In today’s article, we’ll explore an essential development tool developers must utilize when targeting BNB Chain – a BNB faucet. As we look closer at a BNB faucet, we must also examine the BNB testnet (a.k.a. BSC testnet) and the relationship between the two. Not only will we look at these from a broad perspective, but we will also see how devs can work with these components. In fact, with the following code snippet, developers can easily integrate the BNB testnet:
Moralis.start({
apiKey: 'YOUR_API_KEY',
defaultEvmApiChain: EvmChain.BSC_TESTNET
})
Since BNB Chain is one of the most popular programmable blockchains, developers should rely on its testnet and learn how to use a BNB testnet faucet before deploying to BNB’s mainnet. This is the case whether you’re planning on developing smart contracts or decentralized applications (dapps). So, create your free Moralis account and follow our lead to learn how to use a testnet faucet for BNB! Now, if you only want to explore the fundamentals of BNB and testnet faucets, feel free to jump straight into the “What is BNB?” section and its sub-sections!
Overview
We believe in learning by taking action. Therefore, as we move forward, we’ll first focus on how to use a reliable BNB faucet. However, since a testnet faucet for BNB alone isn’t worth much, we’ll also demonstrate how you can easily interact with the BNB testnet. Consequently, after going through the first part of the article, you’ll be ready to start building and testing dapps on BNB Chain’s testnet. In fact, you’ll be able to target any leading EVM-compatible chain and its testnet(s). In addition, you will explore our testnet faucet list you can use when developing on other testnets. The best part is that you only need a free Moralis account and MetaMask to get started!
Moralis is the ultimate Web3 API provider enabling you to incorporate all sorts of Web3 functionalities. For example, you can implement a user-friendly Web3 authentication solution with short code snippets. With Moralis’ Web3 Data API in your corner, you can also fetch any on-chain data without breaking a sweat. Thanks to Moralis’ Streams API, you can listen to real-time on-chain events for wallet and smart contract addresses.
For those who want to learn more about the theory behind faucets and a BNB testnet faucet, we’ll also cover that towards the end of this article. As such, you’ll have a chance to learn what BNB is, what a BNB testnet faucet is, and what it is used for. We’ll also examine the main benefits of a testnet faucet for BNB. However, if you dive straight into the guide’s theoretical part, do not forget to return to the actionable section. After all, the whole purpose of faucets, including any testnet BNB faucet, is to support developers BUIDLing for Web3!
BNB Faucet for Developers – How to Use a Testnet Faucet for BNB
Unless you learn how to use the BNB testnet, you won’t be able to utilize the testnet coins that a testnet BNB faucet provides you with. So, let’s look at the different ways you can easily interact with BNB Chain’s testnet.
Once you create your free Moralis account, you’ll be ready to start using Moralis’ endpoints for all supported chains. To focus on the BNB testnet, you’ll want to use the corresponding chain ID. Or, you can simply replace the default option, “EvmChain.ETHEREUM“, with “EvmChain.BSC_TESTNET“.
You can also use the snippet of code presented in the intro to set the BSC testnet as the default chain while in the testing stage of your dapp development:
import Moralis from 'moralis';
import { EvmChain } from '@moralisweb3/common-evm-utils';
Moralis.start({
apiKey: 'YOUR_API_KEY',
defaultEvmApiChain: EvmChain.BSC_TESTNET
})
The API reference pages are other powerful tools from Moralis. You can access these pages in the Moralis documentation and then test the API endpoints. This is also the place where you can select your favorite programming language or framework and simply copy the appropriate code. On these pages, you also have the option to select the chain you want to target. So, in the case of the BNB testnet, click on “bsc testnet” or “0x61“, which is this chain’s ID in hexadecimal format:
When it comes to creating new streams, you can use the Moralis admin dashboard. Once on the “Stream Configuration” page, you’ll only need to toggle the “Bsc Testnet” option (step three):
As you can see above, BNB Smart Chain (BSC) and its testnet are just two of many chains that Moralis supports. As such, you can start with the BNB testnet but then easily port your dapps to other chains.
Add the BNB Chain Testnet to MetaMask
MetaMask is one of the tools you need to interact with a “testnet BNB faucet”. In reality, you could use any crypto address that supports BNB tokens to test BNB faucets. Yet, for development purposes, MetaMask is the best option. This popular Web3 wallet is, by default, designed for Ethereum and its testnets: the Sepolia testnet and the Goerli testnet. But since BNB Chain is EVM-compatible, you can add BNB Chain and its testnet to MetaMask. To do this, click on the “Add network” button in your MetaMask:
Next, click on “Add a network manually”:
Finally, you must enter the following details to connect to the BNB Chain testnet:
- Network Name: BNB Smart Chain – Testnet
- New RPC URL: https://data-seed-prebsc-1-s1.binance.org:8545/
- Chain ID: 97
- Symbol: BNB
- Block Explorer URL: https://testnet.bscscan.com
Then, you’ll be able to connect to this testnet:
Looking at the above screenshot, you can see that our balance is zero BNB. This means we couldn’t perform any test transactions since we can’t cover the gas fee. Fortunately, we can get free “test” BNB from a testnet BNB faucet. There are several options available; however, some faucets are untrustworthy and not user-friendly. Therefore, we recommend you stick to our testnet faucet list.
Use a BNB Testnet Faucet to Fund Your Testing
The above “testnet faucet list” link will take you to this page:
Once on the above page, click on the “See faucet list” button or simply scroll down the page. Then, hit “Try Now” next to “BNB Chain Testnet Faucet”:
You’ll redirect to another page, where you’ll need to prove you’re not a bot. So, tick the box in front of “I am human”:
Next, the page will prompt you to perform a simple task (or two) that a bot couldn’t. Typically, the page will prompt you to select a specific object – or multiple – displayed in the various images. Here’s an example:
Usually, there are two tasks in a row you need to complete. So, once you click on the above “Next” button after completing the second task, you’ll land on the BNB testnet faucet page. There, you simply paste in your address, click on the “Give me BNB” button, followed by a click on “0.5 BNBs”:
If your request is successful, you’ll also see the following notification:
You can then return to your MetaMask, and you should see 0.5 BNB in your previously empty wallet:
Now that you know how to use the BNB testnet and how to get test BNB coins, you are ready to start creating killer dapps. Thanks to Moralis’ cross-chain interoperability, you’ve also learned that you are not limited to BNB Chain. Plus, because of the cross-platform interoperability that Moralis offers, you can join the Web3 revolution with your legacy programming skills. So, in case you haven’t done so yet, create your free Moralis account and start building dapps the easy way!
BNB Testnet Faucet List
With a quick Google search, you can find several alternatives to the above-presented testnet faucet for BNB. However, please keep in mind that not all faucets are the same. Some may require you to connect your wallet, others to do some social media actions, etc. So you could be exposing yourself to potential scams/threats by using the wrong faucet. This is also why we decided to create our Pure Faucets page. As Web3 devs, we were tired of complicated and shady faucets. We want developers to be able to get “test” cryptocurrencies in a safe and hustle-free manner. The faucets qualifying to be added to our carefully curated list must meet the following criteria:
- Ease of use
- No signups
- Low-friction experience for developers
We are committed to growing our faucet list, and we will eventually cover all the leading testnets. To protect developers from encountering malicious or complicated faucets, we’ve already created guides for Avalanche faucets and a Goerli faucet. Also, we’ve even answered the “what is a Sepolia faucet?” question. So, use our guides on testnets and faucets, and stay safe on your Web3 development journey!
What is BNB?
BNB is short for “Build & Build“, which is a phrase that Binance adopted in 2022. However, you may be aware that BNB is also the ticker of the Binance coin. It has been the ticker since the birth of the Binance blockchain. That said, Binance’s 2022 rebranding affected the name of this popular chain. One of the reasons behind the rebranding was to highlight the interoperability of the ecosystem’s two chains and the BNB token. Plus, this aligns with the goal to clearly separate the BNB Chain network from Binance (the exchange and brand). After all, this chain is an important part of the current blockchain ecosystem.
BNB Chain consists of two chains:
- BNB Beacon Chain (formerly Binance Chain)
- BNB Smart Chain (formerly Binance Smart Chain)
The above chains run parallel with each other and make up the BNB Chain ecosystem. BNB Beacon Chain processes and validates decentralized transactions on the BNB Chain network. It also hosts the network’s native coin – BNB. BNB Smart Chain, or BSC, features smart contracts. So, when deploying dapps, this is the chain to focus on. BSC is also an EVM-compatible blockchain. This means it supports the same tools as Ethereum. Hence, you can quickly develop dapps for the BNB Chain ecosystem if you have worked with the Ethereum chain ecosystem.
Just like most programmable blockchains, the mainnet on BNB Smart Chain also has its testnet – BNB testnet (a.k.a. BSC testnet). This is the testnet that you’ve already learned a lot about during the above presentations.
What is a BNB Testnet Faucet?
A BNB testnet faucet is a crypto faucet that supplies free “test” BNB coins. It typically comes in the form of a simple web application, as the one presented above. Any reliable testnet BNB faucet is a vital tool for all developers wanting to build dapps or deploy smart contracts on BNB Smart Chain.
What is a Faucet Used For?
A crypto faucet is used to obtain test cryptocurrency for free. Of course, you need to choose the right faucet for the blockchain your dapp targets. With these “play” cryptocurrency tokens, you can cover gas fees when executing transactions on public testnets. So, testnets and testnet faucets give each other purpose.
Typically, testnets primarily serve blockchains’ core communities/teams to test upcoming mainnet updates. This also means that testnets resemble their mainnets as much as possible. The latter is quite essential as it gives proper weight to testing updates, dapps, and smart contracts. Like public mainnets, public testnets are available to everyone with a Web3 wallet such as MetaMask. Hence, they are also a great way to test the engagement before launching a dapp on the mainnet.
So, what is a testnet BNB faucet used for? Devs use it to get free “test” BNB to execute transactions for testing purposes on the BNB testnet.
Benefits of a BNB Faucet
The core benefit of any reliable BNB faucet is that it provides devs with free “test” BNB tokens. As a consequential benefit, developers get to execute testing transactions in a public network. Following this logic, the “benefits” of a BNB faucet adopt all the benefits of the BNB testnet. For instance, the benefit of not burdening the mainnet with testing and the benefit of not spending real funds to cover testing, etc.
According to “bnbchain.org“, the BNB Chain network includes the following benefits:
- Compatibility and composability
- Proof-of-staked authority, which offers faster block times and lower costs
- An ecosystem of chains
- A thriving community
- Developer incentives and programs
All in all, if you decide to build dapps on BNB Chain, you will find the demonstrated testnet faucet (that we looked at earlier) for BNB extremely valuable.
BNB Faucet – The Full Guide to BNB Testnet Faucets – Summary
Today’s article taught you the most optimal ways to build dapps on the BNB testnet. You learned about different ways to use Moralis to interact with this chain (and many others). You also found out that to cover transactions on the BNB testnet, you need “test” BNB. Fortunately, you don’t need to buy this cryptocurrency. Instead, you can use a reliable testnet faucet for BNB, and we even showed you how to use one. To cover the theory behind the “BNB faucet” topic, we also answered the “what is BNB?”, “what is a BNB testnet faucet?”, and “what is a faucet used for?” questions. Last but not least, we also explored the benefits of a BNB faucet.
Whether you wish to build dapps on BNB Chain or any other EVM-compatible chain, you now know where to start. You know that Moralis and MetaMask are the two must-have tools to target testnets or mainnets. Plus, being familiar with Moralis’ Pure Faucets page, you can get “test” tokens without any hustle.
In case you don’t have your own dapp ideas or need more guidance, make sure to use Moralis’ resources. The Moralis docs, the Moralis YouTube channel, and the Moralis blog are full of tutorials. They can help you create your first dapp in minutes, especially if you decide to utilize the ultimate BNB Chain boilerplate. Aside from simple dapps, these resources help you tackle even more advanced challenges. For instance, they can show you how to mint NFT from contract, how to build a NodeJS Telegram bot, and much more.
Now, if you are interested in going full-time crypto, becoming blockchain-certified should be your next step. If so, consider enrolling in Moralis Academy and establishing proper blockchain and Bitcoin fundamentals.
