Name: mBot
Brand: Makeblock
Availability: InStock

$69.99 – $149.99$69.99 for the kit in blue or pink, $79.99 with a Coding Box or with a Bluetooth dongle for a PC, $149.99 with three add-on packs; the mBot-S classroom kit is $79.99 per pack (Makeblock US store, September 2026). Batteries are not included (4×AA or an optional $17.99 LiPo pack). Year 2015 (unconfirmed) is taken from the creation date of Makeblock's official mBot GitHub repository.

AvailablePython from a laptopArduinoScratchBudgetClassroomMetal chassis

≤ 1 weekShipping: 8–13 business days (Makeblock US store). The Makeblock US store ships from local US warehouses (1–3 day handling, 7–10 business day delivery) to the contiguous US only; product pages also link to Amazon. Makeblock store ↗

Remote control: mBlock 5 runs on Mac and PC and drives the robot live over USB serial or 2.4G/Bluetooth (a dongle is needed for Bluetooth to a computer). Makeblock also published a `makeblock` Python package on PyPI that controls mCore boards over a serial port, though it has not been updated since 2022.

Official store ↗Arduino libraries (GitHub) ↗Classroom kit (mBot-S) ↗

Overview

The mBot is Makeblock's long-running Arduino-based starter car, built in about 15 minutes from an aluminum chassis, two TT motors and plug-in RJ25 sensors. It suits classrooms and first-time builders who want Scratch-style blocks with a path to Arduino C. Its low price, large curriculum library and add-on packs set it apart. The 8-bit mCore board has little memory and no Wi-Fi, and batteries are extra.

Specifications

Category	Wheeled rovers · Classroom coding cars
Released	2015
Country	China
Availability	Available
Programmability	Full SDK
Built-in autonomy	Reactive · Responds to its surroundings without a map, such as avoiding obstacles or following a person
LLM support	Possible via SDK · There are no LLM features, but Arduino C access and a Python serial library let an LLM write or drive its code.
MuJoCo simulation	None found · Nothing found.
NVIDIA Isaac simulation	None found · Nothing found.
Gazebo simulation	None found · Nothing found.
Best for	Ages 6+ (maker rating)
Vision sensors	Sonar / ultrasonic
Actuators	DC / gear motors
Audio	Speaker
Compute type	Arduino / ESP32 / microcontroller
Remote control	Python from a laptop
Size	Not published on the store page
Drive	2-wheel differential with caster, TT gear motors (200 RPM)
Compute	mCore, 16 MHz (ATmega328P (unconfirmed))
Vision	None
Lidar	None
Sensors	Ultrasonic, line follower, onboard light sensor, IR emitter/receiver, buzzer
Runtime	4×AA or 3.7 V 1800 mAh LiPo (not included), about 1 hour playtime (maker)
Speed	Not published (motors rated 200 RPM)
SDK	mBlock 5 (Scratch 3.0 based), Arduino IDE with Makeblock libraries, Makeblock apps; Makeblock's `makeblock` Python package supports mCore over serial