Highlights The fabrication of Li-In anodes needs to be optimized to ensure suitability as a counter electrode in sulfide all-solid-state batteries. The Li-In counter electrode may often be the limiting factor of sulfide all-solid-state halfcells. Pressing Li and In foil together results in a kinetically limited anode. Composites from Li-In and sulfide electrolyte result in stable reference potential, superior rate performance and low impedance of the counter electrode.