{"slug":"best-mev-boost-relay-for-ethereum-validators","title":"Best MEV-Boost relay for Ethereum validators","question":"What are the best MEV-Boost relays for Ethereum validators in 2026?","verdict":"As of 2026-08-09, Claude and Gemini collectively rank Ultra Sound Relay #1 for mev-boost relay for ethereum validators on ModelsAgree — unanimous among the 2 models that have answered. The models' case: The de facto neutral standard for a typical validator — open-source (built on Flashbots' mev-boost-relay), non-censoring, community-run, and consistently one of the top. The models' main caveat: It's a lean volunteer/community operation, so validators wanting a formal SLA or a commercial support contract won't find one here. The strongest alternative is Titan Relay — Rust-rewritten, performance-focused relay that is non-censoring and supports optimistic relaying for lower latency and higher bid inclusion. Source: https://modelsagree.com/best/best-mev-boost-relay-for-ethereum-validators (modelsagree.com, CC BY 4.0).","category":"Crypto","url":"https://modelsagree.com/best/best-mev-boost-relay-for-ethereum-validators","updated":"2026-08-09","models":["Claude","Gemini"],"consensus":"All 2 models rank Ultra Sound Relay the top pick","disagreement":null,"combined":[{"rank":1,"product":"Ultra Sound Relay","domain":null,"score":10,"appearances":2,"modelRanks":{"Claude":1,"Gemini":1},"reason":"The de facto neutral standard for a typical validator — open-source (built on Flashbots' mev-boost-relay), non-censoring, community-run, and consistently one of the top relays by delivered payload value and market share, with strong public transparency on bids and a clean missed-slot record. Best all-round balance of censorship-resistance, competitive MEV, and reliability."},{"rank":2,"product":"Titan Relay","domain":null,"score":8,"appearances":2,"modelRanks":{"Claude":2,"Gemini":2},"reason":"Rust-rewritten, performance-focused relay that is non-censoring and supports optimistic relaying for lower latency and higher bid inclusion; it rapidly earned major market share on merit and competes at the top for delivered value. Excellent for validators optimizing rewards without sacrificing neutrality."},{"rank":3,"product":"Aestus Relay","domain":null,"score":4,"appearances":2,"modelRanks":{"Claude":3,"Gemini":5},"reason":"Independent, minimalist, strictly non-censoring relay run for the health of the ecosystem rather than profit; solid uptime and a good diversity play — running it alongside larger relays reduces reliance on any single operator."},{"rank":4,"product":"Flashbots Relay","domain":null,"score":3,"appearances":2,"modelRanks":{"Claude":5,"Gemini":4},"reason":"Gold standard for open-source MEV architecture with unmatched historical reliability, deep integration across validator clients, and foundational research backing; assumes validator prioritizes maximum stability and operational security."},{"rank":5,"product":"bloXroute Max Profit Relay","domain":null,"score":3,"appearances":1,"modelRanks":{"Gemini":3},"reason":"Powered by bloXroute's high-speed global BDN infrastructure to consistently secure high MEV block bids and minimize missed slots; assumes validator prioritizes maximum financial return above protocol-level transaction neutrality."},{"rank":6,"product":"Agnostic Relay","domain":null,"score":2,"appearances":1,"modelRanks":{"Claude":4},"reason":"Non-censoring relay associated with the Gnosis/Agnostic ecosystem, offering credible neutrality and competitive value with a stable operating history; a strong second or third relay for censorship-resistant diversification."}],"perModel":{"Claude":[{"rank":1,"product":"Ultra Sound Relay","reason":"The de facto neutral standard for a typical validator — open-source (built on Flashbots' mev-boost-relay), non-censoring, community-run, and consistently one of the top relays by delivered payload value and market share, with strong public transparency on bids and a clean missed-slot record. Best all-round balance of censorship-resistance, competitive MEV, and reliability.","fix":"It's a lean volunteer/community operation, so validators wanting a formal SLA or a commercial support contract won't find one here."},{"rank":2,"product":"Titan Relay","reason":"Rust-rewritten, performance-focused relay that is non-censoring and supports optimistic relaying for lower latency and higher bid inclusion; it rapidly earned major market share on merit and competes at the top for delivered value. Excellent for validators optimizing rewards without sacrificing neutrality.","fix":"Younger codebase and optimistic-relay design carry slightly more operational/tail risk than the most battle-tested relays; not for the maximally conservative operator."},{"rank":3,"product":"Aestus Relay","reason":"Independent, minimalist, strictly non-censoring relay run for the health of the ecosystem rather than profit; solid uptime and a good diversity play — running it alongside larger relays reduces reliance on any single operator.","fix":"Lower bid liquidity than the market leaders, so as a sole relay it can leave some MEV on the table; best used as part of a multi-relay set."},{"rank":4,"product":"Agnostic Relay","reason":"Non-censoring relay associated with the Gnosis/Agnostic ecosystem, offering credible neutrality and competitive value with a stable operating history; a strong second or third relay for censorship-resistant diversification.","fix":"Smaller builder connectivity than the top two means it rarely wins the highest bids on its own; a diversifier, not a standalone."},{"rank":5,"product":"Flashbots Relay","reason":"The original and most battle-tested relay, with the deepest builder ecosystem, reference-implementation reliability, and rock-solid infrastructure — a safe default for operators who prioritize proven uptime above all.","fix":"Its history of OFAC/compliance filtering and outsized centralizing influence make it a poor choice for validators prioritizing censorship resistance and network neutrality."}],"Gemini":[{"rank":1,"product":"Ultra Sound Relay","reason":"Market-leading payload volume share (~34%), exceptional low-latency infrastructure, strict non-censoring posture processing all valid transactions, and robust transparent metrics; near-tied with Titan Relay on block value delivery; assumes staker values network neutrality alongside high MEV returns.","fix":"Lacks transaction filtering, making it unviable for compliance-mandated institutional validators requiring strict OFAC filtering."},{"rank":2,"product":"Titan Relay","reason":"Processes ~24% of Ethereum block proposals, delivering high block bid values through direct integration with Titan's dominant builder pipeline; near-tied with Ultra Sound Relay on yield; assumes validator seeks top-tier block rewards and censorship resistance.","fix":"Creates vertical integration risk due to Titan operating both a top builder and relay, increasing centralization concerns for protocol health."},{"rank":3,"product":"bloXroute Max Profit Relay","reason":"Powered by bloXroute's high-speed global BDN infrastructure to consistently secure high MEV block bids and minimize missed slots; assumes validator prioritizes maximum financial return above protocol-level transaction neutrality.","fix":"Filters OFAC-sanctioned transactions, making it unusable for stakers adhering to strict non-censorship principles."},{"rank":4,"product":"Flashbots Relay","reason":"Gold standard for open-source MEV architecture with unmatched historical reliability, deep integration across validator clients, and foundational research backing; assumes validator prioritizes maximum stability and operational security.","fix":"Enforces OFAC transaction censorship by default and yields lower peak block rewards compared to latency-optimized builder-relay pipelines."},{"rank":5,"product":"Aestus Relay","reason":"Independent, public-good, censorship-free relay providing essential infrastructure decentralization and transparent operation without commercial conflicts of interest; assumes validator values community-driven network resilience.","fix":"Holds lower builder order flow and volume share (~10%), offering lower average block payouts than top-tier commercial competitors."}]},"missedByModel":{"Claude":[{"product":"bloXroute","reason":"Max Profit can top raw MEV, but its multiple flavors — including the filtering \"Regulated\" variant — plus commercial centralization undercut it as a neutral default"}],"Gemini":[{"product":"Agnostic Relay","reason":"Maintains strong non-censoring public-good values, but missed the top 5 due to lower builder connectivity and market payload volume compared to Aestus"}]}}