Airdrop SOL for Development

A complete guide to obtaining SOL for development and testing on Solana devnet networks.

What You'll Learn

• How to request SOL airdrops via CLI
• Web faucets and alternative sources
• Rate limits and how to work around them
• Troubleshooting common airdrop failures

Prerequisites

• Solana CLI installed
• A keypair/wallet configured

Understanding Test Networks

Solana provides free test networks for development:

Method 1: CLI Airdrop (Fastest)

The quickest way to get devnet SOL is through the Solana CLI.

Using Solana CLI

# Ensure you're on devnet
solana config set --url devnet

# Airdrop 1 SOL to your configured wallet
solana airdrop 1

# Airdrop 2 SOL (maximum per request)
solana airdrop 2

# Airdrop to a specific address
solana airdrop 1 <WALLET_ADDRESS>

# Check your balance
solana balance

Using MPLX CLI

The MPLX CLI provides the same functionality:

# Airdrop to your active wallet
mplx toolbox sol-airdrop 1

# Airdrop to a specific address
mplx toolbox sol-airdrop 2 --to <WALLET_ADDRESS>

# Check balance
mplx toolbox sol-balance

Airdrop Limits

Method 2: Web Faucets

When CLI airdrops are rate-limited, web faucets provide an alternative.

Popular Faucets

Sol Faucet - https://solfaucet.com

• Devnet and testnet support
• No account required
• Up to 2 SOL per request

QuickNode Faucet - https://faucet.quicknode.com/solana/devnet

• Reliable availability
• Multiple networks supported

Using a Faucet

1. Copy your wallet address:

   solana-keygen pubkey ~/.config/solana/id.json
   

2. Visit the faucet website

3. Paste your address and request SOL

4. Verify receipt:

   solana balance
   

Method 3: Local Validator (Unlimited)

For heavy development, a local validator provides unlimited SOL without rate limits.

# Start local validator (in a separate terminal)
solana-test-validator

# In your main terminal, switch to localhost
solana config set --url localhost

# Airdrop any amount
solana airdrop 1000

# No rate limits on localhost!
solana balance

See the local validator guide for detailed setup.

Method 4: Fund from Another Wallet

If you have SOL in another devnet wallet, simply transfer it:

# Transfer from wallet with SOL to new wallet
solana transfer <NEW_WALLET_ADDRESS> 10 --keypair ~/funded-wallet.json

This is useful for:

• Funding multiple test wallets
• Team development (one person airdrops, distributes to team)
• Automated testing with pre-funded wallets

Troubleshooting

"Airdrop request failed"

Cause: Rate limiting or network issues.

Solutions:

# 1. Wait 60 seconds and retry
sleep 60 && solana airdrop 1

# 2. Try a smaller amount
solana airdrop 0.5

# 3. Use a web faucet instead

# 4. Check you're on devnet (not mainnet)
solana config get

"Too many requests"

Cause: You've hit the rate limit.

Solutions:

• Wait 5-10 minutes before retrying
• Use a different faucet
• Switch to local validator for unlimited SOL
• Use a funded wallet to transfer

"RPC request error" or "Connection refused"

Cause: Network issues or RPC endpoint problems.

Solutions:

# Try a different RPC endpoint
solana config set --url https://api.devnet.solana.com

# Or use an alternative
solana config set --url https://devnet.helius-rpc.com/?api-key=YOUR_KEY

Airdrop Succeeds but Balance Doesn't Update

Cause: Checking wrong address or cluster mismatch.

Solutions:

# Verify which keypair is configured
solana config get

# Check the correct address
solana-keygen pubkey $(solana config get keypair | awk '{print $3}')

# Confirm you're on devnet
solana config set --url devnet
solana balance

Next Steps

• Setup a local validator - Unlimited SOL for testing
• Solana CLI essentials - Master the CLI
• Working with devnet and testnet - Network deep dive
• Create a token - Use your SOL to create tokens

FAQ

Why did my airdrop fail?

Most likely rate limiting. Wait a few minutes and try again, or use a web faucet.

How much SOL do I need for testing?

For basic testing, 2-5 SOL is usually enough. For heavy testing with many transactions, consider 20+ SOL or use a local validator.

Is devnet SOL ever worth real money?

No. Devnet and testnet SOL have zero monetary value and cannot be converted to mainnet SOL.

How often does devnet reset?

Devnet can reset without notice, wiping all accounts and balances. Don't store anything important on devnet—it's purely for testing.