).
For rich content (images, HTML, audio), Ordinals use Bitcoin's Taproot upgrade to inscribe arbitrary data into witness fields. Each satoshi (the smallest unit of Bitcoin) can carry content. In 2009, Satoshi Nakamoto inscribed the first message in the genesis block. You can explore that history on our history page.
Key properties:
- • Most decentralized and battle-tested network
- • Proof of Work secured: miners compete to add blocks
- • ~10 minute block times
Ethereum: The Pioneer of Rich Inscriptions
Ethereum stores inscriptions in transaction calldata, the data field sent with every transaction. OnChainImprint's Basic tier holds roughly ~70 words (429 UTF-8 bytes) per inscription, matching Bitcoin for a consistent excerpt length across chains.
For rich content, we mint ERC-721 NFTs with your inscription as metadata, stored on IPFS and permanently linked on-chain. Ethereum NFTs launched in 2017, predating Bitcoin Ordinals by six years, and the ecosystem has been refining on-chain media ever since.
Key properties:
- • Proof of Stake: validators secure the network
- • ~12 second block times
- • Gas fees vary with network demand
- • Largest smart contract ecosystem
Solana: Speed and Scale
Solana has a native Memo program, an on-chain instruction designed for storing short messages, permanently recorded in the ledger. OnChainImprint's Basic tier keeps the same excerpt length (~70 words, 429 UTF-8 bytes) on Solana: simple, fast, and tuned to match sibling chains.
For richer content, we mint Metaplex NFTs, the standard NFT format on Solana. Metaplex launched in 2021, and the chain has since become a hub for high-throughput, low-cost on-chain media.
Key properties:
- • Proof of Stake
- • Sub-second block times
- • Consistently low fees
- • High throughput
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | Bitcoin | Ethereum | Solana |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic tier | ~70 words (429 bytes) | ~70 words (429 bytes) | ~70 words (429 bytes) |
| Chained tier | From ~70 words per linked inscription | From ~70 words per linked inscription | From ~70 words per linked inscription |
| Eternal tier | Your full story (~350 words) | Your full story (~350 words) | Your full story (~350 words) |
| Consensus | Proof of Work | Proof of Stake | Proof of Stake |
| Block Time | ~10 minutes | ~12 seconds | ~400ms |
| Fee type | Sats/vbyte | Gas (volatile) | Lamports (stable) |
| Since | 2009 | 2015 | 2020 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Choose one chain or inscribe across all three with The Vault.
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