Motor Driver Shield for Arduino: Top 5 Picks India 2026

Why Use a Motor Driver Shield?
Types of Motor Driver Shields
Top 5 Motor Driver Shields in India 2026
Comparison Table
How to Choose the Right Shield
Basic Wiring Guide
Sample Arduino Code
Products Available at Zbotic
FAQ

Why Use a Motor Driver Shield?

An Arduino’s digital I/O pins can source or sink a maximum of 40 mA per pin and 200 mA total. A typical DC motor draws anywhere from 200 mA to several Amperes, and a stepper motor needs a carefully regulated current source. Connecting a motor directly to an Arduino pin will damage the microcontroller instantly.

A motor driver shield solves this by sitting on top of the Arduino (using its stackable headers) and providing a dedicated H-bridge or driver IC capable of handling the motor’s current demands. The Arduino’s pins carry only low-current control signals; the shield handles the heavy power switching.

This buying guide covers the five most practical and available motor driver shields in India in 2026, explains what each one is good for, and helps you pick the right one for your project — whether you are building a line-following robot, a CNC machine, a robotic arm, or an automated vehicle.

Types of Motor Driver Shields

Before diving into specific products, it helps to understand the three main categories of motor driver shields:

1. DC Motor Shields (H-Bridge Based)

Use an H-bridge IC (L293D, L298N, TB6612FNG) to drive brushed DC motors in both directions. Typically support 2–4 independent DC motor channels. Best for wheeled robots, fans, pumps, and conveyor belts.

2. Stepper Motor Driver Shields

Use dedicated stepper driver ICs (A4988, DRV8825, TMC2208) with current limiting via Vref. Usually support 1–2 stepper axes plus optional DC motors. Best for CNC, 3D printers, and precise positioning.

3. Servo Driver Shields

Provide PWM output channels for controlling servo motors. Most use the PCA9685 PWM expander via I2C, giving 16 channels from just 2 Arduino pins. Best for robotic arms, pan-tilt mechanisms, and multi-servo animatronics.

Top 5 Motor Driver Shields in India 2026

1. Adafruit Motor Shield V2 (Compatible) — Best All-Rounder

The Adafruit Motor Shield V2 uses the TB6612FNG dual H-bridge driver controlled via a PCA9685 I2C PWM controller. This means you use just two I2C pins (SDA/SCL) to control up to 4 DC motors (1.2 A each, 3 A peak) or 2 stepper motors — and you can stack up to 32 shields on the same Arduino for 128 DC motors!

Pros:

I2C control — frees up digital pins
Stackable design
Supports DC, stepper, and servo motors on one shield
Excellent library (Adafruit_MotorShield.h)

Cons:

1.2 A per channel limits use with heavy motors
Slightly more expensive than basic shields

Best for: Multi-motor robots, educational projects, maker builds where pin economy matters.

2. L293D Motor Shield — Best for Beginners

The classic L293D shield uses two L293D ICs to drive up to 4 DC motors (0.6 A each) or 2 stepper motors, plus 2 servo channels. It uses digital pins 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 11, and 12, along with PWM pins 9 and 10 for servo control.

Pros:

Very affordable — easily the cheapest motor shield in India
No extra libraries needed (or use AFMotor.h)
Widely documented with thousands of tutorials
Includes servo headers

Cons:

Only 0.6 A per channel — not suitable for medium or large motors
High pin usage (uses most of the Arduino’s digital pins)
L293D is inefficient — significant heat dissipation

Best for: Beginners learning robotics, small toy motors, classroom projects, and first robot builds.

3. L298N Motor Driver Module — Best for High-Current DC Motors

The L298N is technically a standalone module rather than a stackable shield, but it is the most popular motor driver in India due to its availability, low cost, and 2 A per channel current capacity. It can drive two DC motors bidirectionally or one stepper motor.

Pros:

2 A per channel (4 A peak) — handles medium-sized DC and stepper motors
Onboard 5 V regulator to power Arduino from motor supply (up to 12 V)
Extremely well-documented
Very affordable

Cons:

Not a stackable shield — requires jumper wires
Voltage drop: the L298N drops ~2 V across the H-bridge, reducing effective motor voltage
Gets hot at high current — needs ventilation

Best for: High-current DC motors (up to 2 A), budget stepper motor control, projects where board form factor is flexible.

4. CNC Shield V3 + A4988 — Best for Stepper Motors

The CNC Shield V3 is an Arduino Uno/Mega expansion board specifically designed for stepper motor control. It accepts up to 4 plug-in stepper driver modules (A4988, DRV8825, or TMC2209) and is the standard solution for DIY CNC machines, laser engravers, and 3D printer controllers.

Pros:

Supports 4 independent stepper axes (X, Y, Z + clone)
Compatible with GRBL firmware for CNC
Adjustable microstepping per axis
Accepts powerful drivers like DRV8825 (2.2 A) or TMC2209 (2.8 A) for heavy motors

Cons:

GRBL-specific — general-purpose use requires custom programming
Not suitable for DC motor or servo control
Driver modules (A4988) sold separately

Best for: CNC routers, laser engravers, 3D printers, any project requiring precise multi-axis stepper control.

5. TB6612FNG Dual Motor Driver — Best for Efficiency

The TB6612FNG is the modern replacement for the L298N. It uses MOSFET H-bridges instead of bipolar transistors, resulting in far less power dissipation and no voltage drop penalty. It delivers 1.2 A continuous (3.2 A peak) per channel and runs cooler at the same current.

Pros:

MOSFET-based — minimal voltage drop (0.1 V vs 2 V on L298N)
Runs much cooler than L298N
Built-in standby mode for power saving
Supports PWM up to 100 kHz

Cons:

1.2 A continuous limits use with larger motors
Less widely documented in India compared to L298N

Best for: Battery-powered robots, efficiency-critical applications, compact builds where heat management is important.

Comparison Table

Shield	Driver IC	Current/Ch	DC Motors	Steppers	Interface
Adafruit V2	TB6612FNG	1.2 A	4	2	I2C
L293D Shield	L293D	0.6 A	4	2	Digital Pins
L298N Module	L298N	2 A	2	1	Digital Pins
CNC Shield + A4988	A4988	1.0 A	0	4	Step/Dir
TB6612FNG Module	TB6612FNG	1.2 A	2	1	Digital Pins

How to Choose the Right Shield

Use this quick decision framework:

Small toy/hobby motors (<0.5 A): L293D shield — cheap, easy, plenty of tutorials.
Medium DC motors (0.5–2 A): L298N module or TB6612FNG — TB6612 if efficiency matters, L298N if budget is tight.
Stepper motors for CNC/3D printer: CNC Shield V3 + A4988 or DRV8825 drivers.
Multi-motor robot with many axes: Adafruit Motor Shield V2 (stackable, I2C).
Battery-powered robot: TB6612FNG — lowest quiescent current and no voltage drop penalty.
Servo-heavy builds: PCA9685 16-channel servo shield — not an H-bridge, but gives 16 PWM channels over I2C.

A4988 Stepper Motor Driver Controller Board – RED

Plug-in stepper driver for CNC Shield V3 and Ramps boards. Supports up to 1/16 microstepping and 1A continuous per coil. Essential for precise stepper motor control.

View on Zbotic

Basic Wiring Guide

Here is how to wire up the most common shield types with an Arduino Uno:

L293D Shield

Stack the L293D shield directly onto the Arduino Uno headers — no extra wiring needed
Connect motor power (6–25 V) to the EXT_PWR terminal on the shield
Connect motors to M1, M2, M3, or M4 terminals
The shield draws logic power from the Arduino’s 5 V rail

L298N Module

Connect motor supply (6–35 V) to VS pin; GND to GND
Connect IN1, IN2 to two Arduino digital pins for Motor A direction control
Connect ENA to an Arduino PWM pin for Motor A speed control (or bridge the jumper for full speed)
Repeat IN3, IN4, ENB for Motor B
If motor supply is under 12 V, keep the 5 V jumper and power Arduino from the L298N’s 5 V output

CNC Shield + A4988

Insert A4988 drivers into the X, Y, Z, A sockets (check orientation — pin 1 mark matters!)
Set microstepping jumpers as required (all three jumpers = 1/16 step)
Connect motor power (12–24 V) to the power terminals
Connect stepper motor coil pairs to the motor terminals per axis
Set Vref on each A4988 before powering on (see our A4988 Vref guide)

Sample Arduino Code

L298N — Simple DC Motor Forward/Reverse

// L298N Motor A: IN1=pin 7, IN2=pin 8, ENA=pin 9
#define IN1 7
#define IN2 8
#define ENA 9

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

void loop() {
  // Forward at 70% speed
  digitalWrite(IN1, HIGH);
  digitalWrite(IN2, LOW);
  analogWrite(ENA, 178);  // 178/255 = ~70%
  delay(2000);

  // Stop
  analogWrite(ENA, 0);
  delay(500);

  // Reverse at 70% speed
  digitalWrite(IN1, LOW);
  digitalWrite(IN2, HIGH);
  analogWrite(ENA, 178);
  delay(2000);

  analogWrite(ENA, 0);
  delay(500);
}

A4988 — Basic Stepper Control (without library)

// A4988: STEP=pin 3, DIR=pin 4, ENABLE=pin 8
#define STEP_PIN 3
#define DIR_PIN 4
#define EN_PIN 8

void setup() {
  pinMode(STEP_PIN, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(DIR_PIN, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(EN_PIN, OUTPUT);
  digitalWrite(EN_PIN, LOW); // Enable driver
}

void loop() {
  digitalWrite(DIR_PIN, HIGH); // Clockwise
  for (int i = 0; i < 200; i++) {
    digitalWrite(STEP_PIN, HIGH);
    delayMicroseconds(1000);
    digitalWrite(STEP_PIN, LOW);
    delayMicroseconds(1000);
  }
  delay(1000);

  digitalWrite(DIR_PIN, LOW); // Counter-clockwise
  for (int i = 0; i < 200; i++) {
    digitalWrite(STEP_PIN, HIGH);
    delayMicroseconds(1000);
    digitalWrite(STEP_PIN, LOW);
    delayMicroseconds(1000);
  }
  delay(1000);
}

42HS48-1204A NEMA17 5.6 kg-cm Stepper Motor

Pair with the A4988 driver or CNC Shield V3 for a complete stepper motion system. Available with detachable cable for easy wiring in CNC and 3D printer builds.

View on Zbotic

Products Available at Zbotic

28BYJ-48 5V Stepper Motor

A great beginner stepper motor with ULN2003 driver board. Perfect for learning stepper concepts before moving to NEMA17 + A4988 for larger projects.

View on Zbotic

25GA-370 12V 12RPM DC Reducer Gear Motor

A compact gear motor ideal for robot wheels, conveyor belts, and slow-speed mechanisms. Drive with L298N or TB6612FNG motor driver from Arduino.

View on Zbotic

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use the L293D shield for a NEMA17 stepper motor?

No. The L293D is rated at only 0.6 A per channel, while most NEMA17 motors need 1.0–1.5 A. Running a NEMA17 on an L293D will result in the IC overheating and possible damage. Use an A4988 or DRV8825 driver instead.

What is the best motor driver shield for a line-follower robot in India?

For a basic line-follower using small DC motors (under 0.5 A), the L293D shield is the most affordable and beginner-friendly option. If your motors draw more than 0.5 A, upgrade to the TB6612FNG or L298N module.

Can I drive servo motors from a motor driver shield?

Many motor driver shields (L293D, Adafruit V2) include dedicated servo output pins that connect to the Arduino’s PWM pins. However, for more than 2–3 servos, use a dedicated PCA9685 servo shield that provides 16 PWM channels over I2C.

What voltage should I supply to my motor driver shield?

It depends on your motors. Most small robots use 7.4 V (2S LiPo) or 12 V (3S LiPo or bench supply). The L298N handles up to 46 V, the A4988 up to 35 V, and the L293D up to 36 V. Always check the shield’s maximum VMOT voltage against your supply.

Is the L298N module compatible with Arduino Mega?

Yes, the L298N module works with any Arduino (Uno, Nano, Mega, Leonardo) since it uses standard digital GPIO pins and PWM pins. On the Mega, you have more PWM pins to choose from, giving more flexibility in pin assignment.

Conclusion

Choosing the right motor driver shield for your Arduino project comes down to your motor type, current requirement, and the number of axes you need to control. Beginners starting out with small motors should go with the affordable L293D shield. Those building serious robots or CNC machines should invest in the Adafruit Motor Shield V2 or the CNC Shield V3 with A4988 drivers.

The good news is that all of these drivers are available in India with fast delivery. Explore the full range of motors and drivers at Zbotic and get your project moving.