Introduction

Whether you're minting an NFT, deploying a smart contract, or developing the next big dApp on the Ethereum network, you must pay a gas fee.

However, paying a real gas fee on the Ethereum blockchain during development can be very expensive. So it's recommended to use a Testnet Token or Devnet Token during development.

This article discusses the various types of Ethereum blockchain Testnet and provides 5 sources where you can request Testnet (fake) tokens for your Ethereum-based dApp development before deploying them to production.

What Is a Gas Fee? 💰

A gas fee, or transaction fee, is a network charge for every transaction on the Ethereum blockchain, which is used to compensate miners for verifying transactions on the blockchain.

Blockchain miners are people who use software to solve transaction-related algorithms that check and confirm blockchain transactions.

What Is a Testnet Token?

A Testnet Token or Coin is a fake version of the real cryptocurrency obtained from a faucet that can be used to pay Ethereum gas fees during development.

A crypto faucet is an app or website that gives users small amounts of cryptocurrency, in exchange for completing simple tasks like solving a CAPTCHA (Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart).

Testnet tokens obtained from a faucet are not real funds and do not have value.

Types of Ethereum Testnet

There are different types of Ethereum Test networks that we can develop on and test our dApps before deploying them on the Ethereum Mainnet. We'll discuss the Rinkeby, Goerli, Ropsten, and the Kovan Test network below:

1. The Rinkeby Testnet

Rinkeby is a proof-of-authority blockchain that was founded in April 2017 by the Geth team. It’s an Ethereum Mainnet fork that is supported by the Geth network, Nethermind network, and Hyperledger Besu network.

Rinkeby network is designed to test dApps during development before deploying them on the main Ethereum network.

The Rinkeby test network is included in your Metamask wallet:

Block Explorer: explorer.anyblock.tools/ethereum/ethereum/rinkeby.

Website: www.rinkeby.io

2. The Goerli Testnet

Don't judge a book by its cover.

Goerli, also known as Görli Testnet, is the first Proof-of-Authority cross-client Testnet for Ethereum that was introduced in September 2018. It’s designed to run on several networks, including Parity Ethereum, Geth, Nethermind, Hyperledger Besu (previously Pantheon), and EthereumJS.

It’s also an open-source Ethereum test network that enables blockchain development testing before deploying on the Mainnet (the main Ethereum network).

The Goerli test network is included in your Metamask wallet:

Block Explorer: explorer.anyblock.tools/goerli.

Website: goerli.net

3. The Ropsten Testnet

Ropsten network is one of the first test networks (since 2016) which supports Geth and Parity clients. It was based on Proof-of-Work, and it succeeded the first Test network called "Morden".

Ropsten uses the same algorithm as the Ethereum Mainnet, and it's considered the original carbon copy of the main Ethereum network, which makes it great for development.

It experienced a lot of cyber attacks between February 2017 and March 2017, which forced the team to shut down the project, and bring it back up in April 2017.

The Ropsten test network is included in your Metamask wallet:

Block Explorer: explorer.anyblock.tools/ethereum/ethereum/ropsten.

Website: faucet.ropsten.be

4. The Kovan Testnet

The Kovan test network is a Proof-of-Authority Testnet for Ethereum, originally started by the Parity team (now OpenEthereum) in March 2017.

Just like the Rinkeby Testnet, Kovan is a fork of the Ethereum Mainnet, which makes it great for Ethereum-based dApp developments.

The Kovan test network is included in your Metamask wallet:

Block Explorer: explorer.anyblock.tools/ethereum/ethereum/kovan

Website: kovan-testnet.github.io/website

5 Places to Get Testnet Tokens

1. Chainlink Faucet

Chainlink (LINK) is a cryptocurrency and technology platform that enables non-blockchain enterprises to securely connect with blockchain platforms.

The LINK Testnet also distributes Testnet tokens to cover transaction fees for testing purposes.

How to get Testnet Tokens from Chainlink:

• Visit: faucets.chain.link.

• Connect your wallet.

  

• Select your preferred Network (i.e Kovan).

  

• Ensure to switch your Metamask to the selected network.

  

• Solve the CAPTCHA

• Then, click on the "Send me 0.1 testnet ETH" button.

• Wait for the transaction confirmation:

  

• Your requested token will be credited to your wallet once the transaction is completed:

  

• Check your Metamask wallet for your new balance:

  

Chainlink supported networks: Ethereum Rinkeyby, Avalanche Fuji, BSC Testnet, Ethereum Görli, Ethereum Rinkeby, Fantom Testnet, POA Network Sokol, and Polygon Mumbai.

2. Alchemy Faucet

“Alchemy's goal is to be the starting place for developers that consider building a product on top of a blockchain or mainstream blockchain - techcrunch.com”.

They also distribute free Ethereum Rinkeby Tokens for developers to use during their dApp development.

How to get Testnet Tokens from Alchemy:

• Visit the Alchemy faucet website.

• Copy and paste your Ethereum wallet address in the input box, and click on the "Send Me ETH" button as shown below:

  

• Next, wait for the request to be processed, you'll be presented with a screen like this if the request is successful:

  

• Check your Metamask wallet for your new balance:

  

You can request more Rinkeby Tokens by creating an Alchemy account for free.

Alchemy supported network: Rinkeby only.

3. Komputing Faucet

• Visit Komputing faucet, and enter your wallet address.

  

• Select your preferred network, and solve the CAPTCHA:

  

• Click on the "Request funds" button, and wait for your request to be processed:

  

• Check your Metamask wallet for your new balance:

![Komputing faucet will credit your Metamask wallet with a free Testnet token](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1651999597614/dasgzUGdy.png align="left")

4. Kovan Gitter Chatroom

You can receive Kovan ETH using the Kovan Gitter Chatroom by joining the chat and sending your wallet address.

• Visit the Kovan Gitter Chatroom.

• You can join the chat with your GitHub, GitLab, or Twitter account:

  

• Next, copy and paste your wallet token into the chat, and your request will be processed:

• Check your Metamask wallet for your new balance:

  

5. MetaMask Ether Faucet

• Visit MetaMask Ether Faucet.

  

• Click on the "request 1 ether from faucet" button, and connect your Metamask:

  

• After connecting your wallet, your wallet address and balance will be displayed. You can then request 1 ETH by clicking the "request 1 ether from faucet" button.

  

• Check your Metamask wallet for your new balance:

• If you have enough ether on your wallet, you might receive the following error message:

  

The Metamask Ether Faucet does not distribute test tokens to wallet addresses with enough tokens.

Conclusion

The Testnet is a replica environment of the main blockchain that allows developers to test their blockchain applications.

The Testnet is a copy of a certain blockchain.

In this article, we reviewed four Ethereum Testnets (Rinkeby, Goerli, Ropsten, and the Kovan Test network), and where we can obtain their (fake) tokens for our Ethereum-based dApp development.

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This article is a part of the Hashnode Web3 blog, where a team of curated writers are bringing out new resources to help you discover the universe of web3. Check us out for more on NFTs, DAOs, blockchains, and the decentralized future.