PiBot CNC & Laser Controller Guide

This page compares the five current PiBot controller boards. Specifications and software support are checked against PiBot product documentation, the technical Wiki, and the software vendors' official documentation. Always verify the exact board revision and firmware before wiring or flashing.

Current Controller Lineup

Five PiBot controller boards are in the current lineup. The table focuses on documented hardware and firmware differences; it does not rank the boards or make assumptions about a customer's machine.

Controller

Flagship
V5.88 Ultra

Best Seller
V4.96 Pro

Plug-in ESP32-S3
V5.77 Carrier

Plug-in ESP32
V4.7 B

Isolated GRBL
V3.28 Isolated

Main controller

Integrated ESP32-S3
8 MB Flash + 8 MB PSRAM

Integrated ESP32

Replaceable plug-in ESP32-S3 module

Plug-in ESP32 DevKitC module

ATmega328P

Documented firmware

FluidNC
grblHAL Experimental

FluidNC
grblHAL

GRBL 1.1h

Axes / motor outputs

6 dedicated + 1 configurable
via Extra I/O; up to 7 axes¹

6

6 dedicated + 2 configurable
via Extra I/O; up to 8 axes²

6 external-driver outputs

3 axes / 5 outputs
XXYYZ

Stepper driver interface

On-board or external drivers
standard and SPI

External drivers only

On-board sockets + external drivers

Spindle / laser control

PWM, laser, isolated RS485, 0–10 V

PWM, laser, RS485, 0–10 V

PWM, 0–10 V

Connectivity / storage

Wi-Fi, 2× USB-C, microSD

Wi-Fi, USB, microSD

Wi-Fi, 2× USB-C, microSD
(with plug-in ESP32-S3 module)

Wi-Fi, USB, microSD
(with ESP32 module)

USB

Isolation distinction

10 opto-isolated inputs; galvanically isolated RS485

Standard non-isolated RS485

Full optocoupler isolation for I/O

Technical Wiki

¹ V5.88 has six dedicated motor outputs. Its Extra I/O signals can be configured as one additional Step / Dir / Enable motor group, for up to seven axes, or used as ordinary I/O. The same Extra I/O signals cannot serve both purposes at the same time. The official grblHAL Web Builder target currently advertises a maximum of 4 axes; see the V5.88 grblHAL chapter before choosing firmware.

² V5.77 has six dedicated motor outputs. Its six Extra I/O signals can be configured as two additional Step / Dir / Enable motor groups, for up to eight axes, or used as ordinary outputs. The same Extra I/O signals cannot serve both purposes at the same time.

Controller Family Photos

PiBot V4 controller family overview including V4.96 Pro — PiBot V4 controller family / V4.96 Pro overview. Additional current-model family photos can be added here later.

Firmware & Software Compatibility

This table provides a quick compatibility overview. Software and firmware versions change, so verify the exact combination before production use.

Firmware

FluidNC WebUI

OpenBuilds CONTROL

LaserGRBL

Candle

UGS

LightBurn

FluidNC

Native

PiBot tested

✓

grblHAL

—

PiBot tested

✓

GRBL 1.1

—

PiBot tested

✓

✓ = compatible. PiBot tested = recorded in PiBot's October 2025 compatibility test. — = not applicable; it does not mean the firmware itself is unsupported.

Resources & Support

PiBot Controller Store grblHAL Controllers List PiBot Discord Support AI Documentation Index Expanded AI Index

Sources Checked

PiBot V5.88 Ultra product page and the V5.88 technical Wiki.
PiBot V5.77 Carrier technical Wiki and board documentation.
PiBot V4.96 Pro product page.
PiBot V4.7B product page.
PiBot V3.28 Isolated product page.