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Arduino Motor Driver Comparison: L298N vs TB6612FNG vs BTS7960 vs A4988 vs DRV8825

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Arduino Motor Driver Comparison: L298N vs TB6612FNG vs BTS7960 vs A4988 vs DRV8825

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Choosing the correct motor driver is essential for building reliable Arduino, robotics, CNC, and automation projects. Different motors require different voltage, current, and control methods, so selecting the appropriate driver improves performance, efficiency, and safety.

In this guide, we'll compare five of the most popular Arduino-compatible motor drivers:

  • L298N
  • TB6612FNG
  • BTS7960
  • A4988
  • DRV8825

What Is a Motor Driver?

A motor driver is an electronic interface that allows a microcontroller such as an Arduino to control motors requiring higher voltage and current than a GPIO pin can safely provide.

Motor drivers make it possible to:

  • Control motor direction
  • Adjust speed using PWM
  • Drive high-current motors
  • Control stepper motor positioning

Internal Architecture

Internal Architecture

Motor drivers fall into two main categories:

H-Bridge Drivers

  • L298N
  • TB6612FNG
  • BTS7960

Best for DC motors and gear motors.

Stepper Drivers

  • A4988
  • DRV8825

Designed for precision control of bipolar stepper motors used in CNC machines and 3D printers.

Applications

Applications

Project Recommended Driver
Robot Car L298N
Battery Robot TB6612FNG
High Power Robot BTS7960
CNC Machine DRV8825
3D Printer A4988
Robotic Arm DRV8825

Voltage & Current Comparison

Power & Current Comparison

Driver Voltage Continuous Current
L298N 5–35V 2A
TB6612FNG 2.5–13.5V 1.2A
BTS7960 6–27V 43A
A4988 8–35V 2A/Phase
DRV8825 8.2–45V 2.5A/Phase

Arduino Wiring

Arduino Wiring

Example wiring for the L298N:

Arduino L298N
D5 ENA
D6 IN1
D7 IN2
GND GND

Arduino Example 

const int ENA = 5;
const int IN1 = 6;
const int IN2 = 7;

void setup() {
  pinMode(ENA, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(IN1, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(IN2, OUTPUT);
}

void loop() {
  digitalWrite(IN1, HIGH);
  digitalWrite(IN2, LOW);
  analogWrite(ENA, 180);
  delay(3000);

  digitalWrite(IN1, LOW);
  digitalWrite(IN2, HIGH);
  delay(3000);
}
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Driver Selection Guide

Driver Selection Guide

  • L298N → Beginner robotics
  • TB6612FNG → Battery-powered robots
  • BTS7960 → High-current motors
  • A4988 → Stepper motors
  • DRV8825 → CNC and 3D printers

Real Projects

Real Projects

These drivers are commonly used in:

  • Robot Cars
  • Robotic Arms
  • CNC Machines
  • Laser Engravers
  • 3D Printers
  • Conveyor Systems
  • Industrial Automation

Professional Workspace

Professional Workspace

A well-organized workspace, quality power supply, and correct wiring practices help ensure reliable motor control and easier troubleshooting.

Learn More

🌐 Original Chip.pk Article

https://www.chip.pk/blogs/chip-pk-knowledge-hub/arduino-motor-driver-comparison

💻 GitHub Repository

https://github.com/talha88001/Arduino-Motor-Driver-Comparison

🛠 Hackster.io Project

https://www.hackster.io/chip-pk/arduino-motor-driver-comparison-guide-3ab6f2

✍ Medium Article

https://medium.com/@chip.pk/arduino-motor-driver-comparison-l298n-vs-tb6612fng-vs-bts7960-vs-a4988-vs-drv8825-bf481633ebc4

If you found this guide helpful, consider following Chip.pk for more tutorials on Arduino, Raspberry Pi, ESP32, robotics, embedded systems, and electronics projects.

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