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What Are Block Explorers?

Short answer. A block explorer is a free website that lets you look up anything recorded on a public blockchain, such as a transaction, a wallet address, a block or a token. Each network has its own explorer, for example Etherscan for Ethereum and Blockstream Explorer for Bitcoin. Paste in a transaction ID or address to check its status.

Last updated 30 October 2026

Block explorers are websites that let you view the information stored in blockchains like Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH). This resource explains what block explorers are and what you can use them for.

Block Explorer

A block explorer is a website or app that lets you browse and analyse the history of a specific blockchain network all the way to its genesis block.

Since the information in blockchains like Bitcoin and Ethereum is public, developers have websites and apps to read and display the data.

It’s like a search engine, you input words and it finds matching results. With block explorers, instead of searching with words, you can input things like wallet addresses and transaction IDs (TXIDs).

There can be many block explorers for the same blockchain, much like anyone can read and organise a telephone directory to make it searchable.

You can use a wallet address or TXID to search block explorers. If that wallet address is found, you can see its transaction history, which includes details like the amount of cryptocurrency sent.

If you send cryptocurrency from an exchange to your hardware wallet, you will get a TXID from the exchange. The exchange may say the transaction is ‘pending’. You can search the TXID in a block explorer to monitor the status of the transaction. (That is, whether the transaction is in the mempool or has been added to the blockchain.)

More advanced block explorers can provide details on the blockchain network itself. These details might be the market cap of the blockchain’s native cryptocurrency or mining hash rate.

Blockchain.com Explorer: Bitcoin Block Explorer

Blockchain.com was the first Bitcoin block explorer. It launched in 2011 and remains the world’s most visited Bitcoin block explorer. You can use the TXID of your bitcoin transaction to find details like size, source, destination and value.

Using wallet addresses you can look into BTC holdings, balances and transaction history. Blockchain.com can also be used to generate wallets and as an exchange to buy and sell cryptocurrency.

Etherscan: Ethereum Block Explorer

Etherscan is a block explorer for Ethereum. It lets you search the Ethereum blockchain for transactions, addresses and cryptocurrency prices. You can view other activities happening on Ethereum and other cryptocurrencies built on top of Ethereum, such as ERC-20 tokens.

Etherscan provides no Ethereum wallet or storage services. It’s exclusively used as a directory of the Ethereum blockchain.

Watch: Guide to Using Etherscan for Analysis

BlockCypher: Litecoin Block Explorer

BlockCypher is a block explorer that’s been around since 2014. Initially, you could only use BlockCypher to explore the Litecoin blockchain. Now, you can also explore blockchains like Bitcoin, Ethereum and Dogecoin.

Block explorers in 2026: what to use for each network

The idea in this guide has not changed, but the list of explorers has grown with the number of networks. The Collective Shift Knowledge Hub lists Etherscan as the main explorer for Ethereum and Blockstream Explorer, an open-source option, for Bitcoin, alongside separate explorers for many layer 2 networks and other chains.

The simple rule is to use the explorer for the network your transaction is on. If you sent a token on a layer 2 network, look it up on that network’s explorer, not on the Ethereum mainnet one.

  • Bitcoin: Blockstream Explorer or another Bitcoin explorer.
  • Ethereum: Etherscan.
  • Layer 2 networks and other chains: use that network’s own explorer.
  • Bookmark explorer links rather than searching for them each time.

Watch: Ben Simpson on this topic

Ben Simpson: the free crypto research tools our analysts use
Key takeaway: Ben shows the free research tools the team uses every day and how each one adds a different layer to on-chain research.

How Collective Shift uses block explorers

The Knowledge Hub notes that members use Etherscan to check transaction status, view wallet balances, review token holdings and audit smart contract interactions, and use Blockstream Explorer to verify Bitcoin transaction status and inspect addresses. The team uses explorers most often after a withdrawal, to confirm funds have arrived before worrying.

  • Check a transaction’s status and confirmations.
  • Confirm a withdrawal reached the right address.
  • Review token approvals and contract interactions.

Where this guide comes from

This guide is written and reviewed by the Collective Shift research team. Collective Shift is a crypto research and education company founded in 2020 in Melbourne, and a research and education partner to Coinbase, Swyftx and CoinSpot. Sources used in this update:

Last updated 30 October 2026. General information only, not financial advice. Consider your own circumstances and seek professional advice before making investment decisions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which block explorer should I use?

Use the explorer for the network your transaction is on, such as Blockstream Explorer for Bitcoin or Etherscan for Ethereum. Layer 2 networks have their own explorers.

Is it safe to paste my wallet address into a block explorer?

Yes. A public address and its transactions are already visible on the blockchain. Never enter a recovery phrase or private key into any website.

Where can I learn more about on-chain research?

The Collective Shift Accelerator membership is a 12-month guided program that starts with 4 live weeks and covers research tools, wallets and security. More free guides are on Collective Shift Insights.

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