Etherscan Review (2026)

The definitive Ethereum block explorer trusted by 10M+ users

4.6(2,876)

Block ExplorersFree plan

Last updated: July 2026

What is Etherscan?

Etherscan is the most widely used Ethereum block explorer and data aggregator, serving over 10 million monthly users and processing hundreds of millions of API calls per day. For any Ethereum developer or user, Etherscan is the primary interface for verifying transactions, reading smart contract source code, checking token balances, reviewing gas prices, and inspecting NFT transfers. The contract verification and source code publishing feature is a cornerstone of Ethereum transparency — users can read exactly what code runs at any contract address, and verified contracts show ABIs that wallet interfaces use to decode transaction input data. The Etherscan API is free for basic usage and provides endpoints for transaction history, token balances, contract ABIs, gas price estimates, and ERC-20/721/1155 token transfers — making it the default data source for crypto portfolio apps, block analytics tools, and developer dashboards. Etherscan has expanded beyond Ethereum mainnet to operate dedicated explorers for major testnets (Sepolia, Goerli) and has licensed its platform to power explorers for Polygon (PolygonScan), BNB Chain (BscScan), Avalanche (SnowTrace), and Arbitrum (Arbiscan). Etherscan Pro adds private note-taking, advanced address monitoring, and higher API rate limits.

Etherscan Pros & Cons

Pros

✓ The de facto standard — every Ethereum tool links to Etherscan for verification
✓ Contract verification + ABI publishing is how Ethereum maintains transparency
✓ API is free and extensively documented — the default choice for any Ethereum app
✓ Gas tracker with historical data is the most accurate on Ethereum mainnet
✓ Licensed to operate BscScan, PolygonScan, Arbiscan — familiar UI across chains

Cons

✗ Ethereum-only explorer — each chain has a separate branded instance
✗ UI hasn't significantly modernized in years — feels dated vs Blockscout
✗ API free tier (5 req/sec) can throttle busy apps quickly
✗ No native multi-chain search — you must know which chain to query
✗ Owned by a single private company — centralization concern for infrastructure this critical

Etherscan Pricing (2026)

Etherscan offers a free plan. Paid plans start at $19/month.

Etherscan

Free

✓Block explorer access
✓API (5 calls/sec)
✓Contract verification
✓Token tracking
✓Gas tracker

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Popular

Etherscan

Pro Starter

$19/mo

$190/yr billed annually

✓Higher API limits (10 calls/sec)
✓Address watchlist alerts
✓Private notes
✓Priority support

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Etherscan

Pro Standard

$99/mo

$990/yr billed annually

✓30 calls/sec
✓Advanced monitoring
✓CSV exports
✓5 user seats

Get Started

Etherscan Features

Feature	Etherscan
Transaction History	✓
Contract Verification	✓
Token Tracking	✓
Nft Tracking	✓
Api Access	✓
Multi Chain Support	✗
Gas Tracker	✓
Source Code Viewer	✓
Address Labels	✓
Private Notes	Pro plans

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Etherscan free?

Yes, Etherscan has a free plan. Paid plans start from $19/month.

What is Etherscan used for?

Etherscan is used for the definitive ethereum block explorer trusted by 10m+ users. It's primarily used by Web3 teams in the Block Explorers category.

What are the best alternatives to Etherscan?

See our full alternatives comparison at web3tools.directory/alternatives/etherscan.

How does Etherscan compare to other block explorers tools?

Etherscan has a rating of 4.6/5 based on 2876 reviews. Key strength: The de facto standard — every Ethereum tool links to Etherscan for verification. Main limitation: Ethereum-only explorer — each chain has a separate branded instance.

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