Etherscan's free API allows 3 calls per second and up to 100,000 calls a day, and one key covers 60+ chains through API V2. For browsing, every explorer here is free; the differences are chain coverage, labels and API limits. This list ranks seven explorers across Ethereum, layer 2s and Solana.
Quick answer
Etherscan is the best block explorer for Ethereum and EVM chains, with one API key for 60+ chains. Use Solscan or Orb for Solana, and Blockscout for chains Etherscan does not cover.
- 01Etherscan: best for Ethereum
- 02Blockscout: best for other EVM chains
- 03Solscan: best for Solana
- 04Orb: Best fast Solana browsing
- 05Arbiscan: best for Arbitrum
The 7 best block explorers
Etherscan has run since August 2015. Its API V2 covers 60+ chains under one key; the free tier allows 3 calls per second and up to 100,000 a day, and paid plans start at $49 a month.
- Chains
- Ethereum, plus 60+ chains through the API
- Platforms
- Web, API
- Pricing
- Lite $49/mo, Standard $199/mo, Advanced $299/mo, Professional $399/mo, Pro Plus $899/mo
- Free plan
- 3 calls/sec, up to 100,000 calls/day, selected chains, attribution required
- Launched
- August 2015
Pros
- Free API tier: 3 calls/sec, up to 100,000 calls/day
- One API key covers 60+ chains
- Running since August 2015, SOC 2 Type II certified in August 2026
Cons
- Free tier covers only selected chains and needs attribution
- API Pro endpoints start at the $199/month Standard plan
- Robinhood Chain and Arc endpoints move behind the $49 Lite plan on October 16, 2026
Skip it if you need a chain outside its list: use Blockscout.
#2B
Best for other EVM chains
Blockscout is a source-available EVM explorer that projects can self-host. Its PRO API covers 100+ chains, free at 5 requests per second and 100K credits a day.
- Chains
- EVM chains
- Platforms
- Web, API
- Pricing
- Builder $49/mo, Pro $199/mo, Business $999/mo, Enterprise custom
- Free plan
- 5 RPS, 100K credits/day
- Open source
- Source-available (Blockscout Software Licence since v11.0.0)
Pros
- Free PRO API: 5 RPS and 100K credits/day
- One API key across 100+ chains
- Free to self-host and modify for your own chain
Cons
- Since v11.0.0 (April 2026) the license is source-available, not open source
- Reselling hosted Blockscout needs a commercial license
- Default call costs 20 credits, so the free tier is about 5,000 calls/day
Skip it if you want an open-source license: since v11.0.0 it uses the Blockscout Software Licence.
Solscan, owned by Etherscan since January 2024, decodes Solana transactions and token data. Its Pro API starts at $49 a month.
- Chains
- Solana
- Platforms
- Web, API
- Pricing
- Lite $49/mo (20M CU), Level 2 $199/mo (150M CU), Level 3 $399/mo (500M CU), Level 4 $1,099/mo (1.5B CU), Enterprise on request
- Company
- Etherscan (acquired January 2024)
- Chains
- Solana
Pros
- Pro API decodes activity from 100+ Solana platforms
- Owned by Etherscan since January 2024
- Hosted MCP server for AI agent access
Cons
- Lite plan excludes account metadata, funded_by and bulk endpoints
- API plans are non-refundable
- Top-up compute units do not roll over
Skip it if you use EVM chains: Solscan is Solana only.
#4O
Best fast Solana browsing
Orb is a Solana explorer built by Helius, launched October 29, 2025, with reverse search, time filters and transaction heatmaps.
- Chains
- Solana
- Platforms
- Web
- Launched
- October 29, 2025
- Company
- Helius
- Chains
- Solana mainnet-beta, devnet and testnet
Pros
- Slot and time based filtering of history
- Shows program IDLs, verification status and upgrade authority
- Swap tokens directly from the explorer
Cons
- Solana only
- Launched in October 2025, so a short track record
Skip it if you need an explorer API: Orb is a browsing tool.
Arbiscan is the Etherscan team's explorer for Arbitrum One and shares Etherscan's API plans, including the free 3 calls per second tier.
- Chains
- Arbitrum One
- Platforms
- Web, API
- Company
- Etherscan
- Chains
- Arbitrum One, Arbitrum Sepolia
- Pricing
- Lite $49/mo, Standard $199/mo, Advanced $299/mo, Professional $399/mo, Pro Plus $899/mo
Pros
- Shows L1 to L2 and L2 to L1 messages and batches
- Free API tier: 3 calls/sec, up to 100,000 calls/day
- Same API key works across Etherscan's 60+ chains
Cons
- API Pro endpoints start at $199/month
- Free API tier needs attribution and covers selected chains only
Skip it if you work across many chains: Etherscan's multichain key covers Arbitrum too.
#6E
Best for ERC-20 portfolios
Ethplorer focuses on ERC-20 tokens and address portfolios with historical USD balances. Its free API key allows 2 requests per second and 1,000 a day.
- Chains
- Ethereum, BNB Chain, Blast, Linea
- Platforms
- Web, API
- Free plan
- freekey: 2 requests/sec, 1,000/day, 3,000/week, max 100 records, 30-day history
- Chains
- Ethereum mainnet; Sepolia and Hoodi testnets
- Launched
- 2016
Pros
- Portfolio view with historical USD balances
- CSV export of address history with historical prices
- Free API key for development
Cons
- Ethplorer.io covers Ethereum only; BNB Chain, Linea and Blast run on separate sister explorers
- Free API limited to 1,000 requests per day
- Free API data goes back only 30 days
Skip it if you need chains beyond Ethereum mainnet.
Solana Explorer is the Solana Foundation's explorer, public under the MIT license on GitHub, covering all Solana clusters.
- Chains
- Solana
- Platforms
- Web
- Open source
- Yes, MIT license
- Chains
- Mainnet Beta, Testnet, Devnet and custom RPC clusters
- Company
- Solana Foundation
Pros
- MIT-licensed source code on GitHub
- Covers all Solana clusters, not only mainnet
- No account needed
Cons
- Solana only
- Self-hosting needs your own RPC endpoints; the public Solana RPCs rate-limit local builds
Skip it if you want labels and token analytics: Solscan decodes more.
Not on this list
OKLink: Terms exclude US residents: its Terms of Services list the US and all US territories as restricted territories.
Block Explorers compared
Select a name to jump to its review.
| Name | Best for | US availability | Pricing | Free plan | Chains |
|---|
| Etherscan | Ethereum and EVM chains | Available: terms name no country restrictions | Lite $49/mo, Standard $199/mo, Advanced $299/mo, Professional $399/mo, Pro Plus $899/mo | 3 calls/sec, up to 100,000 calls/day, selected chains, attribution required | Ethereum, plus 60+ chains through the API |
|---|
| Blockscout | Rollups and custom chains | Available: terms restrict only sanctioned jurisdictions | Builder $49/mo, Pro $199/mo, Business $999/mo, Enterprise custom | 5 RPS, 100K credits/day | EVM chains |
|---|
| Solscan | Solana tokens and accounts | Available: terms name no country restrictions | Lite $49/mo (20M CU), Level 2 $199/mo (150M CU), Level 3 $399/mo (500M CU), Level 4 $1,099/mo (1.5B CU), Enterprise on request | Not verified | Solana |
|---|
| Orb | Readable Solana history | Not verified | Not verified | Not verified | Solana |
|---|
| Arbiscan | Arbitrum One activity | Available: terms name no country restrictions | Lite $49/mo, Standard $199/mo, Advanced $299/mo, Professional $399/mo, Pro Plus $899/mo | 3 calls/sec, up to 100,000 calls/day, attribution required | Arbitrum One |
|---|
| Ethplorer | Token holdings and history | Available: terms name no country restrictions | Free; the API requires a reference to Ethplorer on your site | freekey: 2 requests/sec, 1,000/day, 3,000/week, max 100 records, 30-day history | Ethereum, BNB Chain, Blast, Linea |
|---|
| Solana Explorer | Official Solana view | Available: terms name no country restrictions | Free | Yes, free and open source (MIT) | Solana |
|---|
“Not verified” means we could not confirm the value on the project’s own pages.
How we rank block explorers
- 01Chain coverage: chains the explorer lists.
- 02API free tier: published free rate limit.
- 03API pricing: paid entry plan, per month.
- 04Openness: open-source or source-available code.
- 05Ownership: company behind the explorer, from its own page.
No project paid to be listed or ranked. Full rules: methodology.
What we did not test
- We did not open accounts, deposit money or place trades with these services.
- We did not audit smart contracts, reserves or security claims ourselves; we report what the project and its auditors publish.
- Fees, limits and availability change; the list date shows when we last checked them.
Rubric last updated Sep 26, 2026. Crypto assets are not insured by the FDIC or SIPC, and you can lose all the money you put in. This page is educational content, not financial advice.
How to choose
01Use the chain's main explorer
For Ethereum, Etherscan; for Arbitrum, Arbiscan; for Solana, Solscan or Orb. Contract verification and labels are most complete there.
02One key for many chains
Etherscan's API V2 covers 60+ chains with one key, and Blockscout's PRO API covers 100+.
03Check the URL before you connect
Phishing sites copy explorer layouts. Type the address yourself; explorers never ask you to connect a wallet to view data.
04Cross-check big transfers
If a balance looks wrong, open the same address on a second explorer, such as Blockscout next to Etherscan.
Who should skip all of these
- Portfolio tracking across wallets and chains: see our portfolio trackers list.
- SQL research over many contracts: see our web3 data tools list.
Bottom line
Etherscan for EVM, Solscan or Orb for Solana, Blockscout for everything Etherscan does not cover.
All seven are free to browse; API limits only matter if you build on them.
Educational content, not financial advice. Crypto assets are volatile; do your own research.
FAQ
What is the best Ethereum block explorer?
±
Etherscan, running since August 2015, with an API that covers 60+ chains under one key.
What is the best Solana explorer?
±
Solscan for decoded token data and an API; Orb, built by Helius, for fast readable browsing; Solana Explorer for the open-source official view.
Are block explorers free?
±
Browsing is free on all seven. API access has free tiers with limits, such as 3 calls per second on Etherscan.
Who owns Solscan?
±
Etherscan acquired Solscan in January 2024.
Can I run my own block explorer?
±
Yes. Blockscout can be self-hosted under the Blockscout Software Licence, and Solana Explorer's code is MIT-licensed.
What changed in this list
2026-09-26First version: 8 block explorers across Ethereum, Arbitrum and Solana.
2026-09-26Moved OKLink to Not on this list: its terms exclude US residents
Who made this page
✓
Fact check
Checked against 12 sourcesLast check: Sep 26, 2026
A value we could not confirm on the project’s own pages is marked “Not verified” instead of estimated.
How we review