Realms vs Service Nervous Systems: Solana or ICP? (2026)

Realms and Service Nervous Systems both support community governance, but they serve different ecosystems and stages of a project. Realms is the main interface for creating and running DAOs on Solana through the SPL Governance program. Its core tools include proposals, voting, delegation and treasury management. A DAO creation wizard helps teams start a new organization.

SNS is a framework for Internet Computer dapp teams to hand control to a community. Each SNS has its own governance token, and holders vote on proposals affecting the service. Its governance logic runs through canisters on the Internet Computer. It is infrastructure rather than one standalone DAO app, so the experience and outcomes depend on the dapp and its community.

The chain is the first deciding factor: Realms is for Solana, while SNS is for ICP. Neither offers the other chain’s governance environment.

Realms says it charges no additional fee for platform use. That does not make creating or using a DAO cost-free: Solana transaction fees and account rent apply when actions such as creating DAO accounts, proposals or votes require on-chain transactions. The specific amounts are not published. Realms also advises users to consult its Costs documentation for applicable charges.

SNS has no published fee schedule for the framework, and no protocol fee is listed. Costs vary by DAO. Terms such as token launch conditions, staking rules or proposal deposits are set by each project, so you need to check that SNS’s own information before participating.

There is no clear basis to declare one universally cheaper. Realms is clearer about its platform fee, but network costs still apply; SNS costs depend on the individual DAO. Compare the costs relevant to the actions you expect to take, rather than assuming either system is free.

Neither project has an audit listed. Realms has no audit reports included, and SNS’s audit status is not published. Realms describes its code as open-source, which allows outside review, but that is not a substitute for an audit. For SNS, security depends on the canister code used by the framework and by each dapp, so assess the specific project rather than treating the framework as a single security guarantee.

Governance design matters as well. Realms treasury assets are governed by each DAO’s rules, including its voting thresholds and permissions. SNS token-holder voting can concentrate influence among large holders, and low turnout can allow a small group to decide outcomes. Individual SNS token prices can also be volatile.

Both involve smart-contract and governance risks. Review the rules, code and permissions of the DAO you intend to join, and do not assume that a project’s use of either system guarantees safe treasury management.

Realms is more direct if your goal is to launch or operate a Solana DAO. Its feature set covers proposal creation, voting, delegation and treasury management, and its V2 interface includes a setup wizard. It is also described as open-source and adaptable to different DAO and asset types. Developers can use its integration guide to add SPL Governance to an application.

SNS is a better fit when a team is building on the Internet Computer and wants its dapp to be governed by a community rather than remain under a single team. It offers token-based voting and custom proposal topics, while an ICP dashboard publishes DAO and ledger data from on-chain canisters. But SNS is not one uniform app: each DAO controls its own tokenomics and operations, and community participation and proposal quality vary.

The TVL figures are not enough to rank these options by usage. Realms is associated with DAO treasuries, while SNS is a framework whose value depends on the projects using it.

Choose Realms if your organization is on Solana and needs a practical interface for proposals, delegated voting and treasury management. Its DAO creation wizard and integration documentation also suit teams building governance into a Solana project. Be prepared for Solana transaction fees and account rent, and review the DAO’s own treasury rules because those shape how funds are controlled.

Choose Service Nervous Systems if you are building an Internet Computer dapp and want to transfer governance to token holders. It is a framework for community ownership, not a general-purpose interface for DAOs on other chains. Before joining an SNS, assess that project’s tokenomics, proposal rules, code and participation levels; the framework does not make every DAO’s quality or activity uniform.

If you are choosing based only on chain, the answer is straightforward: Realms for Solana, SNS for ICP. If security certification or a published fee schedule is essential, neither currently offers a clear published answer on those points.