Best Raspberry Pi HATs in 2026: Expand Your Pi’s Capabilities

The raspberry pi hat ecosystem has exploded since the HAT specification launched in 2014. What started as a handful of add-on boards has grown into hundreds of options covering everything from audio processing to industrial automation. After designing custom HATs professionally and testing countless commercial options, I’ve compiled this guide to the best pi hats available in 2026.

A well-chosen raspberry hat transforms your Pi from a general-purpose computer into a specialized tool. Need audiophile-quality sound? There’s a HAT for that. Industrial motor control? Covered. PoE power delivery, cellular connectivity, AI acceleration—the HAT ecosystem has matured to address virtually every expansion need.

What Exactly is a Raspberry Pi HAT?

HAT stands for “Hardware Attached on Top,” and it’s more than just a naming convention. The Raspberry Pi Foundation established a formal HAT specification that defines mechanical dimensions, electrical requirements, and most importantly, automatic configuration through an onboard EEPROM.

The HAT Specification Explained

A true raspberry pi hat must conform to specific requirements:

Specification	Requirement	Purpose
Board Dimensions	65mm x 56mm	Matches Pi board outline
Mounting Holes	4 holes, 2.75mm diameter	Aligns with Pi mounting
GPIO Connector	40-pin extended female header	Electrical connection
EEPROM	24C32 or equivalent	Auto-configuration
Identification	Vendor/Product ID in EEPROM	Device detection

The EEPROM is what distinguishes a proper HAT from generic add-on boards. When your Pi boots, it reads the EEPROM data to automatically load appropriate device tree overlays and configure GPIO pins. This “plug and play” functionality eliminates manual configuration for properly designed HATs.

HAT vs pHAT vs Bonnet

You’ll encounter these terms when shopping for raspberry hat accessories:

HAT: Full-size boards matching the Pi’s 65x56mm footprint with all required features including EEPROM.

pHAT: Smaller boards designed for the Pi Zero’s compact dimensions (65x30mm). Most pHATs lack the EEPROM but use the same GPIO pinout.

Bonnet: Adafruit’s term for their smaller add-on boards, typically pHAT-sized without EEPROM requirement.

For this guide, I’ll focus primarily on full-size HATs compatible with Pi 3, Pi 4, and Pi 5 boards, though many recommendations also have pHAT variants for Zero projects.

Categories of Raspberry Pi HATs

Power and PoE HATs

Power over Ethernet (PoE) HATs eliminate separate power supplies by drawing power through your Ethernet cable. For rack deployments and professional installations, PoE dramatically simplifies cabling.

PoE HAT Model	PoE Standard	Max Output	Pi Compatibility	Price Range
Official PoE+ HAT	802.3at (PoE+)	5V/4A (20W)	Pi 3B+, Pi 4, Pi 5	$20-25
Waveshare PoE HAT (C)	802.3af/at	5V/3A (15W)	Pi 3B+, Pi 4	$15-20
UCTRONICS PoE HAT	802.3af	5V/2.5A (12.5W)	Pi 3B+, Pi 4	$18-22
PiJuice HAT	N/A (Battery)	5V/2.5A + UPS	Pi 3, Pi 4	$50-70

My Recommendation: The official PoE+ HAT delivers the cleanest power with lowest ripple, which matters for audio applications and sensitive analog circuits. The integrated fan can be noisy, but PWM control through software helps.

Audio DAC and Sound HATs

The Pi’s built-in audio is mediocre at best—a PWM-generated signal that serious audio applications can’t tolerate. Audio raspberry pi hat options range from basic improvement to true audiophile quality.

Audio HAT	DAC Chip	Resolution	Output Type	Price Range	Best For
HiFiBerry DAC2 HD	PCM1796	24-bit/192kHz	RCA line out	$60-70	High-fidelity playback
IQaudio DAC Pro	PCM5242	24-bit/192kHz	RCA + 3.5mm	$35-45	Balanced quality/price
JustBoom DAC HAT	PCM5122	24-bit/384kHz	RCA line out	$35-40	Streaming audio
HiFiBerry Digi2 Pro	WM8804	S/PDIF output	Optical/Coax	$40-50	External DAC connection
Pimoroni Audio Amp SHIM	MAX98357A	Class D amp	Speaker out	$15-18	Compact speaker projects

My Recommendation: For most users building media centers or streaming systems, the IQaudio DAC Pro offers the best value. The HiFiBerry DAC2 HD justifies its premium only for critical listening environments where you’d notice the difference.

Motor Control and Robotics HATs

Robotics projects need proper motor drivers—attempting to drive motors directly from GPIO pins is a fast path to a fried Pi. Motor raspberry hat options provide the current handling, protection, and interface circuitry your projects need.

Motor HAT	Motor Channels	Motor Types	Max Current	Features	Price Range
Adafruit Motor HAT	4 DC or 2 Stepper	DC, Stepper	1.2A/channel	I²C stacking	$20-25
Waveshare Motor Driver	2 DC	DC motors	3A/channel	PWM control	$15-18
Pololu Dual MC33926	2 DC	DC motors	3A/channel	Current sensing	$35-40
PiMotor v2	4 DC or 2 Stepper	DC, Stepper	600mA/channel	Simple interface	$15-20
Servo HAT (Adafruit)	16 Servo	Servos	Per-channel	PWM driver	$18-22

My Recommendation: The Adafruit Motor HAT’s I²C stacking capability lets you control up to 64 motors from a single Pi by daisy-chaining boards. For high-current applications, the Pololu board’s current sensing prevents motor stalls from damaging your system.

Display and Touch Screen HATs

While HDMI displays are common, raspberry pi hat displays enable compact all-in-one builds. These range from small status screens to full touch interfaces.

Display HAT	Resolution	Size	Interface	Touch	Price Range
Official Pi Display	800×480	7 inch	DSI	Capacitive	$70-80
Pimoroni HyperPixel 4.0	800×480	4 inch	DPI	Capacitive	$55-60
Waveshare 3.5″ LCD	480×320	3.5 inch	SPI	Resistive	$20-25
Pimoroni Display HAT Mini	320×240	2.0 inch	SPI	No	$25-30
Inky Impression	600×448	5.7 inch	SPI	No (e-ink)	$65-75

My Recommendation: The HyperPixel 4.0 is my go-to for embedded interfaces—it uses the DPI interface for smooth 60fps display without consuming SPI or blocking other HATs. For always-on information displays, the Inky Impression e-ink HAT draws zero power maintaining its image.

Storage Expansion HATs

The Pi 4 and Pi 5’s improved I/O makes NVMe storage practical through PCIe HATs. These best pi hats for storage transform your Pi into a capable NAS or fast boot device.

Storage HAT	Interface	Speed	Form Factor	Power	Price Range
Pimoroni NVMe Base	PCIe 2.0 x1	~400MB/s	M.2 2230/2242	From Pi	$15-20
Geekworm X1001	PCIe 2.0 x1	~400MB/s	M.2 2280	From Pi	$20-25
Argon ONE M.2 Case	USB 3.0/SATA	~400MB/s	M.2 SATA	From Pi	$45-55
SATA HAT (Radxa)	USB 3.0 to SATA	~350MB/s	2.5″ SATA	External	$25-30
Wiretrustee Cluster Board	Multiple	Varies	Multi-drive	External	$50-70

My Recommendation: For Pi 5, the Pimoroni NVMe Base offers the cleanest PCIe implementation. Pi 4 users should consider the Argon ONE M.2 case which integrates storage into the enclosure rather than stacking HATs.

Sensors and Environmental Monitoring HATs

Environmental monitoring is a core Pi use case, and dedicated sensor raspberry hat boards simplify deployment.

Sensor HAT	Sensors Included	Interface	Accuracy	Price Range
Official Sense HAT	Gyro, Accel, Mag, Temp, Humidity, Pressure, 8×8 LED	I²C	Moderate	$35-40
Enviro+	PM2.5, Temp, Humidity, Pressure, Light, Gas	I²C/SPI	High	$50-60
BME688 Breakout	Temp, Humidity, Pressure, Gas (AI)	I²C	High	$20-25
Automation HAT	ADC, Relay, Inputs, Outputs	I²C/GPIO	Industrial	$30-35

My Recommendation: For air quality monitoring, the Enviro+ with its particulate sensor is unmatched. For general-purpose sensing and education, the official Sense HAT’s combination of sensors plus LED matrix makes it versatile despite somewhat limited accuracy.

Communication and Networking HATs

Expand your Pi’s connectivity with cellular, LoRa, CAN bus, and other communication raspberry pi hat options.

Communication HAT	Technology	Range/Speed	Use Case	Price Range
Sixfab 4G/LTE HAT	LTE Cat 4	150Mbps down	Remote connectivity	$80-120
RAK2245	LoRaWAN Gateway	15km+	IoT networks	$100-150
Waveshare SIM7600	4G LTE	150Mbps	Cellular IoT	$60-80
PiCAN 2	CAN bus	1Mbps	Automotive	$45-55
RS485 CAN HAT	RS485 + CAN	Industrial	Industrial comm	$20-25

My Recommendation: For reliable cellular connectivity, the Sixfab HAT’s carrier aggregation support and proper antenna design outperform cheaper alternatives. The PiCAN 2 is the standard for automotive projects—its isolation prevents ground loops from damaging your Pi.

AI and Machine Learning HATs

Edge AI acceleration through dedicated best pi hats transforms the Pi into a capable inference machine.

AI HAT	Accelerator	Performance	Frameworks	Price Range
Google Coral TPU	Edge TPU	4 TOPS	TensorFlow Lite	$60-75
Intel NCS2	Movidius VPU	1+ TOPS	OpenVINO	$70-90
Hailo-8L M.2	Hailo-8L	13 TOPS	Multiple	$70-100
Pi AI Kit (Official)	Hailo-8L	13 TOPS	Multiple	$70-80

My Recommendation: The official Pi AI Kit with Hailo-8L acceleration is now my default for vision AI projects. At 13 TOPS, it handily outperforms the Coral TPU while maintaining reasonable power consumption. For TensorFlow Lite workflows, the Coral remains a solid choice with excellent community support.

Best Raspberry Pi HATs for Common Projects

Media Center Build

For a complete media center, combine these HATs:

Component	Recommended HAT	Why
Audio	HiFiBerry DAC2 HD or IQaudio DAC Pro	Audiophile-quality output
Power	Official PoE+ HAT	Clean single-cable installation
IR Control	FLIRC USB (alternative)	Remote control support
Storage	NVMe Base (Pi 5)	Fast local media storage

Home Automation Hub

Build a comprehensive smart home controller:

Component	Recommended HAT	Why
Zigbee/Z-Wave	ConBee II or RaspBee II	Direct protocol support
Display	Pimoroni HyperPixel 4.0	Touch interface for control
Power	PiJuice HAT	UPS backup during outages
Sensors	Automation HAT	Relay control for legacy devices

Weather Station

Professional-grade environmental monitoring:

Component	Recommended HAT	Why
Sensors	Enviro+	Comprehensive air quality
Display	Inky Impression	Always-on e-ink display
Power	Solar + PiJuice	Off-grid operation
Communication	RAK LoRaWAN	Long-range data transmission

Robotics Platform

Complete mobile robotics foundation:

Component	Recommended HAT	Why
Motors	Adafruit Motor HAT (stacked)	Multiple motor control
Sensors	Sense HAT	IMU for orientation
AI Vision	Pi AI Kit	Object detection
Power	LiPo SHIM	Battery operation

HAT Compatibility and Stacking Considerations

GPIO Pin Conflicts

The biggest challenge when combining multiple raspberry pi hat boards is GPIO pin conflicts. Each HAT claims specific pins, and overlap prevents stacking.

Interface	GPIO Pins Used	HATs Using
I²C	GPIO 2, 3	Most sensor HATs
SPI0	GPIO 7-11	Display HATs, ADCs
SPI1	GPIO 16-21	Secondary SPI devices
UART	GPIO 14, 15	GPS, cellular HATs
PWM	GPIO 12, 13, 18, 19	Audio, motor HATs
PCIe	Dedicated	NVMe HATs (Pi 5)

Before purchasing multiple HATs, map out GPIO requirements. Resources like pinout.xyz help visualize conflicts.

Stacking Headers and Extenders

Physical stacking requires planning:

Standard Stacking: Use stacking headers (female-to-female with extended pins) to create space between HATs. This works for 2-3 HATs maximum before mechanical stability suffers.

I²C Multiplexing: For multiple I²C HATs with address conflicts, an I²C multiplexer (like TCA9548A) allows connecting devices with identical addresses.

Ribbon Cable Extension: Some HATs support ribbon cable connection, placing the HAT beside rather than above the Pi. This solves clearance issues in tight enclosures.

Power Budget Calculations

Every raspberry hat draws power through the GPIO 5V pins or its own supply. Calculate your total power budget:

HAT Type	Typical Draw	Peak Draw
Sensor HATs	10-50mA	100mA
Display HATs	100-300mA	500mA
Motor HATs	500mA-2A	3A+ (motor dependent)
Audio HATs	50-200mA	300mA
Communication HATs	200-500mA	1A (transmitting)

The Pi’s GPIO header can supply approximately 500mA total across all attached HATs. Beyond this, HATs need independent power sources or the main Pi supply needs upgrading.

Installing and Configuring Raspberry Pi HATs

Physical Installation Best Practices

Proper raspberry hat installation prevents damage and ensures reliable operation:

Power off completely: Unplug power before attaching or removing HATs. Hot-plugging GPIO can destroy both the HAT and Pi.

Align carefully: The 40-pin connector must seat fully and evenly. Misaligned pins cause shorts.

Use standoffs: Always install the mounting standoffs. They prevent PCB flex that stresses solder joints.

Check clearances: Some HATs have components on the bottom that can contact Pi components. Verify adequate spacing.

Manage cables: Route ribbon cables and wires away from heat sources and moving parts.

Software Configuration

Well-designed HATs with EEPROM auto-configure, but many require manual setup:

Device Tree Overlays: Add appropriate overlays to /boot/config.txt. For example:

• Audio HATs: dtoverlay=hifiberry-dacplus
• PoE HAT fan: dtoverlay=rpi-poe
• SPI devices: dtparam=spi=on

I²C Enabling: Most sensor HATs need I²C enabled:

• dtparam=i2c_arm=on in config.txt
• sudo raspi-config → Interface Options → I²C

Python Libraries: Install manufacturer-provided libraries for HAT-specific functionality. Most are available through pip or apt.

Useful Resources for Raspberry Pi HAT Projects

Official Documentation

Resource	Description	Access
HAT Design Guide	Official HAT specification	raspberrypi.com/documentation
GPIO Pinout	Complete pin reference	pinout.xyz
Device Tree Overlays	Configuration reference	/boot/overlays/README
EEPROM Programming	HAT identification setup	GitHub raspberrypi/hats

Manufacturer Resources

Manufacturer	Product Range	Support Quality	Documentation
Pimoroni	Broad selection	Excellent	pimoroni.com/learn
Adafruit	Robotics, displays	Excellent	learn.adafruit.com
Waveshare	Budget options	Good	waveshare.com/wiki
HiFiBerry	Audio focused	Excellent	hifiberry.com/docs
SparkFun	Sensors, education	Excellent	learn.sparkfun.com

Community Resources

Resource	Type	Best For
r/raspberry_pi	Reddit community	General advice, project ideas
Pi Forums	Official forum	Technical support
Hackaday.io	Project sharing	Inspiration, tutorials
Instructables	Step-by-step guides	Beginner projects

Frequently Asked Questions About Raspberry Pi HATs

Can I stack multiple HATs on one Raspberry Pi?

Yes, you can stack multiple raspberry pi hat boards if they don’t have GPIO pin conflicts and total power draw stays within limits. Use stacking headers to create physical space between boards. Practically, 2-3 HATs stack reliably—beyond that, mechanical stability and power delivery become challenging. Always check GPIO pin usage before purchasing multiple HATs to ensure compatibility.

Do all Raspberry Pi HATs work with all Pi models?

Not all raspberry hat boards work with every Pi model. HATs designed for the 40-pin GPIO header (Pi 2, 3, 4, 5, and corresponding Zeros) are generally cross-compatible, but some exceptions exist. Pi 5 changed some GPIO behaviors, and certain HATs need updated software. PoE HATs specifically require Pi 3B+, Pi 4, or Pi 5 which have the PoE header pins. Always verify compatibility with your specific Pi model before purchasing.

What’s the difference between a HAT and a pHAT?

A full raspberry pi hat measures 65x56mm to match the Pi’s footprint and includes an EEPROM for automatic configuration. A pHAT (petit HAT) measures 65x30mm for Pi Zero compatibility and typically lacks the EEPROM. Functionally, both work similarly—the main differences are size and auto-configuration capability. pHATs require manual device tree overlay configuration while proper HATs configure automatically.

How do I know if a HAT will conflict with another HAT?

Check the GPIO pin usage of each best pi hats you plan to combine. Most manufacturers document which pins their HAT uses. Resources like pinout.xyz show pin assignments visually. Common conflicts include: SPI displays conflicting with SPI sensors, multiple I²C devices sharing addresses (solvable with multiplexers), and audio HATs claiming PWM pins needed by motor drivers. When in doubt, contact the manufacturer before purchasing.

Are Raspberry Pi HATs worth the cost versus DIY alternatives?

Commercial raspberry hat boards cost more than building equivalent circuits yourself, but offer significant advantages: tested designs, proper PCB layout, EEPROM configuration, manufacturer support, and time savings. For one-off projects or learning electronics, DIY makes sense. For deployments where reliability matters or your time has value, commercial HATs are almost always worth the premium. A $40 audio HAT costs less than the components alone would at retail, plus hours of design and debugging time.

Choosing the Right HAT for Your Project

The raspberry pi hat ecosystem offers solutions for virtually every expansion need. The key to successful HAT selection is matching capabilities to requirements rather than buying the most feature-packed option.

For audio projects, don’t overspend on a DAC2 HD if your speakers can’t reveal the difference—the IQaudio DAC Pro serves most users perfectly. For motor control, size your driver to your actual motors rather than buying maximum capacity you’ll never use. For sensors, consider whether integrated multi-sensor HATs serve you better than specialized breakout boards.

The best pi hats are the ones that solve your specific problem reliably and affordably. Start with clear requirements, verify GPIO compatibility if stacking, calculate your power budget, and choose from established manufacturers with good documentation. Your Pi’s expansion capabilities are limited only by the 40 GPIO pins—and creative engineers find ways around even that constraint.

Whether you’re building a media center, robot, weather station, or industrial controller, there’s a raspberry hat designed for your application. The ecosystem continues growing, with new HATs appearing regularly to address emerging use cases like AI inference and high-speed storage. Keep exploring, keep building, and keep pushing what’s possible with these remarkably capable little boards.