Cardano Networks

 Editions: All

Overview

IOHK currently offers one Mainnet network and multiple Testnet networks 

Mainnet uses real ada with financial value; Testnet uses 'fake' ada that does not have financial value (an exception to this is that some ada on the Shelley Incentivised testnet, may be converted to real ada, see below for details). 

Note that versions of Yoroi may be available for these networks too. Please see https://yoroi-wallet.com/#/ for more info. 

High-level Comparison

Era	Common Network Name	Current Wallet	Explorer	Node	Topology	ada	Use
Byron	Mainnet	Daedalus	Yes	Haskell Node	Federated (run by IOHK)	Real	Transactions of ada
Byron	Testnet	Daedalus	No	Haskell Node	Federated (run by IOHK)	Fake	Beta testing Daedalus
Shelley	Incentivized Testnet	Daedalus Rewards	Yes	RUST Node (Jormungandr)	Distributed (run by IOHK and independent stake pools)	Fake*	Testing real incentives
Shelley	Beta Testnet	Daedalus Rewards	No	RUST Node (Jormungandr)	Distributed (run by IOHK and independent stake pools)	Fake	Beta testing Jormungander
Shelley	Nightly Testnet	Daedalus Rewards	No	RUST Node (Jormungandr)	Distributed (run by IOHK and independent stake pools)	Fake	Alpha testing Jormungander

* The ada on Shelley Incentivized Testnet is fake but the ada gained from staking rewards (and only from staking rewards) can be transferred back to mainnet at the end of Incentivised Testnet and will become real spendable ada on Mainnet.