What is a block explorer?
Every public blockchain is an open record. A block explorer is the search box that makes it readable.
On this page
A block explorer is a website or app that lets you search a public blockchain. Paste in a transaction hash, an address or a block number and it shows what happened: who sent what to whom, when, what fee was paid and whether the transaction succeeded.
What does a block explorer show?
Ethereum.org's glossary calls a block explorer an interface for searching information from and about a blockchain. Its developer docs list what a typical explorer shows: blocks, transactions, accounts and balances, tokens, smart contracts, network statistics and, on proof-of-stake chains, validator data. Explorers are run by third parties that read the same public data anyone could read from a node.
| Field on a transaction page | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| Transaction hash | The unique ID created when the transaction was submitted |
| Status | Pending, failed or successful |
| Block and timestamp | Where and when it was recorded |
| From / To | The sending and receiving addresses |
| Value | The amount of the native coin moved |
| Transaction fee, gas price | What was paid to have it processed (see gas fee) |
| Nonce | The sender's running transaction count |
How do you check a payment on a block explorer?
Get the transaction hash from your wallet's history.
Open an explorer for the right network. An Ethereum explorer cannot see a Solana transaction.
Read the status. "Pending" means it is still waiting in the mempool; "failed" means it was included but reverted.
Compare the To address and value with what you intended, character by character.
What can a block explorer not tell you?
It shows addresses, not names, so it cannot prove who controls a wallet. Labels some explorers add are their own opinions. It also cannot reverse or speed up anything: it is a viewer, not a help desk. And because anyone can look up any address, your own history is visible to anyone who knows your address — a point worth knowing before you post one publicly. For the bigger picture, see how crypto transactions work.
Questions readers ask
Is a block explorer the same as a wallet?
No. An explorer only reads public data; it holds no keys and cannot send anything. Never enter a seed phrase or private key into an explorer.
Why does my transaction say pending?
It has been broadcast but not yet included in a block. Ethereum's docs describe it waiting in a pool of pending transactions until a validator picks it up.
A block explorer turns a public ledger into pages you can read. Use it to confirm status, amount, fee and destination — and remember that what you can see about others, others can see about you.
Sources
- ethereum.org, Block explorers (developer documentation) (2026)Primary source
- ethereum.org, Ethereum glossary (2026)Primary source
- ethereum.org, Transactions (developer documentation) (2026)Primary source
- ethereum.org, Gas and fees (developer documentation) (2026)Primary source
Educational content only — not financial, investment, legal or tax advice. Crypto-assets are high-risk and you could lose all the money you put in. Rules differ by country; check with your national regulator. See our risk disclosure and editorial policy.
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