The 10 Best Raspberry Pi Robot Kits for Beginners in 2025

Robotics is a trending topic right now in the Raspberry Pi world, but it’s not always easy to understand what’s out there. In the few last years, many robot kits have been released for anyone to try, either to play, learn programming, or for more complex challenges. So, what’s the best robot kit for Raspberry Pi in 2025?

Each robot kit has its different features and depending on need, budget, and skills. An overview of each kit will be provided, so go through them to find the best fit—or to just dream big.

I’m very interested in robotics right now, and I have tried several kits for you. In this list, I share my discoveries and give you my advice on each of them. There is no rational order in this list, as it’s almost impossible to give them a fair score, but the ones I prefer are at the beginning.

1. SunFounder PiCar-X

The PiCar-X from SunFounder is an AI video robot kit, a car powered by a Raspberry Pi and loaded with various sensors. It can be controlled from your phone or your computer and programmed via Python or Scratch.

The PiCar-X is compatible with a Raspberry Pi 5 / Pi 4 / 3B+ / 3B / and Zero W. It comes with a few interesting features:

• A camera module: you can use for face or sign detection, for example.
• An ultrasonic module: that measure the distance between the front of the car and the next obstacle, so you can program obstacle avoidance.
• A grayscale module: to use for line tracking or cliff detection.
• ChatGPT integration: an AI you can use to give voice or handle visual recognition.

The assembly is pretty easy. Aside from the servos (that you’ll get with any kit), there’s nothing complicated, so it’s great for a first kit. It comes with a big assembly guide in color, explaining all the steps and labeling all the screws and various pieces, so it’s easy to follow.

Then, you can control it from your phone, your computer, or directly from the Raspberry Pi. It comes with specific software, allowing you to use a visual language (Scratch) to play with it or jump to Python for more advanced scripts. I explain everything in my full review, so make sure to read it if you are interested.

The price is slightly higher than the average of the kits you’ll see in this list, but the material they used is way better, so it should last longer. Don’t worry if your obstacle avoidance script doesn’t work the first time.

Check the price on the SunFounder website, and get yours now if you are looking for a fun project with your Raspberry Pi. You can also find it on Amazon if you prefer.

Wait, I have some recommendations for you!

Before you go any further, I want you to take a look at some of the recommendations I’ve handpicked for you. I think these are essential items you should have for your Raspberry Pi. You can check them out and buy them directly from Amazon.

A silent and convenient case	A cool SSD for increased performances	A nice monitor, to stop using the TV	A dedicated keyboard with touchpad

2. Freenove 4WD Smart Car

The Freenove 4WD Smart Car is an interesting one, I saw a video and was impressed by the possibilities (I’ll show you the video just after).

It’s probably one of the best choices for beginners.
The assembly is pretty fast compared to some other alternatives. The learning curve is very progressive as you can start to play with the app, then the computer app, and finally try to code it yourself with Python (many tutorials and examples are included).

The features built-in include:

• An 8MP camera with face tracking.
• Two photo resistors for light tracking.
• Infrared sensors for line tracking.
• Automatic obstacle avoidance with an ultrasonic module.
• Color LEDs on the chassis that you can control.
• Uses two Lithium Batteries, which are not included (I recommend getting this pack on Amazon, which includes a charger).

The price point is excellent, almost the cheapest model in this list for the “high-end” robot kits.

You can find all the details here on this very detailed Amazon page.

3. SunFounder PiDog

The PiDog from SunFounder is one of the best robots I have had the chance to test so far. I don’t put it at the top of the list because it might be a bit too advanced if it’s your first robot. But if you have some experience or are a pretty good DIYer, go for it!

Playing with the PiDog is a fun project. It comes with all the usual sensors (ultrasonic, gyroscope, camera, etc.) but also some nice add-ons compared to other kits on this list (touch module, sound direction, audio speaker, LEDs, etc.). The newest version now has ChatGPT AI included.

As with all SunFounder products, the assembly process is very well documented. You get a color printed manual with all the steps, and you can check the online documentation for additional information and even videos.

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Once the assembly process is complete, you can program it with Python or use the mobile app to control it without a line of code. There are plenty of examples included and documented, so you can quickly create your own routines if you have some basic programming skills (or just have fun with the app if not!).

Want to give it a try? Get your kit directly from the SunFounder website. It’s a little more expensive than the previous options, but it’s in aluminum and comes with everything, including the battery and tools.

Check this: 7 Hidden Raspberry Pi Features You Should Be Using

You can also find it on Amazon if you prefer.

4. Yahboom G1 Smart Tank

And the last one on my podium is a tank!
The Yahboom G1 Smart Tank is an excellent choice, even for a first robot kit.

It seems more professional and less like a toy, but what I really like is the expansion possibilities. As you can probably see in the pictures, there is much free space on the aluminum chassis where you can add other components later. The main board is also compatible with several other controllers (Arduino, 51 MCU, STM32).

The motor is powerful, and can easily move everywhere even with many components on the back.

But for now, the current features include:

• AI Vision processing
• A camera module that can be rotated 180° in all directions
• Line tracking
• Obstacle avoidance

Here’s a video for a better overview of these features:

An app is provided with the G1 Smart Tank (Yahboom app) to control the robot from your smartphone, but you can also use Python or C to control it.
There is a battery pack included (rare!), that you can plug into the wall to charge.

If I need to add a few downsides here (not easy), I would say: only compatible with Raspberry Pi 4B/3B+, maybe a bit too hard to get started for some beginners (the assembly part mainly).

This robot tank is more expensive than the first kits, but that’s understandable as there is a big aluminum chassis and more components (battery packs included). Maybe another disadvantage if your goal is to try on a low budget, but it could be better to directly have the professional tool, even if it’s a bit more expensive. That’s your choice!
Check the price on Amazon here.

5. mBot Ultimate

The mBot Ultimate by Makeblock is like a big box of fun for anyone who wants to build robots. It costs more than the other options listed here, but it’s more than just a toy. It’s a way to learn about robots, how to build them, and how to make them do cool stuff.

If you are serious about learning how robots work, how to program them, and everything you can do (or make them do), this might be the right choice for you.

You can put together the mBot Ultimate in 10 fun ways. You can make it drive like a car, pick up things, and even play games! You can use it with Raspberry Pi and Arduino sensors, or even LEGO bricks. It means you can add more parts and make it even cooler.

What do you get?

• There are over 160 parts to play with and make your robot.
• You can use an app on your phone or computer to tell the robot what to do.
• There’s a free computer program called mBlock that helps you code and make the robot do what you want.

The battery lets you play from 1 to 2 hours, but you’ll need to buy the batteries separately (6x AA batteries) or get a pack that includes them on their website.

If you want to learn about robots, work on cool projects, and have loads of fun, it’s a great choice. It might seem a bit expensive (check the current price here), but for all the cool things it can do, it might be worth it.

If you prefer, the mBot Ultimate is also available on Amazon.

6. CamJam Edukit 3

The CamJam Edukit 3 has nothing to compete with the other models I show you, aside from one thing: the price! It’s the least expensive robot on this list, so it’s the perfect kit for a first try.

For the price, you get a few sensors (ultrasonic and line follower), two wheels, two motors and a ball castor as a third wheel. There is no chassis (you can use the box as in the video below), but a small breadboard and a controller are provided to plug and control everything.

So, if you are on a budget, you can definitely try it as a first experiment.

It’s enough to learn everything correctly, without spending too much money on it. You’ll buy a more competitive car with confidence once you’ve learned the basics.

All the details are available here on The Pi Hut.

7. Freenove Three-Wheeled Smart Car

The Freenove Three-Wheeled Smart Car is very close to the 4WD model earlier on this list. It works with almost any Raspberry Pi model, and even an Arduino.

I see fewer features than the 4WD model, but the price is slightly lower. It stays a good robot kit, with a camera, ultrasonic module for obstacle avoidance, buzzer, and RGB LED.

The assembly process is pretty fast, and you’ll also need two extra batteries to make it work after your order.

You can control it from any computer on the same network, thanks to your Python code. The included tutorial is clear for each step, with several examples of Python code.

It’s still one of the least expensive kits on this list, so why not?
All the details are available on Amazon.

8. Freenove Robot Dog

The last one from Freenove that’s on this list, but it’s very original because it’s a dog!
The Freenove Robot Dog seems excellent but is pretty new (at the time of writing this), so I didn’t find so much information about it.

You can do everything from your smartphone, but also program it in Python from your Raspberry Pi or any other computer. The kit includes an Ultrasonic module (obstacle avoidance), and a LED module. As usual, it doesn’t include the batteries that you need to buy elsewhere (for example on Amazon with the charger).

The main features are movements, ball tracking, face recognition and RGB LEDs. There is also a Buzzer on it.

The video is so funny and explains everything, don’t miss it:

After 3 seconds, I was ready to buy one.
If you are in the same case, here is the link to Amazon!

Want to read my review first? I got it and tested it, I share my Freenove Robot Dog honest review here. Make sure to check it if you have any doubts, and you are welcome to ask if you have any questions about it.

Update: I recently had the chance to test another dog robot, the PiDog from SunFounder. You can click on the link to read my review, you might be interested in its features.

9. TonyPi Humanoid Robot

The last two kits on this list are more intended for experienced tinkerers, as they are more expensive but more powerful.
The first one is TonyPi, a humanoid robot from Hiwonder. TonyPi is capable of AI vision recognition for object tracking, color tracking, facial recognition, and QR code recognition.

The first time I saw this robot, I didn’t understand why it was so expensive (over $500 including the Pi board it comes with). But I was far from understanding what TonyPi was capable of:

TonyPi can walk bipedally and even bend over, pick up an object, and carry it to another spot. Robotic capabilities that were once only achievable in labs with millions of funding is now something you can play with at home.

It’s probably not the best choice for beginners, as you’ll probably want to code it using Python / OpenCV. However, it does come with software so you can program it using visual blocks and can be controlled manually using mobile apps for Android / iOS.

You can find all details on the Hiwonder website.
Alternatively, you can also find the different models available on Amazon.

10. Adeept RaspTank

I’ll end this list with something more original. We have mainly seen products that can move everywhere, with advanced features like obstacle avoidance and line tracking, but nothing like this.

The Adeept RaspTank is a tank with a 4-DOF robotic arm that you can program to do what you want.

It’s equipped with object recognition and tracking, so you can use OpenCV with it. (Don’t know what OpenCV is? Other cool features like a real-time video camera, line tracking and motion detection are also included.

So basically, the Adeept Rasptank includes almost everything we have already seen on other robots, and the robotic arm adds new project possibilities.

The price is excellent, under $90, so less than similar products we’ve seen on this list.

Feel free to check all details on Amazon.

Closing Thoughts

That’s it! You now have a complete overview of the 11 best Raspberry Pi robot kits available currently. That’s a big list, so what’s the best robot kit for Raspberry Pi?

Here are my two winners:

Robot kit	Main strength	Price
Freenove 4WD	Best overall, most features, best price point	$69
Freenove Robot Dog	Fun, original features	$129

The best robot kits for Raspberry Pi in 2021

I’m a bit disappointed to see that only the first one on this list is compatible with Scratch, so it’s maybe a bit more difficult than I thought for beginners (you have to use Python or something similar).

But in general, I find that all models in this list are good, so it’s really possible to work a bit more on this topic and see how it goes.

FAQ

What is the best robotics kit for a beginner?

For a beginner in robotics, I would recommend starting with a car, featuring a simple programming language (or even an app) to get started quickly. The FreeNove 4WD Smart Car is a good example, as it’s easy to assemble and can be used with the smartphone app, without any line of code.

What is the best robot kit for an adult?

Some robot kits are not really suited for kids, and adults can become bored quickly with some other ones. In my opinion, a good robot kit for adults is the mBot Ultimate. You can put your creativity to work to build anything you want.

What is the best advanced robot kit?

If you already have some experience with robotics on Raspberry Pi, I would recommend a more technical build with more sensors and servos. The SunFounder Robot Dog and the Adeept RaspTank are two good choices for advanced users.