Ethereum is the default layer 1 for smart contracts: it has run since July 30, 2015 and moved to proof-of-stake on September 15, 2022. Solana is the pick for cheap, fast transactions, with a base fee of 5,000 lamports per signature. The other six trade off validator count, speed and developer tooling in different ways, and all eight publish their node software on GitHub.
Quick answer
Build on Ethereum if you want the widest dApp and tooling support; choose Solana for a low fixed base fee, and Bitcoin if you only want a store of value with a 21 million supply cap.
- 01Ethereum: best for smart contracts
- 02Solana: best for low base fees
- 03Bitcoin: best for store of value
- 04BNB Chain: best for EVM, few validators
- 05Avalanche: best for custom chains
The 8 best layer 1 blockchains
Ethereum has run since July 30, 2015 and switched to proof-of-stake on September 15, 2022. Blocks come in fixed 12-second slots, and its clients, such as Go Ethereum, are open source.
- Platforms
- Mainnet, RPC
- Launched
- July 30, 2015 (Frontier)
- Token
- ETH
- Open source
- Yes (go-ethereum, LGPL-3.0 and GPL-3.0)
- Company
- Ethereum Foundation (non-profit; does not control Ethereum)
Pros
- Fixed 12-second slots under proof-of-stake
- Open-source clients, including Go Ethereum (geth)
- Proof-of-stake since The Merge on September 15, 2022
Cons
- Running a solo validator requires a 32 ETH deposit
- Validators run three pieces of software: execution, consensus and validator clients
- Staked ETH can be destroyed (slashed) for rule violations
Skip it if you want to run a solo validator with less than 32 ETH.
Solana charges a base fee of 5,000 lamports per signature, half of which is burned, plus an optional priority fee. Its validator client Agave is public on GitHub.
- Platforms
- Mainnet, RPC
- Token
- SOL
- Fees
- 5,000 lamports per signature base fee, plus optional prioritization fee
- Open source
- Yes (Agave validator client)
- Company
- Solana Foundation (non-profit, Zug, Switzerland)
Pros
- Base fee fixed at 5,000 lamports per signature
- Half of each base fee is burned
- Validator client Agave is public on GitHub
Cons
- Prioritization fees go 100% to the validator and add cost when competing for block space
- Default compute limit is 200,000 CU per instruction; heavier programs must request more
- Fees are always paid in SOL
Skip it if you rely on Solidity: Solana programs are built differently from EVM contracts.
Bitcoin's supply is capped at 21 million coins and no company runs it. Blocks arrive about every 10 minutes on average, and the reference client Bitcoin Core is open source.
- Platforms
- Mainnet, RPC
- Token
- BTC
- Open source
- Yes (Bitcoin Core)
Pros
- Supply capped at 21 million bitcoins
- Reference software Bitcoin Core is open source on GitHub
- Creator Satoshi Nakamoto left the project in late 2010; no company runs it
Cons
- Blocks arrive about every 10 minutes on average, with no guaranteed time
- Miners are expected to rely on fees alone once issuance ends
- Waiting for several confirmations is advised before treating a payment as final
Skip it if you need smart contracts or fast confirmation: several confirmations are advised before a payment is final.
#4B
Best for EVM, few validators
BNB Smart Chain has run since 2020 with full EVM compatibility. It uses Proof of Staked Authority with 21 active validators, and block rewards come from fees rather than BNB inflation.
- Chains
- BNB Smart Chain
- Platforms
- Mainnet, RPC
- Token
- BNB
- Launched
- 2020
- Open source
- Yes (bnb-chain/bsc)
Pros
- Full EVM compatibility with Ethereum tooling
- No inflation of BNB; block rewards come from fees
- Client is a public go-ethereum fork on GitHub
Cons
- Only 21 active validators under PoSA
- Validators are the most bonded candidates, so stake size decides the set
- Finality takes around 6 seconds per BNB Chain's FAQ, slower than block time
Skip it if validator decentralization matters to you: only 21 validators are active.
Avalanche's C-Chain runs Solidity contracts, and its P-Chain lets teams launch their own Avalanche L1s with their own validators. AVAX supply is capped at 720 million.
- Platforms
- Mainnet, RPC
- Token
- AVAX
- Open source
- Yes (avalanchego)
Pros
- EVM-compatible C-Chain runs Solidity contracts
- AVAX supply capped at 720 million
- Node software avalanchego is open source on GitHub
Cons
- Validating the Primary Network requires staking at least 2,000 AVAX
- Three separate chains (C, P, X) add steps when moving AVAX between them
- Avalanche L1s run their own validators, so security differs per L1
Skip it if you want one simple chain: moving AVAX between the C, P and X chains adds steps.
Sui runs contracts in the Move language, and its Mysticeti consensus commits blocks in 3 message rounds. SUI supply is capped at 10 billion, and the code is public under MystenLabs/sui.
- Platforms
- Mainnet, RPC
- Token
- SUI
- Open source
- Yes (MystenLabs/sui)
- Company
- Sui Foundation
Pros
- Mysticeti commits blocks in 3 message rounds
- SUI supply capped at 10 billion
- Source code is public on GitHub under MystenLabs/sui
Cons
- Move language means Solidity contracts must be rewritten
- Published throughput figures come from controlled benchmarks, not production
- Storage is charged on top of computation gas
Skip it if you have existing Solidity code: it must be rewritten in Move.
NEAR is a sharded proof-of-stake chain whose reference client nearcore is open source. Holders can delegate NEAR to validators, and the NEAR Foundation in Switzerland supports the ecosystem.
- Platforms
- Mainnet, RPC
- Token
- NEAR
- Open source
- Yes (nearcore)
- Company
- NEAR Foundation (non-profit, Switzerland)
Pros
- Sharded design, per NEAR's own site
- Reference client nearcore is open source
- Token holders can delegate NEAR to validators
Cons
- Stake on a validator caught acting maliciously is burned
- Storage on chain must be paid for in NEAR
- Transaction fees are charged only in NEAR
Skip it if you want to avoid paying for on-chain storage: NEAR charges for it in NEAR.
Aptos runs Move contracts on AptosBFT consensus and refunds the storage fee in full when a slot is freed. Gas is priced in Octas, where 1 APT equals 10^8 Octas.
- Platforms
- Mainnet, RPC
- Token
- APT
- Open source
- Yes (aptos-core)
Pros
- Storage fee is refunded in full when a slot is deleted
- Consensus is AptosBFT, based on Jolteon
- Source code is public on GitHub under aptos-labs/aptos-core
Cons
- Move language means Solidity contracts must be rewritten
- Gas and storage fees are billed separately
- Storage refunds are paid in APT and not counted in gas_used, which complicates fee accounting
Skip it if you want simple fee accounting: gas and storage are billed separately.
Layer 1 Blockchains compared
Select a name to jump to its review.
“Not verified” means we could not confirm the value on the project’s own pages.
How we rank layer 1 blockchains
- 01Fee model: how the chain's own docs describe fees: fixed base fee, gas market or storage charges.
- 02Consensus and validators: proof-of-work or proof-of-stake, the stake needed to validate and how many validators are active.
- 03Developer tooling: EVM compatibility or another language such as Move, which decides whether existing contracts can move over.
- 04Open source: whether the node software is public on GitHub. All eight are.
- 05Track record: how long the network has run, from its own history page where published.
No project paid to be listed or ranked. Full rules: methodology.
How to choose
Pick by virtual machine first
Ethereum, BNB Smart Chain and the Avalanche C-Chain run the same Solidity contracts. Sui and Aptos use Move, and Solana uses its own program model, so code does not transfer without a rewrite.
Read the fee model, not a headline number
Solana fixes its base fee at 5,000 lamports per signature, while Ethereum fees follow demand for block space. Aptos and NEAR also charge for storage.
Check validator requirements if you plan to stake
A solo Ethereum validator needs 32 ETH and an Avalanche Primary Network validator 2,000 AVAX. Delegating avoids these minimums.
Consider a layer 2 for cheaper Ethereum
If you want Ethereum's apps at lower cost, a rollup such as Arbitrum or Base settles to Ethereum. See our layer 2 list.
Who should skip all of these
- Anyone picking a token to buy: this list compares networks, not price outlooks, and is not investment advice.
- Anyone who wants the cheapest Ethereum transactions: a layer 2 network is the better fit.
Bottom line
Ethereum remains the reference smart contract chain; Solana is the main alternative when a fixed low base fee matters more than EVM compatibility.
Pick by virtual machine and fee model first, since moving code between chains means a rewrite.
Educational content, not financial advice. Crypto assets are volatile; do your own research.
FAQ
What is a layer 1 blockchain?
±
A base network that records and finalizes transactions on its own chain, such as Bitcoin, Ethereum or Solana. Layer 2 networks settle their transactions to a layer 1.
Which layer 1 has the most predictable fees?
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Of the fee rules we checked, Solana's is the most fixed: 5,000 lamports per signature plus an optional priority fee. Ethereum fees change with demand.
Is Bitcoin a smart contract platform?
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Not in the way Ethereum is. Bitcoin is built as a peer-to-peer currency with a 21 million supply cap and blocks about every 10 minutes.
Are these blockchains open source?
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Yes. All eight publish their node software on GitHub, from Bitcoin Core to Ethereum's Go Ethereum and Solana's Agave.
Do I need a minimum to stake?
±
For a solo validator, yes: 32 ETH on Ethereum and 2,000 AVAX on the Avalanche Primary Network. NEAR lets holders delegate to validators instead.
What changed in this list
2026-09-26First version: eight layer 1 blockchains ranked on fee model, consensus, tooling and open-source code.