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Crypto · head to head

Compound vs Etherscan

Compound logo

Compound

Crypto

Autonomous interest rate protocol

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Etherscan logo

Etherscan

Crypto

The Ethereum blockchain explorer

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Compound no pricing information is published on the pricing page.; Etherscan the free API plan is capped at 3 calls per second and 100,000 calls per day
  • They diverge on capability: Compound covers Lending, Etherscan covers Block Explorer.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Compound and Etherscan actually diverge.

Attributes where Compound and Etherscan differ
AttributeCompoundEtherscan
Pricing modelUnknownfreemium
PlatformsEthereumWeb, Api
Founded20172015

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Crypto).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Compound

  • Lending
  • Borrowing
  • cTokens
  • Governance
  • COMP Token
  • Ethereum

Only in Etherscan

  • Block Explorer
  • Transaction Tracking
  • Token Tracker
  • Contract Verification
  • Gas Tracker
  • Ethereum mainnet
  • Testnets
  • Api support

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Compound

  • Decentralised finance (DeFi) lending and borrowing protocol on Ethereumnot Etherscan
  • Cryptocurrency collateral management for USDC borrowingnot Etherscan
  • Interest earning through crypto asset supplynot Etherscan
  • Algorithmic interest rate determination based on supply and demandnot Etherscan

Etherscan

  • Looking up Ethereum transactions, addresses and token transfers in a block explorernot Compound
  • Reading and verifying deployed smart contract source codenot Compound
  • Pulling on-chain data into an application through the explorer APInot Compound

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Compound

  • No pricing information is published on the pricing page.

Etherscan

  • The free API plan is capped at 3 calls per second and 100,000 calls per day
  • The free plan requires attribution and covers only selected chains rather than all supported chains
  • API Pro endpoints are withheld below the Standard plan at $199 per month
  • The $49 per month Lite plan raises the rate limit to only 5 calls per second and keeps the same 100,000 calls per day as the free tier
  • Rate limits top out at 30 calls per second even on the $899 per month Pro Plus plan
  • The Address Metadata endpoint requires Pro Plus at $899 per month and is limited to one app license
  • Metadata CSV export and dedicated support are only in Metadata Enterprise, which is quoted by contact with no published price
  • The 10% and 15% discounts apply only to quarterly and yearly prepayment

Pricing, plan by plan

Compound

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Compound review.

Etherscan

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 3 calls per second rate limit
    • Up to 100,000 API calls per day
    • Selected chains with 90% coverage
  • Lite$49/month
    • 5 calls per second rate limit
    • Up to 100,000 API calls per day
    • All supported chains with community endpoints
  • Standard$199/month
    • 10 calls per second rate limit
    • Up to 200,000 API calls per day
    • API Pro endpoints access
  • Advanced$299/month
    • 20 calls per second rate limit
    • Up to 500,000 API calls per day

Which should you pick?

Choose Compound if

  • You need lending.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Ethereum.
  • You also want borrowing.
Compound review

Choose Etherscan if

  • You need block explorer.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want transaction tracking.
Etherscan review

Questions people ask

Is Compound or Etherscan better?
Neither clearly leads. Compound starts at Free and Etherscan at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Compound or Etherscan?
Compound starts at Free and Etherscan at Free.
Does Compound or Etherscan run on more platforms?
Compound runs on Ethereum. Etherscan runs on Web, Api.
Can I use Compound for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Compound best used for?
Compound is most often used for decentralised finance (defi) lending and borrowing protocol on ethereum, cryptocurrency collateral management for usdc borrowing, interest earning through crypto asset supply, algorithmic interest rate determination based on supply and demand. Of those, decentralised finance (defi) lending and borrowing protocol on ethereum and cryptocurrency collateral management for usdc borrowing are not what Etherscan is typically brought in for.
What can Compound do that Etherscan cannot?
Compound covers Lending, Borrowing, cTokens, Governance. Etherscan covers Block Explorer, Transaction Tracking, Token Tracker, Contract Verification. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Compound: How much does Compound cost?

Compound does not publish pricing information. No details about pricing tiers, plans, or costs are available on the pricing page or main website.

Source
Etherscan: Is Etherscan API free to use?

Etherscan offers a free plan with a 3 calls per second rate limit and up to 100,000 API calls per day. The free tier provides access to selected chains with 90% coverage and requires attribution. Additional premium plans start at $49 per month.

Source
Etherscan: What are Etherscan's rate limits?

Etherscan provides different rate limits based on plan: Free plan allows 3 calls per second, Lite allows 5 calls per second, Standard allows 10 calls per second, Advanced and Professional allow 20-30 calls per second, and Pro Plus allows 30 calls per second with up to 1,500,000 API calls per day.

Source
Etherscan: Can I get a refund for Etherscan API payments?

No. Etherscan explicitly states that all payments made are non-refundable. Accounts are activated within 24 hours for API Pro accounts, and auto-renewal is enabled by default through Stripe.

Source
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