What it does
DefiLlama tracks total value locked, fees, revenue, trading volume and other DeFi measures. Its public dashboards, methodology pages and adapter code help visitors understand what each comparison includes.
Check the definition before comparing the number
DefiLlama separates assets held in a protocol from fees paid by users and revenue retained by the protocol. Its TVL definitions exclude native blockchain staking and keep borrowed amounts separate. Optional inclusion of a protocol's staked tokens and double-counted assets can change the scope of a displayed total, so use consistent settings when comparing protocols or chains.
The collection logic is also available to inspect. TVL adapters live in one public repository, while fees, revenue and other measures use a separate adapter project. The FAQ explains that updates vary by dataset and that website caching can leave a displayed value behind the API.
Choose between public data, exports and developer access
The free service includes core dashboards and public API endpoints. Those endpoints need no authentication and cover protocol lists, current or historical TVL, chain totals and token prices. A historical protocol query can return token and chain breakdowns.
Pro adds custom dashboards, columns, spreadsheet tools and CSV downloads. Its seven-day trial disables CSV downloads. Premium API access is sold separately from Pro, while the free endpoints remain available. The API plan includes Pro features and lists 1,000 requests per minute with a monthly allowance of one million calls.
Strengths
- Published definitions clarify why TVL, fees and revenue differ.
- Public adapter code exposes the collection logic for protocol metrics.
- Free API endpoints can supply historical protocol and chain data without a key.
Watch out for
- CSV downloads are disabled during the Pro trial.
- A Pro subscription does not include the premium API.
Best for
- Researchers comparing DeFi protocols using consistent metric definitions
- Developers retrieving protocol and chain data for their own analysis
Sources
- DefiLlama dashboards and protocol rankings (Oct 28, 2026)
- DefiLlama data definitions (Oct 28, 2026)
- DefiLlama data collection FAQ (Oct 28, 2026)
- DefiLlama TVL adapter repository (Oct 28, 2026)
- DefiLlama subscription plans (Oct 28, 2026)
- DefiLlama Pro and API pricing documentation (Oct 28, 2026)
- DefiLlama free API reference (Oct 28, 2026)