Users with SQL knowledge can build custom analysis with DuneSQL, while those without technical experience can explore public dashboards and queries created by the Dune community. Alongside tools such as a blockchain explorer or a crypto whale tracker, Dune is often used to research historical and ongoing on-chain activity across more than 100 networks.
Dashboard results depend on the underlying query, selected contracts, filters, data coverage, and refresh status, so they should not be treated as a guaranteed market forecast. The sections below explain how Dune works, what data it covers, how queries and dashboards are used, and how to use the platform effectively.
Key Takeaways
- Dune Analytics turns indexed blockchain data into SQL-accessible tables so analysts can query activity, build charts, and publish dashboards.
- Users can explore public community dashboards without writing SQL, or create custom DuneSQL queries for contracts, tokens, wallets, and protocols.
- Coverage spans more than 100 networks with raw, decoded, and curated datasets; data is often near real time but not always fully real-time.
- Results should be verified against query logic, contract addresses, refresh time, and at least one independent source before decisions rely on them.
What is Dune Analytics?
Dune Analytics is a blockchain data platform, founded in 2018 by Fredrik Haga and Mats Olsen, that converts raw on-chain information into queryable datasets. Users can write SQL queries to analyze blockchain transactions and smart contract activity, then turn the results into charts, tables, counters, and dashboards.
The platform supports multiple types of data. Raw blockchain tables contain information such as blocks, transactions, logs, and traces. Decoded tables translate smart contract events and function calls into more readable formats, while curated datasets standardize commonly used information such as decentralized exchange trades, token transfers, prices, stablecoin activity, and cross-chain bridge data.
Similar to portfolio views on platforms such as DeBank, Dune can be used to research metrics such as:
- Daily and monthly active addresses;
- Token transfer volume and holder distribution;
- Decentralized exchange trading volume;
- Protocol fees and revenue;
- DeFi deposits, withdrawals, and liquidity;
- NFT sales, traders, and collection activity;
- Stablecoin supply and transaction flows;
- Blockchain usage, gas consumption, and contract interactions.
Many public dashboards and queries can be viewed without creating an account. An account is generally required to save queries, create visualizations and dashboards, organize work in a library, and use additional workspace features.
Dune is community-driven because users can publish queries and dashboards for others to inspect, copy, and improve. After Series B funding in 2022 it reached unicorn status, but that does not make every dashboard an official or verified source. Users should review the query logic, data tables, filters, and update time before relying on a result.
How Dune Analytics Works
Dune indexes data from supported blockchain networks and organizes it into SQL-accessible tables. Users can query those tables through the Dune Data Hub, visualize the results, and combine multiple visualizations into a dashboard.
Users can work with Dune in two main ways: explore public dashboards and queries created by other analysts, or write a custom DuneSQL query for a specific contract, protocol, token, wallet, or blockchain metric.
Blockchain Data Sources and Integration
Dune collects and indexes blockchain data from a wide range of supported chains rather than focusing primarily on Ethereum. Its current data products cover more than 100 chains and include raw data, decoded contracts, curated cross-chain datasets, partner-contributed data, user-uploaded information, and options to directly share data into external warehouses such as Snowflake and BigQuery.
Raw data includes the original records generated by a blockchain, such as transactions, logs, blocks, and traces. This information is comprehensive but may require more technical knowledge to interpret.
Decoded data makes smart contract activity easier to analyze. Dune uses a contract’s application binary interface, or ABI, to translate machine-readable event logs and function calls into structured SQL tables.
Curated datasets provide standardized tables for frequently studied categories. These can simplify cross-chain research because analysts do not need to normalize every protocol, token, or blockchain manually.
Dune data is updated through its indexing and processing pipelines, but it is better understood as near real time because of the underlying nature of blockchain ingestion. Data freshness can vary by blockchain, table, query schedule, indexing status, and dashboard refresh settings.
Querying and Visualization
Users can write SQL queries to retrieve specific blockchain data. Dune uses DuneSQL, a query engine based on TrinoSQL and adapted for blockchain analytics (Dune docs).
A query may calculate the number of daily users interacting with a protocol, extract data on token transfers or wallet flows, compare decentralized exchange volumes, or measure adoption metrics and fees generated by a smart contract.
For example, an analyst researching a DeFi protocol could query deposits, withdrawals, swaps, unique users, and transaction volume over time. The results would first appear as a table, with each column representing a selected metric.
Dune also supports query parameters. Parameters allow dashboard viewers to change values such as a blockchain, token address, wallet, or date range without editing the underlying SQL, which helps optimize repeated analysis by narrowing the selected data.
Customization and Visualization
Once a query has returned results, users can create visualizations such as line charts, bar charts, area charts, tables, counters, and other formats. Each visualization can be configured according to the structure of the query output.
Visualizations can then be added to custom dashboards as widgets. A dashboard may combine several queries to present a broader view tailored to a network, protocol, token, or market category.
Dune dashboards can also include text, images, explanations, methodology notes, and links. This helps analysts provide context rather than presenting isolated numbers without explaining how they were calculated.
In summary, Dune transforms indexed blockchain data into SQL tables. Users query those tables, convert the results into visualizations, and combine them into dashboards that can be shared with others.
Getting Started on Dune Analytics
Users can begin with Dune by exploring existing dashboards or by creating an account and writing a custom query. New users do not need advanced SQL first; browsing public dashboards and inspecting the queries behind them is often the easiest path.
Creating an Account
Source: dune.com
Create a free Dune account at dune.com and follow the instructions shown there. After signing in, users can save queries, create dashboards, manage content in a library, and access plan features. An account does not require a crypto wallet. Treat unexpected private-key or seed-phrase requests as red flags.
Dune’s interface covers public content, the query editor, the data catalog, libraries, and account settings. Labels may change, but the workflow stays consistent: discover analysis, inspect data, write queries, and build dashboards. The community has published a large volume of public dashboards that illustrate common analysis patterns.
Dashboards
Public dashboards are available through search and discovery, with filters across dashboards, queries, analysts, and teams. Many builders publish public dashboards, and Dune also runs a bounty program to encourage new dashboard creation.
Source: dune.com
Searching for “Solana,” for example, may return network, DEX, stablecoin, NFT, wallet, or application dashboards.
Source: dune.com
Before relying on a dashboard, check the creator, refresh time, methodology, networks, contracts, date range, filters, and underlying SQL. Some dashboards expose parameters for dates, networks, or tokens.
Source: dune.com
A dashboard is one instance of on-chain analysis, not a prediction tool. Metrics such as active addresses or DEX volume describe on-chain behavior; they do not by themselves forecast price. “Active users” can mean different wallet definitions across dashboards, so compare methodology before comparing numbers.
Queries
Public queries expose the SQL behind a metric so users can inspect the logic or build custom queries when public logic is not enough.
Source: dune.com
Forking creates an editable copy for new filters or contracts. If nothing fits, create a query in the Query Editor.
Source: dune.com
The Data Explorer lists raw, decoded, curated, partner, and uploaded tables. Insert table and column names into the editor after checking schemas.
Source: dune.com
For a Solana analysis, search Solana tables and review columns such as timestamps, transaction IDs, wallet addresses, and token amounts before writing DuneSQL.
Source: dune.com
A basic workflow is: define the question, find the table, review the schema, write DuneSQL, add filters, run the query, check output, and save it with a clear description. The editor may include autocomplete, error messages, parameters, scheduling, CSV export, and lineage, depending on plan.
Source: dune.com
Saved work appears in the user’s library or workspace.
Source: dune.com
Dune’s Pricing Plans
Dune offers a free plan and paid options for individuals, teams, and enterprises. Usage often consumes credits based on query and data resources. Prices, credits, privacy, exports, API access, and team features can change, so check Dune’s pricing page rather than older screenshots.
Source: dune.com
Free accounts can explore public dashboards, create queries, and learn DuneSQL. Paid plans may add credits, private content, collaboration, larger workloads, refreshes, API access, and exports. Official credit docs list Free, Analyst, Plus, and Enterprise; former Premium is no longer offered to new subscribers. Treat screenshots as examples only.
Why Analysts Use Dune Analytics
Dune combines blockchain data access, SQL analysis, visualization tools, and community-created research in one platform.
Accessibility and Openness
Dune makes a large amount of blockchain data and public analysis available through a browser. Users without SQL knowledge can browse public dashboards, while analysts can inspect and fork many publicly available queries. Accessibility does not guarantee accuracy: community boards can use outdated contracts, incomplete filters, or flawed methodology.
Near-Real-Time Data Updates
Dune continually indexes blockchain data and allows queries and dashboards to be refreshed as new records become available. The phrase “real-time” should be used carefully. Dune data may be close to real time, but delays can occur because of blockchain finality, ingestion, decoding, transformation, query execution, caching, or scheduled refresh intervals.
Users should inspect the dashboard refresh time and understand whether a query uses raw, decoded, or curated data. A dashboard that just refreshed may still rely on a table with a different update schedule.
Wider Data Coverage
Dune supports data analysis across more than 100 blockchain networks and provides raw, decoded, and curated datasets. This helps users analyze data across multiple blockchain networks, whether they want to compare activity on different chains—including flows that move through cross-chain bridges—or study a protocol operating on several networks.
Users can define custom wallet groups, contract lists, token categories, time periods, and calculation methods.
Dune also supports APIs, exports, uploaded datasets, warehouse integrations, query scheduling, and alerts for recurring data work.
Relevant Dune Analytics Dashboards
Dune dashboards organize one or more query results into visual reports covering protocols, blockchain ecosystems, wallets, sectors, or cross-chain trends across networks such as Ethereum, Arbitrum, and Polygon.
Users can find dashboards through search or Discover, then filter and sort results. A useful dashboard explains what it measures, identifies sources, shows a clear date range, and allows inspection of underlying queries. Popularity can surface widely used boards, but it does not replace methodological checks.
For NFT research, search for collection sales, marketplace volume, traders, wash-trading filters, floor prices, or wallet behavior.
Source: dune.com
Older examples such as Whale Watcher or marketplace trader dashboards may still help, but availability and coverage should be checked directly.
Source: dune.com
Definitions of “whale,” “smart money,” or “top trader” vary, so inspect how wallets are selected.
Users can also search Bitcoin dashboards.
Source: dune.com
A Bitcoin dashboard may cover block production, miner rewards, fees, address activity, inscriptions, exchange flows, or related metrics.
Source: dune.com
Check whether charts use block subsidies only, total miner revenue, or estimated fiat values.
Source: dune.com
Wallet labels and balances need careful reading: one entity may control many addresses, and one address may represent an exchange, contract, custodian, bridge, or pooled wallet. Inspect or fork the underlying query before drawing stronger conclusions.
Tips for Effective Use
- Start with a specific question. Define the metric, blockchain, protocol, date range, and contract before writing SQL.
- Begin with public dashboards and simple queries. Inspect existing boards and fork public queries before building complex analyses.
- Verify contract addresses. Protocols may deploy multiple contracts or operate across several networks.
- Read the table documentation. Raw, decoded, and curated tables may represent the same activity differently.
- Use time filters. Queries without date filters may scan unnecessary data and consume more credits.
- Check for duplication. Incorrect joins can multiply rows and overstate volume or user counts.
- Review freshness and methodology. Check last run time, metric definitions, and compare important results with a blockchain explorer or protocol dashboard.
Conclusion
Dune Analytics is an on-chain data platform for exploring blockchain activity through public dashboards or custom DuneSQL queries. It provides raw, decoded, and curated datasets across more than 100 networks.
Users can search existing research, fork public queries, analyze smart contract activity, create visualizations, and assemble dashboards. Advanced workflows may include APIs, exports, scheduled queries, alerts, uploaded datasets, and warehouse integrations.
Results depend on selected tables, contracts, filters, metric definitions, query logic, and refresh status. For reliable analysis, inspect the underlying SQL, verify contracts, review freshness, and compare important metrics with additional sources.
FAQ
Is Dune Analytics Free to Use?
Yes. Dune offers a free plan that allows users to browse public dashboards, run queries, create visualizations, and learn DuneSQL. Paid plans provide additional credits, private content, collaboration tools, API access, and other advanced features.
Do I Need to Know SQL to Use Dune Analytics?
No. Users can explore public dashboards and queries without writing SQL. However, creating custom analyses generally requires DuneSQL or adapting an existing public query.
Is Dune Analytics Data Real-Time?
Dune data is often updated close to real time, but delays may occur because of blockchain finality, indexing, decoding, query execution, caching, or dashboard refresh schedules. Users should check the dashboard refresh time before relying on a metric.
Which Blockchains Does Dune Analytics Support?
Dune supports data from more than 100 blockchain networks. Coverage varies by chain and may include raw blockchain tables, decoded smart contract data, curated cross-chain datasets, and partner-contributed data.
Are Dune Dashboards Always Accurate?
No. Public dashboards are created by community members and may use outdated contracts, incomplete filters, or different metric definitions. Users should inspect the underlying SQL, methodology, data sources, and refresh status.
