Smart contract platforms are decentralized digital platforms that enable the deployment of blockchain-based applications without a central administrator, significantly reducing counterparty risk and enhancing transparency. These platforms gained prominence with the launch of Ethereum, which allowed developers to create and run smart contracts on a global scale, leading to the growth of decentralized finance (DeFi) and other blockchain-based sectors. As demand for blockchain applications increased, new smart contract platforms emerged, each addressing the "blockchain scalability trilemma" by balancing scalability, decentralization, and security in unique ways. These platforms are compared based on various factors, including security, scalability, decentralization, developer experience, community engagement, economic sustainability, and adoption rates. Despite the rapid growth of the smart contract economy, the technology's potential impacts on industries like finance, insurance, and gaming suggest that the full scope of blockchain applications is still being realized, pointing to an expansive future for decentralized systems.