The best nostr relays,
picked from live data
Best is measurable. We score every online relay on how many people use it, how fast it answers and which features it supports, then filter out relays that charge or require authentication.
Live data, updated
Top scoring free nostr relays
Download online relays (.txt)| # | Relay | Status | Latency | Users | Software | Add |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  relay.damus.io | Online | 164 ms | 3,772 | strfry | |
| 2 | Online | 330 ms | 3,897 | strfry | ||
| 3 |  relay.primal.net | Online | 399 ms | 2,778 | strfry | |
| 4 | Online | 330 ms | 1,584 | strfry | ||
| 5 | Online | 339 ms | 1,497 | strfry | ||
| 6 |  relay.ditto.pub | Online | 358 ms | 1,167 | ditto-relay |
How we score nostr relays
Reach counts for 55% of the score, because a relay is only useful if the people you want to reach read from it. Latency counts for 30%, measured by our checker. Breadth of NIP support counts for 15%, which favours relays that handle newer features like gift wraps, counts and protected events.
A relay must be online, free and open to writes to qualify. Paid relays have their own page.
How many relays should you use?
Four to eight is the sweet spot. Write to three or four popular relays so your notes reach everyone, and read from a few more for a fuller feed. Going past ten mostly costs battery and bandwidth.
A good default setup
- Two or three of the top relays
- Maximum reach for your notes.
- One quick responder
- Keeps your client feeling fast.
- One paid relay as read
- A cleaner, low spam feed.
- One search relay
- Lets your client run full text search (NIP-50).
Frequently asked questions
What is the best nostr relay?
There is no single best relay. The ones at the top of this page combine the most users with fast, reliable responses, which makes them the safest defaults for most people.
Are the best nostr relays free?
Everything on this page is free to read and write. Paid relays trade a small fee for less spam and are listed separately.
Should I only use the most popular relays?
Using only the biggest relays concentrates the network. Add one or two smaller relays you like so the network stays spread out.