zkSync Era node
A zkSync Era node of your own. The Ethereum link is included.
A zkSync Era node, called an external node in the docs, re-runs every Era transaction on your own server and serves a private RPC endpoint. Era nodes also need an Ethereum connection to check batches. We provide it, so you bring nothing.
Updated . Prices checked .
- Full
- $139/mo
- Ready
- 24 h
On this pageNode type
02Node type
What a zkSync Era node keeps, and what it does not.
There is one node type here. It starts from a recent snapshot of the chain, then keeps up block by block.
Full node
$139/mo
- Does
- Starts from a snapshot, then re-applies every new transaction. It cannot make blocks, make proofs or post to Ethereum
- Serves
- JSON-RPC on the eth, net, web3 and zks namespaces, plus WebSocket subscriptions. The debug namespace is off by default
- Keeps
- Current state and history from the snapshot onward. Blocks before that point return an error
- Size
- Under 500 GB of database after recovery, per the docs
- Archive
- Full history is a different node, about 3 TB plus about 8 TB of database. Archive is not offered yet
The one-line test
Do you need today's state and new activity, with no rate limit? This node fits. Do you need every block since Era launched? That takes an archive node, which is not on sale yet.
03How it works
Inside a zkSync Era node: a database and an Ethereum link.
The node copies the Era main node, stores what it learns in a database, and checks its batches against Ethereum.
Ethereum L1
The node checks every batch against Ethereum, about two requests per batch and more while it catches up. We provide this link.
External node
Pulls blocks from the ZKsync main node and re-applies each transaction itself.
PostgreSQL
Holds the chain data. Two RocksDB folders keep a state cache and the Merkle tree.
Your endpoint
JSON-RPC and WebSocket reach your app through a private URL with your key in it.
Every Era node needs an Ethereum RPC. A shared one that rate limits you slows the node, which is why ours is already included.
The node has no peer-to-peer network. It pulls blocks from the ZKsync main node over its API.
The docs say eth_syncing reports "synced" once the node is less than 11 blocks behind.
04Know the field
Snapshot node or archive node, in numbers.
Most guides stop at "full versus archive". The ZKsync docs give figures, and the gap is large.
The archive total adds the two figures the docs give: about 3 TB for the node and about 8 TB for PostgreSQL. Both grow over time.
Quick start
Snapshot recovery
Pruning
- Snapshot node
- On mainnet, a retention under 24 hours is ignored
Full history (archive)
The docs disagree about unpruned growth: the quick start says about 1 TB a month, the snapshot guide says about 15 GB a day. We quote both and trust neither over the other.
CPU, memory and network figures for zkSync Era nodes, from the official docs: see the node requirements index.
05zkSync Era, specifically
Six zkSync Era facts to know first.
From the ZKsync documentation. They explain most of the problems people report when they run an Era node themselves.
Ethereum comes first
The node needs an Ethereum L1 RPC, about two requests per batch and more while syncing. A starved L1 endpoint slows everything. Ours is included.
No history before the snapshot
A snapshot node does not have blocks from before recovery, and they cannot be filled in later. Asking for one returns an error.
Debug is off, and not retroactive
The debug namespace is off by default. When enabled, traces exist only for blocks synced after that.
A read replica
The external node copies the main node. It cannot create blocks or batches, make proofs, or send anything to Ethereum.
Four useful ports
JSON-RPC on 3060, WebSocket on 3061, the health check on 3081 and metrics on 3322.
The docs moved
The old docs.zksync.io node pages return a not found error. The current guides live in the ZKsync Era repository book, so older blog posts point nowhere.
06Who rents one
Why teams rent one.
Anyone on Era who has outgrown a shared endpoint.
DeFi, NFT and game teams
A private endpoint for reads and sends, with no shared request cap in the way.
Wallets and payment backends
Steady balance, log and transfer lookups for apps that support Era. Prices for every chain are on the node pricing page.
Account abstraction builders
Era has native smart accounts. Paymasters and bundlers lean on steady reads and the zks namespace.
Bridge and rollup monitors
Watch batches and state on your own node. For history older than the snapshot, an archive node is needed, and we do not offer one yet.
07Price check
What it costs elsewhere.
Allnodes has no zkSync Era price we could verify, so no bar is drawn. Two other providers publish a figure.
RedSwitches
The same starting price covers its Era archive plan. Server choice moves the real quote.
08What you get
Set the term.
Pick the node type and how long to prepay. The price updates as you choose.
Your zkSync Era node
Term
- A dedicated server sized for zkSync Era
- ZKsync external node with PostgreSQL and an Ethereum link included
- A backup node, included
- A private endpoint on nodes.herorpc.com
- Your server logins
- No setup fee, ready within 24 hours
$139
a month, full node
Billed monthly
Pay in BTC, ETH, USDT, USDC, BNB, SOL, TRX, LTC, DOGE or XMR.
10Questions
zkSync Era node questions
Real questions from node operators, answered plainly.
What is a zkSync Era node?
The docs call it an external node. It copies the ZKsync main node, re-runs every transaction on your own server and serves RPC. It cannot make blocks, make proofs or post to Ethereum.
Do I need my own Ethereum node?
Every Era node needs an Ethereum L1 RPC, about two requests per batch. With us that connection is already wired in, so you bring nothing.
What are the zkSync node requirements?
The quick start asks for 32 GB of memory and a modern CPU, 500 GB of storage on mainnet and a 1 Gbps link. A full-history node needs a 32-core CPU, 64 GB of memory and far more disk.
How long does the first sync take?
From a snapshot the docs say up to 10 hours, and your API answers nothing until it is done. Without a snapshot, the docs say syncing from the first block can take months.
Can I ask my node for old blocks?
Not for blocks before its snapshot. A snapshot node has no history from before recovery, and eth_getBlockByNumber returns an error for them.
Is there a zkSync Era archive node?
Not from us yet. The docs put one at about 3 TB for the node and about 8 TB for PostgreSQL, so around 11 TB in total.
Why does my own Docker node keep restarting?
Several open issues on the Era repository report this, including restarts tied to JSON-RPC and the consistency checker. A managed node moves that work off you.
Which ports does it use?
JSON-RPC on 3060, WebSocket on 3061, the health check on 3081 and Prometheus metrics on 3322.
What does it cost?
$139 a month with no setup fee, Ethereum link included. A 12-month prepay takes 25 percent off.
When can I use it?
Within a day of your payment, and often sooner. Your dashboard then shows the endpoint and the server logins.
Run Era without the Ethereum homework.
$139 a month, Ethereum link and a backup node included, live within a day.