ATtiny85 Microcontroller ICs, Digispark Boards & ISP Tools

ATtiny85 chips, USB development boards and AVR ISP programming accessories

Explore compact AVR controllers and the hardware used to prototype and program them. This collection contains loose ATtiny85-20PU DIP-8 and ATtiny85-20SU SOIC-8 chips, Digispark-style ATtiny85 USB boards, USBtinyISP programmers, a socketed AVR programming-board kit and selected ATtiny88 development boards. A USB programmer, a populated board and an eight-pin bare IC serve different purposes. Read the exact selected variant, package and lot size before ordering; a headline that mentions ATtiny85 does not guarantee every option contains that chip.

Choose the right ATtiny85 form factor

• ATtiny85-20PU DIP-8: an eight-pin through-hole AVR IC suited to a matching socket, breadboard or PCB footprint. Listings offer one, two, three, five, ten and twenty-piece quantities, as well as fixed five- and ten-piece lots. Check the actual selected count; a package marked “20PU” is a part suffix, not an automatic twenty-chip lot.
• ATtiny85-20SU SOIC-8: an eight-pin surface-mount package, not mechanically interchangeable with DIP-8. Some product titles say SOP-8 or SOIC-8 for their selected SMD option. Confirm the complete ordering code, pin-1 marking, pad geometry and assembly process for a repair or production board.
• Digispark-style ATtiny85 boards: product options distinguish edge-plug USB, Micro-USB and USB-C versions, blue versus black PCBs, a “connector” version, and one-, three-, five- or ten-board lots. These are assembled boards with supporting components, not loose ICs. Confirm the exact fitted MCU, bootloader, installed connector and exposed pins for the selected revision. A USB-C socket alone does not guarantee native USB hardware, USB-PD, serial debugging or identical wiring to another board.
• ATtiny88 boards: several listings describe MH-Tiny88/Micro ATtiny88 16 MHz development boards as a Digispark upgrade or Nano-like option. ATtiny88 is a different device with different memory, footprint, pin count and firmware assumptions; it is not an ATtiny85 chip merely because its title mentions ATtiny85.

Watch multi-model listings carefully

Some chip listings have one “Color” choice for the device and another “Model Number” choice for quantity. Their alternate options include ATtiny10, 13A, 24A, 44A, 85, 88, 202, 414 and 1616, as well as CH32V003J4M6 in one listing. The tinyAVR 0/1-series parts do not automatically use the same programmer protocol or development setup as a classic ATtiny85. Another multi-model listing includes PCF8583T, MAX31855KASA and LM2675M-ADJ; those are not ATtiny85 microcontrollers. Selecting an alternate part changes what you receive. Do not treat the model list as one mixed kit or apply ATtiny85 specifications to all variants.

Firmware, I/O and power selection

ATtiny85 listings describe an 8-bit AVR with 8 KB program flash; a bootloader-equipped Digispark board can leave less space for user firmware than a bare chip. Inspect the board's bootloader, supported core and IDE version before compiling. I²C/TWI- and SPI-like functions on ATtiny85 are commonly implemented using its USI peripheral or software rather than assuming dedicated controllers identical to an ATmega328P. GPIO, timer/PWM and ADC capability is pin-multiplexed; some pins used by a USB bootloader or application-level USB signalling may not be freely available at the same time. Check fuse settings, oscillator configuration and reset-pin use before assigning every pin in a design.

Seller descriptions give different regulator current and external input-voltage claims for different Digispark-style boards. These are not universal ratings and do not make MCU I/O pins tolerant of the board's external input voltage. Verify the selected PCB revision, regulator, thermal limits, USB power path and MCU datasheet before powering it. Likewise, claims of built-in “USB serial debugging” should not be assumed for every tiny85 board. Do not infer official Arduino UNO R3 pin or shield compatibility from “for Arduino” marketing language.

Programmers and assembly kits are separate choices

USBTinyISP/USBtinyISP Micro-USB modules in this collection are AVR in-system programmers, sometimes offered as one-, two-, three-, five- or ten-piece lots. A programmer described as supporting ATtiny44/45/85 does not mean those target ICs are supplied. Check host software, target-device support, ISP connector orientation, target voltage and whether the target-power jumper is enabled before use. The socketed AVR programming board is listed as a soldering kit requiring assembly; confirm whether a separate programmer, target MCU and USB cable are included. A Digispark bootloader USB upload route differs from programming a bare chip through ISP, and erasing or changing fuses may alter bootloader behavior.

Frequently asked questions

Should I buy a DIP-8 chip or a Digispark board? Choose the bare DIP chip for a design with its own socket or PCB and ISP programming path; choose an assembled board when you need its USB connector and support circuitry. Verify bootloader and included headers for that board.

Is ATtiny85-20SU the same footprint as ATtiny85-20PU? No. SOIC-8 is surface mount; DIP-8 is through-hole. Select the package matching the PCB, then confirm the datasheet pinout and exact suffix.

Does every ATtiny85-labelled board support USB data? No such blanket guarantee is made. Compare the specific connector and USB implementation; bootloader USB signalling is not the same as a dedicated hardware USB peripheral.

Does a USBtinyISP programmer include an ATtiny85? Not unless its selected listing explicitly includes a target IC. It is a programming tool; confirm the cable, voltage and supported-device configuration.

Can ATtiny88 or tinyAVR 0/1-series parts replace ATtiny85? Do not assume so. Compare footprint, pinout, memory, peripherals, voltage, firmware and programming interface for the exact selected device.

What does a 1/5/10/20PCS title mean? These are alternative quantities on many listings. Where both chip model and lot size are selectable, confirm both selected values; a multi-model headline does not mean an assortment ships.