As the Ethereum ecosystem continues to evolve, so too does its testing infrastructure. With the official deprecation of the long-standing Goerli testnet in early 2024, developers have transitioned to the next generation of Ethereum testing environments: Sepolia and Holesky. These two active testnets now serve as the primary platforms for dApp development, smart contract deployment, and validator testing.
This guide provides a comprehensive overview of the differences between Sepolia and Holesky, along with reliable methods to acquire their respective test ETH—sepETH and holETH—through trusted faucets. Whether you're building on Layer 2, testing staking protocols, or debugging smart contracts, this resource will help you stay equipped with free testnet tokens.
Understanding Sepolia vs. Holesky Testnets
While both Sepolia and Holesky simulate Ethereum’s mainnet environment, they serve distinct purposes within the developer workflow.
Sepolia: The Developer Playground
Launched in October 2021, Sepolia was designed as a stable, lightweight testnet ideal for developers building and testing decentralized applications (dApps) and smart contracts. Initially proof-of-work (PoW), it later transitioned to proof-of-stake (PoS) to align with Ethereum's consensus mechanism.
Key features:
- Fast synchronization and minimal setup time
- Permissioned validators for network stability
- Unlimited supply of sepETH, eliminating token scarcity issues
- Widely supported across wallets, explorers, and development tools like Hardhat and Foundry
👉 Discover tools that support Sepolia testnet integration for faster dApp development.
Sepolia is best suited for early-stage development where reliability and ease of use are critical. Its predictable behavior makes it perfect for tutorials, demos, and continuous integration pipelines.
Holesky: The Staking & Validation Lab
Introduced in September 2023, Holesky replaced Goerli as Ethereum’s primary testing ground for consensus-layer operations. Unlike Sepolia, Holesky mirrors the full scale and complexity of Ethereum’s staking ecosystem.
Key advantages:
- Over 1.5 million active validators—more than Ethereum mainnet and Goerli combined
- Approximately 1.6 billion holETH in circulation, ensuring long-term availability
- Designed to stress-test protocol upgrades, client implementations, and network scalability
- Open to anyone running validator nodes or experimenting with staking infrastructure
Holesky is essential for teams working on execution clients, consensus clients (like Lighthouse or Teku), or protocols involving restaking and liquid staking derivatives.
How to Get Free Sepolia and Holesky ETH Testnet Tokens
With no official mining or purchasing options for test ETH, developers rely on faucets—services that distribute small amounts of test tokens for free. Below are the most effective ways to obtain sepETH and holETH in 2025.
Method 1: Node Provider Faucets (Require Registration)
Several blockchain infrastructure providers operate faucets to encourage adoption of their platforms. While these often require account creation, they offer reliable access to testnet funds.
Alchemy Faucet
- Reward: 0.5 sepETH per day
- Requirements: Alchemy account + wallet holding at least 0.001 ETH on Ethereum mainnet
- Best for: Developers already using Alchemy’s API services
QuickNode Faucet
- Reward: 0.05 sepETH every 12 hours (up to 0.1 with social share)
- Requirements: Wallet connection + 0.001 ETH on mainnet
- Note: Supports multiple chains including Arbitrum Sepolia
RockX Faucet
- Reward: Base 0.05 sepETH daily; up to 0.3 with Discord join and tweet
- Requirements: RockX account registration
- Bonus: Incentivizes community engagement
Tatum Faucet
- Reward: 0.002 ETH daily (distributes to both Sepolia and Holesky)
- Requirements: Account login + minimal mainnet balance
BwareLabs Faucet
- Reward: 0.025 ETH every 24 hours (supports both networks); +0.075 with tweet
- Limitation: Only 15 ETH distributed daily across all users—claim early!
These faucets are ideal for developers who already interact with node providers or are building production-ready applications.
👉 Explore how node services streamline testnet deployment workflows.
Method 2: Public & Community-Run Faucets (No Registration Needed)
For quick access without sign-ups or mainnet holdings, public faucets offer frictionless test ETH distribution.
Automata Faucet
- Reward: 0.1 sepETH + 0.1 holETH per address per day
- No requirements – just connect your wallet
- Operated by the Automata Network, known for middleware solutions in Web3
Testnet.help
- Reward: 0.001 sepETH daily
- One of the oldest公益 (public welfare) faucets, running since 2018
- Simple form-based claiming process
pk910 POW Faucet
- Reward: Minimum 0.1 ETH (Sepolia or Holesky) via proof-of-work challenge
- Alternative method: Earn based on GitHub activity (commits, stars, etc.)
- Great for privacy-focused users who avoid registration
These options are perfect for beginners, students, or anyone needing a fast way to start testing without prerequisites.
Method 3: Third-Party Marketplaces (For Larger Amounts)
Standard faucets rarely provide enough test ETH for extensive testing—especially when deploying multiple contracts or simulating complex transactions. This gap has led to the rise of peer-to-peer testnet token marketplaces.
One notable platform allows users to buy large quantities of sepETH or holETH using real cryptocurrency. While not "free," these transactions occur off-chain and help developers accelerate testing cycles without waiting days for faucet resets.
⚠️ Note: Always exercise caution when using third-party marketplaces. Ensure compliance with service terms and avoid sharing private keys.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: Why did Goerli shut down?
A: After five years of service, Goerli was retired due to scalability limitations and gETH shortages. Holesky was launched as its successor with improved capacity and validator support.
Q: Can I use the same wallet for Sepolia and Holesky?
A: Yes. You can manage both networks in wallets like MetaMask by manually adding their RPC endpoints or using Chainlist.org.
Q: Is there a limit to how much test ETH I can get?
A: Individual faucets impose daily caps, but there's no global limit. Using multiple sources ensures steady supply.
Q: Do I need real ETH to get testnet ETH?
A: Some faucets require a small mainnet balance (e.g., 0.001 ETH) to prevent bots, but others like Automata and Testnet.help have no such requirement.
Q: Are these faucets safe to use?
A: Trusted providers like Alchemy, QuickNode, and Automata are secure. Never enter your private key or sign malicious transactions.
Q: Will Sepolia and Holesky exist long-term?
A: Both are currently the only active Ethereum testnets. They’re expected to remain operational for several years unless a new consensus shift occurs.
Whether you're launching a DeFi protocol, testing NFT minting logic, or validating staking clients, having consistent access to Sepolia ETH and Holesky ETH is crucial. By leveraging the right combination of faucets and tools, developers can maintain efficient workflows without interruptions.
As Ethereum continues advancing toward further scalability upgrades, staying prepared on testnets ensures smoother transitions to mainnet deployment.
👉 Stay ahead in Web3 development with real-time testnet tools and resources.