Best Raspberry Pi Alternatives for Projects and Servers (2026)

The best Raspberry Pi alternative for most people is the Hardkernel ODROID-C4. It is the same size as a Pi 4, has a 40-pin GPIO header for electronics projects, and has better mainstream software support than most Arm boards: Armbian builds images for it on a current Linux kernel. If you need more speed, the eight-core ODROID-M2 is the step up. If you want ordinary PC software, the x86 ODROID-H5 runs it. For Pi-hole and backups, the ODROID-HC4 is plenty.

If your goal is a home server more than a project board, start with our complete guide to mini PCs for a home server instead. And if you just want a newer Pi, our Raspberry Pi 4 vs Pi 5 comparison covers that choice.

The short version

• Best direct Pi replacement with GPIO: ODROID-C4 (4GB). Pi 4 size, 40-pin header, four USB 3.0 ports, mainline kernel through Armbian.
• Best for more power: ODROID-M2 (8GB). Eight-core RK3588S2, 64GB eMMC, an NVMe slot, and a case and fan in the box.
• Best x86 board: ODROID-H5. Intel Core i3-N300, standard Linux and Windows 11, about 3.3W at idle.
• Best for Pi-hole and light servers: ODROID-HC4. Gigabit Ethernet and two SATA drive bays, so it can hold backups too.

How they compare

None of the four has Wi-Fi or Bluetooth on the board, and none ships with a power adapter, so add both to your list if you need them. A Raspberry Pi 4 or Pi 5 has dual-band Wi-Fi built in.

Software support: the weak point of every Pi alternative

Most Pi alternatives match or beat the Pi on hardware. Where they fall short is software, and it decides how much time you spend on setup.

Raspberry Pi sets the bar. Raspberry Pi makes its own operating system for its own boards, and most HAT makers, tutorials and project guides are written for it. On any other board, expect to translate some instructions yourself.

What to look for instead:

• Armbian support. Armbian is a community project that builds Debian and Ubuntu images for Arm boards. It lists the ODROID-C4, M2 and HC4 at its Standard support level, with images on its current kernel branch (6.18 when we checked). Pi-hole lists Armbian among its officially supported systems.
• The maker's own images. These can lag well behind. Hardkernel's Ubuntu image for the M2 is Ubuntu 20.04 on kernel 5.10, and its HC4 image is based on kernel 4.9. Both work, but you get older software and fewer security updates than on Armbian.
• A mainline kernel. A board whose drivers are in the main Linux kernel keeps getting updates after its maker moves on. The Amlogic S905X3 in the C4 and HC4 is an older, well-supported chip. The RK3588S2 in the M2 is newer, and its support depends more on community work.
• Community size. Hardkernel runs its own forum and wiki, but every board here has a far smaller community than the Pi. When something breaks, there are fewer people who have hit the same problem.

The x86 exception. The ODROID-H5 sidesteps most of this. It is a standard Intel PC, so it runs normal Ubuntu, Debian or Windows 11, and any software built for a PC installs without an Arm version. That is the main reason to pick x86 over Arm.

Will my Raspberry Pi HATs work?

The C4 and M2 both have a 40-pin header in the familiar 2.54mm format, but a HAT is only as compatible as its software. Many HATs ship with Python libraries or drivers written for the Raspberry Pi only, so check the HAT maker's notes for other boards before you buy. Also check the voltages: the C4's GPIO uses 3.3V logic like a Pi, but its two analog inputs take 1.8V at most. Simple parts such as buttons, LEDs and I2C sensors are the safest bet.

Which one for which job?

Electronics and hobby projects

Buy the ODROID-C4. It has the Pi's size and header, four USB 3.0 ports, and the best software story of the Arm boards here. Hardkernel lists idle power at under 2W and about 3.64W under CPU stress, so it can run off a small adapter all day. If your project needs Wi-Fi, add a USB adapter or stay with a Raspberry Pi.

A faster desktop, media or AI board

Buy the ODROID-M2. Its eight cores, Mali-G610 graphics and 6 TOPS NPU make it the only board here meant for a light Linux desktop or running small AI models on the board itself. Hardkernel measures about 1.3W at headless idle and says it doesn't throttle in its case with the stock fan. Install Armbian rather than Hardkernel's older Ubuntu image.

Software that only comes for PCs

Buy the ODROID-H5. Anything with an x86 installer or Docker image runs on it, including Windows 11. It is bigger than the others and needs memory, storage and a case, so it is the most work to put together. If you would rather have a finished box, the mini PCs in our home-server guide do the same jobs, and our mini PCs for Plex guide covers media servers.

Pi-hole, a VPN server or a small DNS server

Pi-hole needs almost nothing: any board or mini PC that stays on and is wired to your router will do. Don't pay for 10GbE for it. The ODROID-HC4 is our pick because its two drive bays let the same box run backups as well, but the C4 runs Pi-hole just as happily. Plug it in with a cable rather than relying on Wi-Fi; our Ethernet vs powerline vs mesh guide explains the options if your router is in another room. For more than two drives, see our NAS guide.

Boards we left out

Radxa and Orange Pi make popular RK3588 boards, including the Radxa ROCK 5C, which is the same size as a Pi and has Wi-Fi 6 and a 40-pin header. We left them out because the US stores outside Amazon that we checked didn't have them in stock: ameriDroid listed the ROCK 5C 8GB as out of stock when we checked. The LattePanda IOTA, an x86 board with an RP2040 chip for GPIO, was also out of stock at its maker's store. We will look at all three again at the next update.

How we chose

This guide is research-based. We have not tested these boards. The hardware figures come from Hardkernel’s own spec pages, and the software notes from Armbian’s board pages and Pi-hole’s documentation, all linked under Sources. We grouped the picks by job, since a board for blinking LEDs and a board for a home server need different things. For each job we looked at:

• Software support first. Armbian support, the maker's own images, and how current the kernel is.
• The header. A 40-pin GPIO header for project boards; for server boards, wired networking and proper storage instead.
• Published power figures. Hardkernel measures and publishes idle and load power for each board, which helps for anything left on all day.
• Where you can buy it. Boards we could confirm in stock at the maker's store or a US retailer other than Amazon. We don't compare prices.