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Networks

Block explorers, by network

The tool that lets you verify anything yourself, for every major network.

Networks
All networksLayer 1Layer 2Layer 3BitcoinEthereumSolanaBNB ChainXRP LedgerCardanoAvalancheTRONPolkadotCosmos HubNEAR ProtocolAptosSuiTONLitecoinHederaAlgorandMoneroCelestiaInjectiveBaseArbitrum OneOP MainnetPolygon PoSzkSync EraStarknetScrollLineaBlastMantleModeTaikoopBNBImmutable zkEVMXaiApeChainDegen ChainSankoB3RARI ChainOrderly NetworkBlock explorersName servicesBridgesSwap guides
Updated 2026-08-304 min read
The short answer

A block explorer is a website that indexes a blockchain and makes it searchable. Paste a transaction hash, a wallet address or a contract address and you can see exactly what happened, who holds what, and whether a contract source has been verified. Etherscan covers Ethereum, Solscan covers Solana, BaseScan covers Base.

Why you should learn to use one

An explorer is the difference between believing something and checking it. Somebody says they sent you funds, you check. A token looks promising, you check who holds it. A transaction failed, you find out exactly why.

Everything on a public blockchain is visible. The explorer just makes it readable.

Verify a payment

Paste the transaction hash and see the amount, the destination and the confirmation count.

Check a token

Holder count, supply and how concentrated ownership is. Five minutes here filters out most scams.

Read a contract

If the source is verified you can see exactly what functions exist and what the deployer can still do.

Diagnose a failure

Failed transactions carry a revert reason. The explorer decodes it for you.

The directory

Every major network, with the explorer we actually use for each.

Bitcoin

Mempool.spaceFee estimates and mempool depth, the best Bitcoin explorerBlockstream.infoClean, fast, no tracking

Ethereum

EtherscanThe reference explorer, with contract verification and token approvalsBlockscoutOpen source alternative used by many rollups

Solana

SolscanBest for reading token transfers and account historiesSolanaFMVery good at decoding what a transaction actually did

Base

BaseScanEtherscan for Base, same interfaceBase BlockscoutOpen source view of the same data

Arbitrum

ArbiscanThe standard Arbitrum explorerArbitrum BlockscoutAlternative with different tooling

Optimism

Optimistic EtherscanFamiliar Etherscan layoutSuperscanCross Superchain view

Polygon

PolygonScanThe default for Polygon PoSOKLink PolygonAlternative with extra analytics

BNB Chain

BscScanThe standard BNB Chain exploreropBNBScanFor the opBNB rollup

Cosmos and IBC

MintscanCovers dozens of Cosmos chains with staking viewsPing.pubLightweight open source explorer

Multi chain

BlockchairSearch many chains from one boxL2BEATNot an explorer, but the best source of truth on rollup riskDefiLlamaValue locked across every chain and protocol

Learning to read one

Our full walkthrough covers the transaction page field by field, plus the specific checks worth running before you buy an unfamiliar token.

How to read a block explorer Spotting a rug pull Reviewing token approvals

Where to go next

Reading a block explorerThe full walkthrough, field by field.All networksCompare the chains themselves.Name servicesHuman readable addresses.

Want to learn this properly?

Reading an explorer is one of the most useful half hours you can spend in crypto. We can walk through your own transaction history and show you exactly what each field means.

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