⬡ChainPick

Arbiscan vs Polygonscan (2026)

A head-to-head comparison of Arbiscan and Polygonscan — pricing, the features that actually differ, and which one fits which use case.

At a glance

A

Arbiscan

The Etherscan-built block explorer for Arbitrum One and Nova

4.5(612)
Starting price
$19/mo
Free plan
Yes
Best for
Canonical, best-maintained explorer for Arbitrum
Full Arbiscan review →
P

Polygonscan

Etherscan-family explorer for Polygon PoS and zkEVM

4.4(521)
Starting price
$19/mo
Free plan
Yes
Best for
Canonical explorer for Polygon PoS and zkEVM
Full Polygonscan review →

Full feature comparison

FeatureArbiscanPolygonscan
Transaction History✓✓
Contract Verification✓✓
Token Tracking✓✓
Nft Tracking✓✓
Api Access✓✓
Multi Chain Support✗✗
Gas Tracker✓✓
Source Code Viewer✓✓
Address Labels✓✓
Private NotesPro plansPro plans

Pricing compared

Arbiscan has the lower entry price of the two.

Arbiscan

Arbiscan

Free

Free

  • ✓Full explorer access
  • ✓Unified V2 API (5 calls/sec)
  • ✓Contract verification
  • ✓Token + gas tracking
Get Started
Popular

Arbiscan

Pro Starter

$19/mo

$190/yr billed annually

  • ✓10 calls/sec
  • ✓Address watchlist alerts
  • ✓Private notes
  • ✓Priority support
Get Started

Arbiscan

Pro Standard

$99/mo

$990/yr billed annually

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

Polygonscan

Polygonscan

Free

Free

  • ✓Full explorer access
  • ✓Unified V2 API (5 calls/sec)
  • ✓Contract verification
  • ✓Token + gas tracking
Get Started
Popular

Polygonscan

Pro Starter

$19/mo

$190/yr billed annually

  • ✓10 calls/sec
  • ✓Address watchlist alerts
  • ✓Private notes
  • ✓Priority support
Get Started

Polygonscan

Pro Standard

$99/mo

$990/yr billed annually

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

Which should you choose?

Choose Arbiscan if…

  • ✓Canonical, best-maintained explorer for Arbitrum
  • ✓Full contract verification and read/write UI
  • ✓Traces L1↔L2 deposits, withdrawals, and messaging

Watch out: Closed-source and centrally operated.

Choose Polygonscan if…

  • ✓Canonical explorer for Polygon PoS and zkEVM
  • ✓Full contract verification and read/write UI
  • ✓Decoded internal transactions and event logs

Watch out: Closed-source and centrally operated.

Our verdict

Arbiscan edges ahead on our editorial score (4.5/5), but these tools aren’t straight substitutes. Pick Arbiscan when canonical, best-maintained explorer for arbitrum matters most to your workflow; pick Polygonscan when canonical explorer for polygon pos and zkevm is the priority. The deciding factor is usually the trade-off you can least afford — Arbiscan means accepting that closed-source and centrally operated, while Polygonscan means closed-source and centrally operated.

Frequently asked questions

Is Arbiscan or Polygonscan better?

Arbiscan carries the higher editorial rating (4.5/5 vs 4.4/5), but they solve different problems. Arbiscan is the stronger pick when you need canonical, best-maintained explorer for arbitrum. Polygonscan wins when canonical explorer for polygon pos and zkevm.

Which is cheaper, Arbiscan or Polygonscan?

Arbiscan starts lower, at $19/month versus $19/month. Both also offer a free tier.

What are the main drawbacks of Arbiscan and Polygonscan?

Arbiscan's main limitation is that closed-source and centrally operated. For Polygonscan, closed-source and centrally operated. Weigh these against how you actually plan to use the tool.

Can you use Arbiscan and Polygonscan together?

In most cases yes — many teams run both, using each where it's strongest. Since Arbiscan leads on canonical, best-maintained explorer for arbitrum and Polygonscan on canonical explorer for polygon pos and zkevm, the two are often complementary rather than mutually exclusive.