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Claimed

Compile, test and deploy Solidity contracts fast, with automatic verification

Free, no paid tier
Free Blockchain Development Testing & QA Developer Tools
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Tracked since 2026

The Bottom Line

Best for
Solidity developers who want faster test runs and a simpler toolchain than Foundry or Hardhat, including on existing Foundry projects.
Price
Free, no paid tier. Compare plans

Key facts

  • A single 9 MB executable for macOS and Linux
  • Edit one test and rerun 300 tests: 0.99 s with plain vs 56 s with Foundry (M1 Max)
  • Free and MIT licensed; on Homebrew, npm, apt, dnf, the AUR, Nix and crates.io

Not for

Projects that depend on Hardhat plugins or other JavaScript-based build tooling.

What is plain?

plain is a single 9 MB binary for Solidity development that compiles, tests, deploys, verifies and upgrades smart contracts. It runs Foundry projects as they are, needs no Node, npm or git submodules, and turns the edit-and-test loop into about a second: on a 300-test project, editing a test and rerunning the suite took 0.99 s against Foundry's 56 s. Deploys verify themselves on Sourcify, Blockscout and Etherscan. Free and MIT licensed.

Available on: CLI

Data compiled by Toolradar How we evaluate
Source getplain.org

Preview

Key Features

  • Watch mode that reruns every test on save
  • Deploys to any chainlist.org network with encrypted keystore accounts and a gas preview
  • OpenZeppelin proxy upgrades with a storage layout check

Pricing

Free

plain is completely free to use with no hidden costs.

View pricing

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Best plain Alternatives

Top alternatives based on features, pricing, and user needs.

Thirdweb logo
Thirdweb Paid

Infrastructure for building the next generation of internet products with AI and blockchain.

Hardhat logo
Hardhat Free

Rust-powered Ethereum development environment for robust smart contract creation and deployment.

Tenderly logo
Tenderly Freemium

Accelerate on-chain velocity with a full-stack development platform for Web3 professionals.

Foundry logo
Foundry Free

Blazing fast smart contract development toolkit for Ethereum.

See all blockchain development tools →

Still deciding?

Most buyers shortlist 2 or 3 tools before committing. Pull a side-by-side comparison or browse the full alternatives shortlist below.

plain vs Thirdweb Head-to-head: features, pricing, who wins plain vs Hardhat Head-to-head: features, pricing, who wins plain vs Tenderly Head-to-head: features, pricing, who wins

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plain FAQ

How does plain speed up the Solidity testing loop?

plain speeds up the edit-and-test loop by compiling and rerunning tests in about a second; on a 300-test project, editing a test and rerunning the suite took 0.99 seconds against Foundry's 56 seconds. It runs Foundry projects as they are, so existing test suites work without modification.

How does plain compare to Foundry for running existing projects?

plain runs Foundry projects as they are, and on a 300-test project it reran the suite in 0.99 seconds versus Foundry's 56 seconds. It also comes as a single 9 MB binary that needs no Node, npm, or git submodules.

Can plain be used outside of Solidity development?

No, plain is designed for Solidity smart contract development, with features that compile, test, deploy, verify, and upgrade Solidity contracts. Teams working on non-Solidity projects would not get value from it.

What kind of user does plain fit best?

plain fits Solidity developers and teams using Foundry projects who want a fast, self-contained toolchain without Node, npm, or git submodules. It is especially useful for developers who focus on testing and deployment iteration speed.

How is plain priced?

plain is free to use and MIT licensed, with no paid plan required. There is no pricing tier to evaluate when comparing it to other Solidity development tools.

Does plain require Node, npm, or git submodules?

No, plain is a single 9 MB binary and works without Node, npm, or git submodules. This makes it straightforward to install and run in lightweight environments.

How does automatic verification work in plain?

Deploys verify themselves on Sourcify, Blockscout, and Etherscan, so contracts are automatically checked after deployment. This removes a separate manual verification step from the workflow.

Can plain deploy and upgrade smart contracts?

Yes, plain deploys and upgrades smart contracts as part of its workflow, alongside compiling, testing, and verifying. Its verification happens automatically on Sourcify, Blockscout, and Etherscan.

Source: getplain.org

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