How to Choose the Right Motor Driver for Your Robotics Project – L298N vs L293D vs BTS7960

When you’re building any robotics or motor-based DIY project, you quickly realize that you can’t connect a motor directly to an Arduino or ESP32. That’s because microcontrollers can only provide a small amount of current, whereas motors need a lot more power to run. That’s where motor drivers come in — they act like power amplifiers for your motors.

But the real confusion begins when you search online and see names like L293D, L298N, BTS7960… which one should you pick? Let’s break it down in this post.

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L293D – The Beginner-Friendly Option :

• Great for small robots and toy motor projects.
• Supports up to 600 mA per channel.
• Can control two DC Motors.
• Slightly less efficient, gets a bit warm at higher loads.

Best for line-following robots, small BO motor cars, and simple school projects.

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L298N – The Most Popular Choice :

• Supports 2A current per channel (with heat sink)
• Can control two motors independently.
• Comes with built-in 5V regulator and direction/speed control pins.

This is like an upgraded version of L293D and is perfect for smart car robots, obstacle avoiders, or Bluetooth-controlled vehicles.

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BTS7960 – The Power Beast

• Handles up to 43A! Yes, seriously.
• Great for high-torque gear motors and heavy-duty robots.
• Needs only one motor (single channel).

If you’re planning a go-kart, e-bike prototype, or powerful rover, this is your best friend.

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Motor Driver	Current Capacity	Controls	Best For
L293D	~0.6A per motor	2 Motors	Mini robots/school projects
L298N	~2A per motor	2 Motors	Medium robots/ hobby projects
BTS7960	43A (single)	1 Motor	Heavy-duty robotics

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Final Verdict

• Just starting? → Go with L293D
• Building a medium-sized bot? → Pick L298N
• Doing something powerful? → BTS7960 all the way!

Motor driver selection is all about how powerful your motor is. Match your motor’s current requirement with the driver’s limit and you’re good to go!

Have any questions? Drop a comment below and we’ll answer —we love celebrating our community’s creations!

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