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Crypto · head to head

Etherscan vs Moralis

Etherscan logo

Etherscan

Crypto

The Ethereum blockchain explorer

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Moralis logo

Moralis

Crypto

The easiest way to build Web3 apps

From
$149/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Etherscan has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Etherscan the free API plan is capped at 3 calls per second and 100,000 calls per day; Moralis the free plan is metered daily at 40,000 compute units rather than monthly, so a quiet week cannot offset a busy day
  • They diverge on capability: Etherscan covers Block Explorer, Moralis covers NFT API.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Etherscan and Moralis actually diverge.

Attributes where Etherscan and Moralis differ
AttributeEtherscanMoralis
Starting priceFree$149/month
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, ApiApi, Web
Founded20152020

Identical on both: 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 Etherscan

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

Only in Moralis

  • NFT API
  • Token API
  • Wallet API
  • Streams
  • Auth API
  • EVM chains
  • Solana
  • Aptos

Both cover

  • Web support
  • Api support

What people use each for

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

Etherscan

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

Moralis

  • Querying blockchain data across chains through a unified APInot Etherscan
  • Building Web3 applications without running node infrastructurenot Etherscan

Where each one falls short

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

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

Moralis

  • The free plan is metered daily at 40,000 compute units rather than monthly, so a quiet week cannot offset a busy day
  • API throughput is 40 requests per second on both the free and the $49 Starter plan, so paying does not raise the rate limit at the first tier
  • Doubling throughput to 80 requests per second requires the $199 Pro plan
  • Every published price assumes annual billing

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Moralis

$149/month
  • Starter$149/month
    • 2 million compute units
    • 40 RPS throughput
    • 11.25 USD per million CU overage
  • Pro$249/month
    • 100 million compute units
    • 80 RPS throughput
    • 5 USD per million CU overage
  • Business$749/month
    • 500 million compute units
    • 200 RPS throughput
    • 4 USD per million CU overage
  • Enterprise$null/custom
    • Custom compute units and throughput

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Moralis if

  • You need nft api.
  • You work on Api, Web.
  • You also want token api.
Moralis review

Questions people ask

Is Etherscan or Moralis better?
Neither clearly leads. Etherscan starts at Free and Moralis at $149/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Etherscan or Moralis?
Etherscan has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Etherscan and $149/month for Moralis.
Does Etherscan or Moralis run on more platforms?
Etherscan runs on Web, Api. Moralis runs on Api, Web.
Can I use Etherscan for free?
Yes. Etherscan has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Moralis starts at $149/month.
What is Etherscan best used for?
Etherscan is most often used for looking up ethereum transactions, addresses and token transfers in a block explorer, reading and verifying deployed smart contract source code, pulling on-chain data into an application through the explorer api. Of those, looking up ethereum transactions, addresses and token transfers in a block explorer and reading and verifying deployed smart contract source code are not what Moralis is typically brought in for.
What can Etherscan do that Moralis cannot?
Etherscan covers Block Explorer, Transaction Tracking, Token Tracker, Contract Verification. Moralis covers NFT API, Token API, Wallet API, Streams. Both handle Web support, Api support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
Moralis: How much does Moralis cost?

Moralis pricing is 149 USD/month (Starter with 2M compute units), 249 USD/month (Pro with 100M CU), or 749 USD/month (Business with 500M CU). Annual billing required for cryptocurrency payment option.

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
Moralis: Is there a free tier?

Moralis does not offer a free tier; all plans require payment starting at 149 USD/month.

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
Moralis: What are the throughput limits?

Starter tier provides 40 RPS throughput, Pro tier provides 80 RPS, Business tier provides 200 RPS. Enterprise tier offers custom RPS limits.

Source
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