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.