Bipolar microstepping motor driver roundup

Bipolar stepper motors are easy to drive using a microcontroller, but using a separate driver chip can arguably be a simpler and a safer option. Using a dedicated chip is especially convenient when controlling multiple steppers or using micro stepping.

There are currently a huge selection of stepper motor driver chips on the market, a single vendor may carry over a dozen slightly different versions.

A list of interesting stepper motor drivers after the break.




In the table below we've selected a few different kinds with the following attributes:

• Support for microstepping
• Overheating protection
• Over current protection
• Common logic voltages (3.3 or 5V)
• Simple to operate from a digital MCU

Part number	Price for 1000 pcs (USD)	Logic voltage	Voltage	Peak Current	Interface	Smallest step	Speed profiles	Safe position
ST Microelectronics L6474	$2.34	3.3V or 5V	8-45V	7.0A	SPI+Step+Dir	1/16	No	No
ST Microelectronics L6470	$3.80	3.3V or 5V	8-45V	7.0A	SPI or Step	1/128	Yes	Yes
Allegro MicroSystems A4988	$1.46	3.0-5V	8-35V	2A	Step+Dir	1/16	No	No
Allegro MicroSystems A4979	$2.55	3.0-5V	7-50V	1.5A	SPI or Step+Dir	1/16	No	No
Texas Instruments DRV8825	$2.40	2.2-5.25V	8.2-45V	2.5A	Step+Dir	1/32	No	No
Texas Instruments DRV8823	$2.00	2.2-5.25V	8.2-45V	2.5A	SPI compatible	1/8	No	No
ON Semiconductor AMIS-30622	$3.42	5V	6.5-29V	0.8A	I2C	1/16	Yes	Yes

Note about A4979: Supports both SPI and Step+Dir interfaces. Over SPI stepping forward is done by repeatedly writing to the RUN register, one write is one step/microstep.

Note about DRV8823: Capable of controlling two(!) stepper motors. However, chip has no concept of Stepping per se, only PWM control of 4 H-bridges.

Have you found a good stepper motor driver? Please leave a comment and we'll add it to our list.