Yes. glnc is MIT-licensed and free to use. It runs on free public RPC endpoints, so there is nothing to subscribe to, no rate limits tied to your account, and no usage caps.

Does glnc need an API key?

No. glnc connects to free public RPCs by default. The optional history command can use a free Etherscan V2 key if you want longer transaction history, but the default commands (balance, tx, gas) work with zero keys.

Which chains does glnc support?

Nine chains. The seven EVM chains are Ethereum, Polygon, Arbitrum, Base, Optimism, zkSync, and Linea. Plus Solana and Bitcoin. balance and gas work on all nine; tx works on the eight chains excluding Bitcoin.

How is glnc different from Etherscan?

Etherscan is a great web explorer; glnc is a terminal tool. glnc fits into shell pipelines, emits stable JSON envelopes for jq, handles multiple wallets in one command, and never asks you to sign in. Use Etherscan for verified contract source and labels. Use glnc for scripting, monitoring, and quick checks.

Does glnc store my wallet address?

No. glnc is a CLI that runs entirely on your machine. There is no telemetry, no server, no account. The only network traffic is to public RPC endpoints and (optionally) a token price API.

Can I use glnc in shell scripts?

Yes. Pass --json for one-shot output or use watch mode for an NDJSON stream. Output envelopes are versioned and stable across releases, so pipelines into jq, awk, or a database stay reliable.

How do I install glnc?

On macOS or Linux, run brew install aryarahimi1/glnc/glnc for the prebuilt binary. Or use the install script: curl -fsSL https://glnc.dev/install.sh | bash. The script verifies SHA256 before installing.

glnc

BLOCKCHAIN INSPECTION CLI

Etherscan in your terminal.

Query wallet balances, decode transactions, and track gas across 9 chains. No browser, no account, no API key.

A command-line blockchain inspector for 9 chains.

glnc is a small, opinionated CLI built for developers who live in the shell. Auto-detect any wallet across Ethereum, Polygon, Arbitrum, Base, Optimism, zkSync, Linea, Solana, and Bitcoin. Decode any transaction's calldata and token movements without leaving the terminal. Watch live gas across 9 chains, export tax-friendly CSVs, fire webhook alerts on balance conditions. Output is versioned JSON that pipes cleanly into jq, awk, or your database. No browser, no account, no API key, no telemetry. Just commands.

macOS & Linux

brew install aryarahimi1/glnc/glnc

Paranoid? read the install script first.

No API key. No account. MIT-licensed.

Install View on GitHub →

Example: glnc balance vitalik.eth --watch

Example terminal session:

$ glnc balance vitalik.eth --watch
  resolving vitalik.eth → 0xd8dA…6045
  ⬢ ETHEREUM  (59 tokens)
  Asset      Amount         USD Value
  ETH        1,394.21       $4,529,883
  USDC       233,408.00     $233,408
  WBTC       12.04          $1,138,221
  ─────────────────────────────────────
  TOTAL                     $5,901,512

  watching every 15s · poll 02
  ETH       +0.50          +$1,624
  USDC      −100.00        −$100

live demo · loops every few seconds

REFERENCE

Three commands. Nine chains.

Auto-detects the chain from the address. Pipes cleanly to jq. JSON envelopes are versioned.

glnc balance

glnc balance vitalik.eth

⬢ ETHEREUM (59 tokens)

ETH 1,394.21 $4,529,883

USDC 233,408 $233,408

WBTC 12.04 $1,138,221

────────────────────────────────────

TOTAL $5,901,512

glnc tx

glnc tx 0x5c504e…

Swapped 40,000 wXTM

for 77.79 USDT

via Uniswap Universal Router

on Ethereum

────────────────────────────────────

gas: 0.00214 ETH ($6.95)

glnc gas

glnc gas

Chain base p50 p90

Ethereum 0.42 0.85 1.23 gwei

Arbitrum 0.01 0.01 0.02 gwei

Base 0.03 0.05 0.08 gwei

Bitcoin 4 sat/vB

Solana 1,000 μlmp

Chain support matrix. Columns: chain name, whether the balance, tx, and gas commands are supported, and CLI aliases. Check mark means supported; em dash means not supported.
Chain	balance	tx	gas	Aliases
Ethereum	supported	supported	supported	eth, ethereum
Polygon	supported	supported	supported	poly, matic, polygon
Arbitrum	supported	supported	supported	arb, arbitrum
Base	supported	supported	supported	base
Optimism	supported	supported	supported	op, optimism
zkSync	supported	supported	supported	zk, era, zksync
Linea	supported	supported	supported	linea
Solana	supported	supported	supported	sol, solana
Bitcoin	supported	not supported	supported	btc, bitcoin

Address format auto-detected. No --chain flag required.

Stable, versioned JSON envelopes on stdout. Pipes cleanly to jq.

Read the field notes →glnc vs cast →glnc vs Etherscan →

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Is glnc free?: Yes. glnc is MIT-licensed and free to use. It runs on free public RPC endpoints, so there is nothing to subscribe to, no rate limits tied to your account, and no usage caps.
Does glnc need an API key?: No. glnc connects to free public RPCs by default. The optional history command can use a free Etherscan V2 key if you want longer transaction history, but the default commands (balance, tx, gas) work with zero keys.
Which chains does glnc support?: Nine chains. The seven EVM chains are Ethereum, Polygon, Arbitrum, Base, Optimism, zkSync, and Linea. Plus Solana and Bitcoin. balance and gas work on all nine; tx works on the eight chains excluding Bitcoin.
How is glnc different from Etherscan?: Etherscan is a great web explorer; glnc is a terminal tool. glnc fits into shell pipelines, emits stable JSON envelopes for jq, handles multiple wallets in one command, and never asks you to sign in. Use Etherscan for verified contract source and labels. Use glnc for scripting, monitoring, and quick checks.
Does glnc store my wallet address?: No. glnc is a CLI that runs entirely on your machine. There is no telemetry, no server, no account. The only network traffic is to public RPC endpoints and (optionally) a token price API.
Can I use glnc in shell scripts?: Yes. Pass --json for one-shot output or use watch mode for an NDJSON stream. Output envelopes are versioned and stable across releases, so pipelines into jq, awk, or a database stay reliable.
How do I install glnc?: On macOS or Linux, run brew install aryarahimi1/glnc/glnc for the prebuilt binary. Or use the install script: curl -fsSL https://glnc.dev/install.sh | bash. The script verifies SHA256 before installing.