Foundry, Hardhat, Remix and OpenZeppelin Contracts are all free and open source, so the choice comes down to workflow, not price. Foundry tests in Solidity, Hardhat 3 tests in Solidity or TypeScript, and Remix runs in the browser with no setup. This list ranks six tools by the job each does best.
Quick answer
Foundry is the best smart contract framework for most teams: Solidity tests, built-in fuzzing and an Apache-2.0 license. Use Hardhat if your team writes TypeScript tests, Remix to learn or prototype, and OpenZeppelin Contracts for audited building blocks.
- 01Foundry: Best framework overall
- 02Hardhat: best for TypeScript teams
- 03Remix IDE: best for learning
- 04OpenZeppelin: Best contract library
- 05Tenderly: best for debugging live txs
The 6 best smart contract tools
Foundry's Forge, Cast, Anvil and Chisel cover build, test, fuzz, deploy and inspect. Tests are written in Solidity, and the code is Apache-2.0 on GitHub.
- Chains
- Ethereum and EVM networks
- Platforms
- macOS, Linux, Windows
- Open source
- Yes, Apache-2.0 on GitHub (foundry-rs/foundry)
- Pricing
- Free
- Launched
- 2021 (repository created September 2021)
Pros
- Tests written in Solidity, the same language as the contracts
- Fuzzing built into Forge
- Free and open source under Apache-2.0
Cons
- Command-line only, with no official graphical IDE
- JavaScript deployment scripts from Hardhat projects need rewriting
Skip it if you need a graphical IDE: Foundry is command-line only.
#2H
Best for TypeScript teams
Hardhat, from the Nomic Foundation, supports Solidity and TypeScript tests in Hardhat 3 with a Rust-powered runtime and Viem and Ethers.js integrations.
- Chains
- Ethereum and EVM networks
- Platforms
- macOS, Linux, Windows
- Company
- Nomic Foundation
- Open source
- Yes, on GitHub (NomicFoundation/hardhat)
- Launched
- 2018 (repository created April 2018)
Pros
- Tests in Solidity or TypeScript in Hardhat 3
- Viem and Ethers.js integrations for TypeScript tests
- Free and open source on GitHub
Cons
- Hardhat 3 changes configuration, so older plugins and projects may need migration
- Needs a Node.js project, unlike a single Foundry binary
Skip it if you maintain an older Hardhat 2 project with many plugins: migration to Hardhat 3 takes work.
Remix runs in the browser with no setup and is free, with 20,000 AI credits. A desktop app can run Foundry projects. Code is Apache-2.0.
- Chains
- Ethereum and EVM networks
- Platforms
- Web, Desktop
- Pricing
- Free; paid tiers from $9.99/mo
- Free plan
- Free forever, with 20,000 AI credits
- Open source
- Yes, Apache-2.0 on GitHub (remix-project-org/remix-project)
Pros
- Runs in the browser with zero setup
- Free plan includes 20,000 AI credits
- Open source under Apache-2.0
Cons
- Browser workspaces suit small projects better than large codebases
- Contract auditing and cloud workspaces are on paid tiers
Skip it if your codebase is large: a local framework handles many files and CI better.
OpenZeppelin Contracts is an MIT-licensed Solidity library; its homepage says 9 of the top 10 stablecoins use it. S&P Global has agreed to acquire the company.
- Chains
- Ethereum and EVM networks
- Platforms
- Web, Library
- Open source
- Yes, OpenZeppelin Contracts under MIT on GitHub
- Company
- OpenZeppelin; S&P Global has agreed to acquire it
- Launched
- 2016 (Contracts repository created August 2016)
Pros
- Contracts library is free under MIT
- Contracts Wizard generates token and governance contracts
- Homepage states 9 of the top 10 stablecoins use its contracts
Cons
- Audits are a paid, quote-based service
- Ownership is changing: S&P Global has agreed to acquire the company
Skip it if you want a full framework: it is a library you use inside Foundry or Hardhat.
#5T
Best for debugging live txs
Tenderly simulates, debugs and monitors transactions on 100+ networks, with a free plan. Simulation over its RPC costs 400 Tenderly Units per call.
- Chains
- EVM networks
- Platforms
- Web, API, SDK
- Free plan
- Free plan available; excludes Node RPC
- Pricing
- Node RPC on paid plans, metered in Tenderly Units (1 to 400 TU per request)
- Chains
- 100+ networks
Pros
- Covers 100+ networks per its docs
- Simulation, debugger, alerts and Node RPC in one dashboard
- Node RPC read calls cost 1 TU each
Cons
- Free plan does not include Node RPC access
- Node RPC capacity is set through the sales team
- Simulation calls over RPC cost 400 TU each
Skip it if you only test locally: Foundry and Hardhat already include local networks.
thirdweb lets you deploy contracts and connect them to wallets, RPC and payments from one SDK. The free tier includes 1M RPC requests.
- Chains
- EVM networks
- Platforms
- Web, API, SDK
- Pricing
- Growth $99/mo; Scale $499/mo; Pro from $1,499/mo
- Free plan
- 1,000 user wallets, 1,000 sponsored transactions, 1M RPC requests, 1 GB storage
- Chains
- 2,500+ for RPC and server wallets; 145+ for gas sponsorship
Pros
- Free tier includes 1,000 user wallets, 1,000 sponsored transactions and 1M RPC requests
- One SDK covers wallets, contracts, RPC and payments
- RPC and server wallets listed for 2,500+ chains
Cons
- Gas sponsorship covers 145+ chains, far fewer than its RPC coverage
- Pro plan starts at $1,499/mo
Skip it if you write custom contracts: a framework gives more control.
Smart Contract Tools compared
Select a name to jump to its review.
| Name | Best for | Pricing | Free plan | Chains |
|---|
| Foundry | Solidity-first teams | Free | Not verified | Ethereum and EVM networks |
|---|
| Hardhat | JS and TS developers | Not verified | Not verified | Ethereum and EVM networks |
|---|
| Remix IDE | Beginners and quick tests | Free; paid tiers from $9.99/mo | Free forever, with 20,000 AI credits | Ethereum and EVM networks |
|---|
| OpenZeppelin | Tokens, roles and upgrades | Not verified | Not verified | Ethereum and EVM networks |
|---|
| Tenderly | Simulation and monitoring | Node RPC on paid plans, metered in Tenderly Units (1 to 400 TU per request) | Free plan available; excludes Node RPC | EVM networks |
|---|
| thirdweb | Deploying prebuilt contracts | Growth $99/mo; Scale $499/mo; Pro from $1,499/mo | 1,000 user wallets, 1,000 sponsored transactions, 1M RPC requests, 1 GB storage | EVM networks |
|---|
“Not verified” means we could not confirm the value on the project’s own pages.
How we rank smart contract tools
- 01Workflow: test language, speed and local network.
- 02License: open-source license seen on GitHub.
- 03Maintainer: who builds the tool.
- 04Cost: free or paid tiers from the tool's own page.
- 05Fit: learning, prototyping, production or live debugging.
No project paid to be listed or ranked. Full rules: methodology.
How to choose
Choose your test language
Foundry tests are Solidity; Hardhat 3 supports Solidity and TypeScript. Pick the one your team already writes.
Start from audited code
Import OpenZeppelin Contracts for ERC-20, ERC-721, access control and upgrades rather than writing them yourself.
Prototype in the browser
Remix needs no install, which makes it the fastest way to test a small idea or follow a tutorial.
Debug on a fork before mainnet
Simulate the deploy and first transactions on Tenderly or a local fork so a failed call costs nothing.
Who should skip all of these
- Non-developers launching a token: see our token tools and launchpads instead.
- Teams that need a formal audit: these tools do not replace one; OpenZeppelin's audits are a separate paid service.
Bottom line
Foundry plus OpenZeppelin Contracts covers most production work; Hardhat is the pick for TypeScript-first teams.
Use Remix to learn and Tenderly to debug transactions that already failed on a live network.
Educational content, not financial advice. Crypto assets are volatile; do your own research.
FAQ
Foundry or Hardhat?
±
Foundry if you want Solidity tests and fuzzing in one binary. Hardhat if your team writes TypeScript tests; Hardhat 3 supports both languages.
Are these tools free?
±
Foundry, Hardhat and OpenZeppelin Contracts are free and open source. Remix is free with paid AI tiers from $9.99 a month. Tenderly has a free plan.
Is Remix good enough for production?
±
For small contracts, yes. For larger codebases with CI, a local framework such as Foundry or Hardhat is easier to maintain.
What is OpenZeppelin Contracts?
±
An MIT-licensed Solidity library of audited building blocks such as ERC-20 tokens, access control and upgradeable proxies.
Who maintains Hardhat?
±
The Nomic Foundation.
What changed in this list
2026-09-26First version: 6 smart contract tools, licenses checked on GitHub.