Industrial PLC comparison: Arduino, ESP32 and Raspberry Pi
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Overview
Industrial Shields produces three families of industrial PLCs, each based on a different hardware technology: Arduino, ESP32 and Raspberry Pi. All three families are designed for DIN rail installation, 24V DC industrial power and professional automation environments. The main differences lie in processing architecture, operating system, programming environment and connectivity.
Quick comparison
| Feature | Arduino PLC (M-Duino / Ardbox) | ESP32 PLC | Raspberry Pi PLC |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core technology | Arduino Mega (M-Duino), Arduino Leonardo (Ardbox) | ESP32 (Espressif) | Raspberry Pi (Raspberry Pi Ltd) |
| Operating system | None (bare metal) | None (bare metal / FreeRTOS) | Linux (Raspberry Pi OS) |
| Primary programming language | Arduino IDE (C/C++) | Arduino IDE (C/C++) | Python, C/C++, Node-RED, any Linux-compatible language |
| Wireless connectivity | Not native | WiFi and Bluetooth native | Not native |
| Processing power | Low–medium (microcontroller) | Medium (dual-core microcontroller) | High (multi-core processor) |
| Multitasking | No | Limited (FreeRTOS tasks) | Yes (full Linux multitasking) |
| I/O range (models) | From Ardbox compact to M-Duino 58 | From ESP32 PLC 14 to ESP32 PLC 58 | From Raspberry PLC 21 to Raspberry PLC 58 |
| Modbus RTU / TCP | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| MQTT | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Docker support | No | No | Yes |
| Node-RED | No | No | Yes |
| Edge computing | Not suitable | Limited | Yes |
| Certifications | CE, RoHS. ETL for M-Duino 21, 42 and 58 | CE, RoHS | CE, RoHS |
| Best for | Machine control, process automation, industrial I/O | Connected automation, IoT control, wireless industrial systems | Edge computing, data processing, Linux-based automation, HMI integration |
When to choose Arduino PLC (M-Duino or Ardbox)
Choose Arduino PLCs when the project needs a reliable, straightforward industrial controller with deterministic execution, a wide range of I/O configurations and programming based on the Arduino environment. Arduino PLCs are a strong fit for machine control, process automation and installations where a microcontroller-based approach is preferred over a Linux system.
- M-Duino: broader I/O requirements, mid to large automation systems
- Ardbox: compact installations, limited space, simpler applications
When to choose ESP32 PLC
Choose ESP32 PLCs when the project needs native wireless connectivity (WiFi and Bluetooth), combined with industrial I/O and Arduino-compatible programming. The ESP32 PLC range is well suited for connected automation, IoT control systems and distributed installations where wireless communication is a key requirement.
- ESP32 PLC 14 CORE and FLEX: compact connected controllers
- ESP32 PLC 19R to 58: growing I/O requirements with wireless connectivity
When to choose Raspberry Pi PLC
Choose Raspberry Pi PLCs when the project needs Linux-based flexibility, higher processing capacity, multitasking, data processing or integration with software platforms such as Node-RED, Python applications, Docker containers or edge computing tools.
- Raspberry PLC CPU-Gateway: connectivity and gateway-focused applications
- Raspberry PLC 21 to 58: automation and monitoring with Linux flexibility
Key differences at a glance
- Arduino PLC: simplest programming model, deterministic, no OS, widest I/O availability, ETL certification available
- ESP32 PLC: wireless native, Arduino programming, good balance between control and IoT connectivity
- Raspberry Pi PLC: Linux OS, highest processing power, Docker, Node-RED, Python, best for data-intensive and edge applications