Across vs. Garden
Rift Research
Last updated
TLDR: Across is an intent-based interoperability protocol. Garden is an HTLC atomic swap network for Bitcoin. Consider Across when you are moving canonical USDC or ETH between major chains and care about speed. Consider Garden when you want native Bitcoin in or out without wrapped BTC. Confirm the live winner on rates.gg.
What each protocol is
Across. Across is an intents protocol for bridging and cross-chain swaps. Relayers front destination liquidity. Across advertises approximately two-second fills on supported mainnet routes; actual timing depends on the route. Its intent settlement and refund mechanisms are separate from that initial fill. Official docs: Across Docs. App: across.to.
Garden. Garden is an intents network for native Bitcoin and related assets. Solvers compete on a quote. Hashlocks and timelocks coordinate the two legs. Uncompleted swaps have refund paths subject to the contracts, timeouts and network conditions. Garden does not custody funds or mint wrapped BTC. Official docs: Garden Docs. App: garden.finance.
Short version
| Dimension | Across | Garden |
|---|---|---|
| Role | Intent-based interoperability protocol | HTLC atomic swap network for Bitcoin |
| Fee | Market-quoted relayer spread and LP fee; no separate flat protocol toll | Solver spread on the winning quote |
| Coverage | Supported mainnet networks, with availability determined by the exact token pair and route | Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, Base, Arbitrum, BNB Chain, Hyperliquid and others listed in Garden docs |
| Settlement | Canonical assets delivered by bonded relayers | Native HTLC atomic swap |
| Trust model | Relayer-funded fills and the settlement and dispute mechanisms of the deployed Across contracts | Hashlocked timelock contracts plus independent solvers |
| Good fit for | Canonical USDC and ETH transfers between supported chains | Native Bitcoin in or out without wrapped BTC |
| Docs | Across Docs | Garden Docs |
Where each fits
Across may fit when:
- You are moving USDC or ETH between major supported chains
- Fast destination fills matter; confirm the estimate for your route
- You want a dedicated intent rail rather than a meta-aggregator
Garden may fit when:
- Bitcoin is on one side of the trade
- You want HTLC atomic settlement rather than lock-and-mint
- Garden solvers are printing the best live rate
Key differences
Across and Garden should be compared on the job you need to complete: the input asset, destination asset and chain, trade size, execution method and custody assumptions. They may overlap on some routes and complement each other on others. A broader chain list or faster advertised fill does not establish a better net rate. Compare executable quotes in the same window, including gas and every underlying step.
When to use which
- Use Across when you are moving canonical USDC or ETH between major chains and care about speed.
- Use Garden when you want native Bitcoin in or out without wrapped BTC.
- If both can quote the same route, take the better net output after fees, time and settlement type. Check that print on rates.gg.
FAQ
Which is cheaper, Across or Garden?
Neither has a universal price advantage. Across: Market-quoted relayer spread and LP fee; no separate flat protocol toll. Garden: Solver spread on the winning quote. Compare executable quotes for the same size, destination and time window, including gas, underlying venue costs and any extra transfer. Expected output and minimum received are different figures; compare like with like.
Is Across a substitute for Garden?
Only on overlapping pairs and chains. When both can quote the same route, take the better net output after fees and time. When only one supports the asset or chain, that one is the only option.
Where are the official Across and Garden docs?
Across: Across Docs. Garden: Garden Docs. Live rate comparison: rates.gg.
Official sources
- Across docs: Across Docs
- Across app: across.to
- Across — Introduction: docs.across.to/introduction
- Across — Features and fill times: docs.across.to/introduction/features
- Across — API reference: docs.across.to/api-reference
- Garden docs: Garden Docs
- Garden app: garden.finance
- Garden — Docs home / SDK: docs.garden.finance/
- Garden — Product overview: garden.finance/
Get the Best of Both With Rift
Rift is a strong alternative to choosing between Across and Garden. It brings routes from both together with additional venues on supported pairs, comparing available quotes to find the best net execution for your order. You get the strengths of both through one API.
Rift adds no router fee and uses secure hardware enclaves to enforce noncustodial execution. Underlying venue fees, spreads and network costs still apply, and availability depends on the asset, chain and order size. The live quote shows the route and expected output.