A head-to-head comparison of Polygonscan and Basescan — pricing, the features that actually differ, and which one fits which use case.
Etherscan-family explorer for Polygon PoS and zkEVM
The official Etherscan-family explorer for Coinbase's Base L2
| Feature | Polygonscan | Basescan |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction History | ✓ | ✓ |
| Contract Verification | ✓ | ✓ |
| Token Tracking | ✓ | ✓ |
| Nft Tracking | ✓ | ✓ |
| Api Access | ✓ | ✓ |
| Multi Chain Support | ✗ | ✗ |
| Gas Tracker | ✓ | ✓ |
| Source Code Viewer | ✓ | ✓ |
| Address Labels | ✓ | ✓ |
| Private Notes | Pro plans | Pro plans |
Polygonscan has the lower entry price of the two.
Polygonscan
Free
Polygonscan
$19/mo
$190/yr billed annually
Polygonscan
$99/mo
$990/yr billed annually
Basescan
Free
Basescan
$19/mo
$190/yr billed annually
Basescan
$99/mo
$990/yr billed annually
Watch out: Closed-source and centrally operated.
Watch out: Closed-source, centrally operated.
Polygonscan edges ahead on our editorial score (4.4/5), but these tools aren’t straight substitutes. Pick Polygonscan when canonical explorer for polygon pos and zkevm matters most to your workflow; pick Basescan when reference explorer for the high-activity base l2 is the priority. The deciding factor is usually the trade-off you can least afford — Polygonscan means accepting that closed-source and centrally operated, while Basescan means closed-source, centrally operated.
Polygonscan carries the higher editorial rating (4.4/5 vs 4.4/5), but they solve different problems. Polygonscan is the stronger pick when you need canonical explorer for polygon pos and zkevm. Basescan wins when reference explorer for the high-activity base l2.
Polygonscan starts lower, at $19/month versus $19/month. Both also offer a free tier.
Polygonscan's main limitation is that closed-source and centrally operated. For Basescan, closed-source, centrally operated. Weigh these against how you actually plan to use the tool.
In most cases yes — many teams run both, using each where it's strongest. Since Polygonscan leads on canonical explorer for polygon pos and zkevm and Basescan on reference explorer for the high-activity base l2, the two are often complementary rather than mutually exclusive.