Solscan vs Photon
Last updated: April 14, 2026
 |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | (0) | (1) |
| Pricing | Freemium | Freemium |
| Health | Healthy | Healthy |
| Chain | solana only | solana only |
| Open Source | ||
| Features | 8 features | 8 features |
| Upvotes | ▲ 1 | ▲ 0 |
| Twitter Followers | 56,220 | 110,647 |
| Categories | Analytics & Charts | Trading Bots |
| Description | Free Solana block explorer — look up any transaction, wallet, token, or program with detailed analytics and holder data | Lightning-fast Solana trading terminal built for degens |
Pros & Cons
Solscan
- Most comprehensive and reliable Solana block explorer
- Default transaction verification tool linked by wallets and dApps
- Labeled accounts make it easy to identify known entities on-chain
- Pro API provides structured data access for developers
- Fast loading and responsive interface even during high network activity
- Pro API requires paid subscription for higher rate limits
- Advanced analytics features are less deep than specialized platforms like Birdeye
- Mobile experience could be more optimized for smaller screens
- Historical data queries can be slow for very active accounts
Photon
- Fastest new token detection among Solana trading terminals
- Integrated trading eliminates context switching between charting and execution
Solscan vs Photon: Which Should You Choose?
Overview
Solscan Solscan is the most widely used blockchain explorer for Solana, providing comprehensive tools for inspecting transactions, accounts, tokens, and on-chain programs. It serves as the default reference p... Photon Photon is a high-speed Solana trading terminal purpose-built for active traders, memecoin enthusiasts, and anyone who needs the fastest possible execution in Solana's fast-paced token markets. The pl...
Community Ratings
Photon is rated higher by the MadeOnSol community with 5.0/5 stars across 1 review, compared to 0.0/5 for Solscan (0 reviews). That said, ratings only tell part of the story — what matters most is which tool fits your specific workflow.
Pricing & Value
Solscan uses a freemium model — Free explorer with basic analytics. Pro plans start at $39/month for advanced features and API access., while Photon is freemium — Free to use with 1% platform fee on buy and sell transactions. Fee reduced to 0.9% with referral.. Both offer free tiers with paid upgrades, so try each before committing to a paid plan.
Key Features
Solscan offers 8 features including Comprehensive transaction inspection with instruction-level detail, Token analytics with supply, holders, transfer history, and metadata, Account explorer showing balances, tokens, staking, and DeFi positions, and 5 more. Photon counters with 8 features including Memescope for real-time new token launch detection, One-click fast swap execution with minimal latency, TradingView-style integrated charting with multiple timeframes, and 5 more. The right choice depends on which specific features matter for your use case — check the individual review pages for full breakdowns.
Reliability & Health
We monitor both tools around the clock for uptime, SSL validity, and response times. Solscan currently has a healthy health status with 100.0% uptime over the last 30 days. Photon is rated healthy with 100.0% uptime. For tools you rely on daily — especially trading bots or wallets — uptime and speed are non-negotiable.
Strengths
Solscan's key strengths include most comprehensive and reliable solana block explorer, default transaction verification tool linked by wallets and dapps, labeled accounts make it easy to identify known entities on-chain. Photon stands out for fastest new token detection among solana trading terminals, integrated trading eliminates context switching between charting and execution, built exclusively for solana with deep chain-level optimization. On the flip side, Solscan's weaknesses include pro api requires paid subscription for higher rate limits, while Photon's main drawback is 1% fee on both buy and sell transactions.