Introducing Relay API: Open-Source GraphQL Access to Helium Oracle Data

Introducing Relay API: Open-Source GraphQL Access to Helium Oracle Data

We're excited to announce the launch of Relay API — a powerful, open-source API providing easy and scalable access to Helium Oracle data. Built in partnership with the Helium Foundation, Relay API restores effortless data accessibility reminiscent of the beloved original Helium REST API, optimized and modernized for today's needs.

The Challenge We Faced

As builders deeply integrated into the Helium ecosystem, our Relay team directly encountered the challenges of extracting and using Helium data firsthand. When Helium transitioned to providing Oracle data exclusively through AWS S3, developers and network deployers faced significant hurdles:

• Large, cumbersome multi-gigabyte files
• Extensive technical knowledge required to parse and extract meaningful insights
• Limited accessibility, impeding scalability and innovation

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Through numerous conversations with large-scale Helium deployers and active community members, it became clear this was a widespread issue affecting productivity, innovation, and overall network growth.

The Solution: Relay API

Inspired by the community's strong affinity for the simplicity and accessibility of Helium’s original REST API, we set out to build a modern equivalent — leveraging the performance and flexibility of GraphQL. Relay API eliminates the complexity of data extraction by offering:

• Instant Queries: Perform real-time HTTP POST queries to access earnings, hotspot activity, detailed metadata, and much more.
• Open-Source Commitment: Fully transparent, community-driven development with the entire codebase available on GitHub at public launch, empowering users to clone, adapt, and self-host as needed.
• Developer & Non-Technical Friendly: Compatible with any standard HTTP client (e.g., Apollo, Postman) and no-code tools like Zapier or direct integration into Google Sheets. REST endpoints available for an easy, instant access to data.

Free Community Plan

Relay API launches with a generous free tier to support widespread adoption and innovation, powered by a grant from our partners at Helium Foundation:

• 100,000 monthly API credits
• 30-day historical data access (including full Solana transaction details during Beta)
• Essential GraphQL endpoints (entire set available during Beta)

Upcoming Paid Tiers

To support higher-volume use cases and ensure long-term sustainability, Relay API will introduce affordable paid tiers at the public launch. These tiers will provide:

• Increased API credits
• Comprehensive historical data (covering pre- and post-Solana migration)
• Enhanced query throughput and stability

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Revenue from these plans ensures Relay API remains robust, scalable, and continuously available — avoiding the shutdown scenarios that previously impacted the original Helium REST API.

Features Coming at Public Launch

Relay API’s public release will bring additional powerful enhancements:

• Complete Historical Data: Full Helium network history, accessible with simple queries
• Advanced Query Tools: User-friendly point-and-click GraphQL query builder integrated directly into our dashboard
• Persistent Queries: Save frequently-used queries for streamlined, efficient API interactions
• Solana NFT Data: Detailed insights into Helium NFTs on the Solana blockchain

Join the Relay Community

Relay has proudly built tools supporting the Helium ecosystem since the earliest days of OG miners. We remain dedicated to empowering the Helium community by continually innovating and addressing its evolving needs.

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We invite everyone to join the discussion and development in our dedicated Discord channel #relay-api within the official Helium server, where our team actively supports, engages, and listens to the community.

Get Started Now

• API Endpoint: api.relaywireless.com
• Documentation: docs.relaywireless.com

Looking Ahead

Relay API represents more than just a new tool — it marks our ongoing commitment to supporting the Helium ecosystem’s future. We’re excited about this journey and look forward to seeing the incredible things the community builds next.