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Head-to-head · Smart Contracts Software

Hardhat vs Tenderly

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 5 checks side by side
Higher score Hardhat #3 in Smart Contracts Software 8.8/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 2 of 4 features Visit Hardhat
Tenderly #7 in Smart Contracts Software 8.2/10 Free plan · pricing on request Free plan✓ 1 of 4 features Visit Tenderly

Hardhat leads on 0 checks, Tenderly on 0, and 5 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 5 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreHardhat · 8.8/10
  • Free planboth
  • Most featuresHardhat · 2 of 4

Hardhat scores higher on our rubric for smart contracts software: 8.8 against 8.2 out of 10; our editors rank them #3 and #7.

Hardhat is the better fit for solidity teams using a plugin-based development workflow. Tenderly is the better fit for teams focused on simulation, debugging, and monitoring.

  • Hardhat fits best

    Solidity teams using a plugin-based development workflow

  • Tenderly fits best

    Teams focused on simulation, debugging, and monitoring

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature Hardhat 8.8/10 Visit ↗ Tenderly 8.2/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 8.8 8.2
Ranking #3 in Smart Contracts Software #7 in Smart Contracts Software
Best for Solidity teams using a plugin-based development workflow Teams focused on simulation, debugging, and monitoring
Pricing model Free Free plan + paid
Starting price Free plan —
Free plan ✓ ✓
Free trial — —
Deployment Self-hosted Cloud, Browser extension
Support Community, Docs Email, Live chat, Docs
Built for Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Hardhat 2/4 · Tenderly 1/4
Security analysis — Not checked yet
Visual contract builder — —
API or SDK access ✓ ✓
Contract templates ✓ (best) Not checked yet
Specs
Chain coverage Multi-chain Multi-chain
Contract languages Solidity Not checked yet
Deployment targets Both Both
Our review
Pros
  • Compiles Solidity and supports Solidity unit and TypeScript integration tests
  • Includes fuzzing, transaction debugging, and simulated development networks
  • Hardhat Ignition handles deployment; plugins extend tasks and contract verification
  • Simulates single transactions and multi-step bundles against live network state
  • Provides opcode-level traces, expression evaluation, and gas profiling
  • Monitors addresses, contracts, events, and state conditions with alerts
Cons
  • Self-hosted and command-line based rather than a visual builder
  • Security analysis is not a listed capability
  • Verification depends on a plugin, adding an extension to the workflow
  • Focused on operations and debugging, not broad contract authoring
  • Paid team pricing is configured through sales rather than published as a set amount
  • Team plans are scoped by products, capacity, support, and chain count
Our verdict

Hardhat is an open-source development environment for Ethereum smart contracts and decentralized applications. It is aimed at developers who want to work locally in a project through the command line, from solo prototyping to engineering…

Read the review →

Tenderly gives engineering, finance, and risk teams tools to examine and manage onchain activity. Its Simulator can model single transactions or multi-step bundles against live network state, while the Explorer and Debugger help inspect…

Read the review →
  1. HardhatSmart Contracts Software 8.8Free plan
  2. TenderlySmart Contracts Software 8.2Free plan · pricing on request

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Hardhat — where it wins

    • Compiles Solidity and supports Solidity unit and TypeScript integration tests
    • Includes fuzzing, transaction debugging, and simulated development networks
    • Hardhat Ignition handles deployment; plugins extend tasks and contract verification

    Where it doesn't

    • Self-hosted and command-line based rather than a visual builder
    • Security analysis is not a listed capability
    • Verification depends on a plugin, adding an extension to the workflow

  • Tenderly — where it wins

    • Simulates single transactions and multi-step bundles against live network state
    • Provides opcode-level traces, expression evaluation, and gas profiling
    • Monitors addresses, contracts, events, and state conditions with alerts

    Where it doesn't

    • Focused on operations and debugging, not broad contract authoring
    • Paid team pricing is configured through sales rather than published as a set amount
    • Team plans are scoped by products, capacity, support, and chain count
  • Hardhat8.8/10 · Free plan

    An open-source, plugin-based Solidity toolkit for teams comfortable working from a local project.

    Visit HardhatFull verdict →
  • Tenderly8.2/10 · Free plan · pricing on request

    A transaction operations toolkit for simulation, debugging, and onchain monitoring.

    Visit TenderlyFull verdict →

More comparisons

All smart contracts software comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update