BitShares
BitShares: A free blockchain focused on on-chain assets, exchange functions and scheduled payments. Ranked #31 of 32 in Blockchain Platforms by our editors (6.1/10); pricing: Free plan; best for users focused on on-chain assets and exchange functions.
At a glance
- Editor score6.1 / 10
- PricingFree plan
- Best forUsers focused on on-chain assets and exchange functions
- Free planYes
- Paid fromFree
- Deployment modelPublic
- Facts checked24 Sep 2026
Where it wins
- Built-in decentralized exchange and collateral-backed SmartCoins
- User-issued assets with configurable holding and trading restrictions
- Weighted account permissions and scheduled payments
Where it doesn't
- Asset and financial functions take priority over general-purpose contract development
- No vendor-operated managed service
- Support channels are community and documentation
Our verdict on BitShares
For users and developers working with digital-asset trading or blockchain-based financial applications, BitShares offers a public, community-maintained blockchain and downloadable software. It is free and open source, with web, desktop and self-hosted deployment options. Its delegated proof-of-stake consensus elects block-producing witnesses through stakeholder voting; elected committee members can propose network parameter changes. The emphasis is on asset and financial functions rather than a general-purpose smart-contract environment.
Asset features are the clearest reason to consider BitShares. It includes a decentralized exchange and price-pegged SmartCoins backed by BTS collateral. Users can create assets with configurable holding and trading restrictions, while weighted account permissions support multi-user control. Transferable human-readable account names and recurring or scheduled payments extend the network's account and transaction tools. Stakeholder-approved funding for network projects is another part of its governance model. The documented contract model is described through built-in operations, so teams seeking a specified general-purpose contract language should look elsewhere.
BitShares is a blockchain network and downloadable software, not a conventional hosted subscription product. Its public deployment model and web, Windows, macOS and Linux platforms offer several ways to access or run it, but it is not a vendor-operated managed service. Support is through community channels and documentation. Choose it when built-in exchange functions, user-issued assets, permissions and payments match the application; consider another platform if managed operations or broader contract-language support is central to the project.
Your product? Our editors can test BitShares in depth and publish a review, labelled as paid · from $149/mo →
BitShares pricing
BitShares fact sheet
| Free plan | Yes |
|---|---|
| Paid from | Free |
| Deployment model | Public |
| Contract languages | Not verified |
| Consensus mechanisms | Delegated Proof of Stake (DPoS) |
| Managed service | No |
| Cloud deployment | Not verified |
| Permissioned networks | No |
| Deployment | Cloud, Self-hosted, Desktop |
| Platforms | Web, Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Support | Community, Docs |
| Built for | Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise (editorial estimate) |
| Pricing | Free plan |
| Website | bitshares.org |
| Facts checked | 24 Sep 2026 |
Alternatives to BitShares
- KaleidoKaleido brings consortium-chain operations, smart-contract tooling and hybrid deployment into one platform.9.2
- Hyperledger FabricFree, self-managed framework for permissioned consortium networks with configurable privacy and policies.9.0
- Amazon Managed BlockchainA managed AWS service for teams building applications on public chains or private Fabric networks.8.9
See all BitShares alternatives →
Used BitShares? Be the first to review it
The editor score above is our own research. What this page doesn't have yet is a reader's view — what you used BitShares for, what worked and what didn't. No stars are seeded and no review is paid for; an editor reads every one before it appears.
Write a reviewTwo minutes · verified accounts only · read by an editor before it appears
Featured on iTechGuides
BitShares is listed in our Blockchain Platforms directory. Add the badge to your site — it links back to this page.
<a href="https://www.itechguides.com/products/bitshares/"><img src="https://www.itechguides.com/best/badge/bitshares.svg" alt="Featured on iTechGuides" width="230" height="46"></a>
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
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.
Last updated · How we research and update