Questions, answered
How to use the explorer, and what happens to your data. Something missing? Ask us.
What is Explore21?
A free Bitcoin block explorer and charts site, served from our own Bitcoin node. You can look up blocks, transactions and addresses, see what fees cost right now, and read the long view on the charts. No accounts, no ads.
How do I look up a block?
Type its height (for example 840000) or its hash into the search box. The block page shows who found it, how full it was, and every transaction in it.
How do I find a transaction?
Paste its ID, the 64 characters of 0-9 and a-f your wallet shows, into the search box. You will see whether it is confirmed, what it paid, and where its coins went.
Why is my transaction not confirmed yet?
Miners fill each block with the best-paying transactions first, so a transaction that pays a low fee rate waits until the queue in front of it clears. Most wallets have a "speed up" button that raises the fee; otherwise, fees usually fall at night and on weekends.
What is the mempool?
The waiting room: transactions that have been broadcast but are not in a block yet. When it is crowded, people outbid each other with fees; when it is quiet, the lowest fee gets in.
How current is the data?
Block, transaction and address pages are read from our node when you open them. A new block arrives about every 10 minutes, and the home page shows it within a minute.
Do you keep what I search for?
No. We do not store the blocks, transactions or addresses you look up. They are public on the Bitcoin chain anyway. The privacy page has the details.
Is Explore21 free?
Yes. There are no ads, no paid tiers and no data for sale. Donations over Lightning or on-chain pay for the node.
Still wondering? Send us a question, or read about Explore21.