Crypto · head to head
Etherscan vs Preset
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Etherscan the free API plan is capped at 3 calls per second and 100,000 calls per day; Preset limited SQL IDE advanced features compared to specialized query tools
- They diverge on capability: Etherscan covers Block Explorer, Preset covers Managed Superset.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Etherscan and Preset actually diverge.
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).
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
- Api support
Only in Preset
- Managed Superset
- Auto-scaling
- Enterprise Security
- Custom Branding
- API Access
- Snowflake
- BigQuery
- Redshift
Both cover
- Web 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 Preset
- Reading and verifying deployed smart contract source codenot Preset
- Pulling on-chain data into an application through the explorer APInot Preset
Preset
- Self-service analyticsnot Etherscan
- Data explorationnot Etherscan
- Ad-hoc reportingnot Etherscan
- Collaborative analysisnot Etherscan
- Embedded analyticsnot 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
Preset
- Limited SQL IDE advanced features compared to specialized query tools
- Viewer licenses add substantial cost for embedded analytics deployments
- Dataset-centric approach requires preprocessing by data teams for some use cases
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
Preset
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the Preset review.
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.
Choose Preset if
- You need managed superset.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Cloud.
- You also want auto-scaling.
Questions people ask
- Is Etherscan or Preset better?
- Neither clearly leads. Etherscan starts at Free and Preset at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Etherscan or Preset?
- Etherscan starts at Free and Preset at Free.
- Does Etherscan or Preset run on more platforms?
- Etherscan runs on Web, Api. Preset runs on Web, Cloud.
- Can I use Etherscan for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- 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 Preset is typically brought in for.
- What can Etherscan do that Preset cannot?
- Etherscan covers Block Explorer, Transaction Tracking, Token Tracker, Contract Verification. Preset covers Managed Superset, Auto-scaling, Enterprise Security, Custom Branding. Both handle Web 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.
SourcePreset: Is Preset free?
Preset offers a free tier for small teams called Starter with 5 users and no credit card required. Paid plans start at $25 per user per month.
SourceEtherscan: 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.
SourcePreset: Can I export my data from Preset?
Yes. Preset uses Apache Superset and the founders contribute over 75% of commits to the open-source project, enabling migration to Superset without vendor lock-in.
SourceEtherscan: 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.
SourcePreset: Does Preset include embedded analytics?
Yes. Embedded dashboards are available on Professional and Enterprise plans, with viewer licenses starting at $500 per month for 50 licenses.
SourcePreset: What is the enterprise pricing for Preset?
Enterprise plans are custom quoted. The median buyer pays $35,495 per year.
SourcePreset: Does Preset support AI-powered analytics?
Yes. As of 2026, Preset includes an AI Chatbot and MCP (Model Context Protocol) integration for building charts and dashboards via natural language.
SourceRelated pages
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