# item.guide
Side-by-Side Comparison Plug Types

Type B vs. Type D

Comparing 2 standards across 5 specifications. 4 key differences identified.

Comparing:
Type B
Type D
Type B →

Type B adds a round grounding pin to Type A's two flat blades -- NEMA 5-15, the most common outlet in North America. The ground pin is deliberately longer than the power blades, so it connects before and disconnects after them, a safety-sequencing feature shared with several other grounded plug types worldwide.

View full Type B spec sheet →
Type D →

Type D is the old British 5A standard (BS 546, 1934) -- three large round pins in a triangle. It predates and is completely incompatible with the UK's later Type G, and remains the primary domestic standard in India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka today.

View full Type D spec sheet →

Specification Comparison Table

5 Parameters
Parameter / Spec
Type B
Type D
Pin Count
2 flat blades + 1 round ground pin (longer than the blades) 3 round pins in a triangle (large, non-coplanar sizing)
Rated Current
15 A 5 A
Rated Voltage
125 V 250 V
Grounded
Yes Yes
Common Regions
USA, Canada, Mexico, Central America, Japan (grounded appliances) India, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Namibia, and roughly 40 countries with British-influenced history

Other Alternatives to Compare

Compare Type B vs. Type A → Compare Type B vs. Type C → Compare Type B vs. Type E → Compare Type B vs. Type F (Schuko) → Compare Type B vs. Type G → Compare Type B vs. Type H → Compare Type B vs. Type I → Compare Type B vs. Type J → Compare Type B vs. Type K → Compare Type B vs. Type L → Compare Type B vs. Type M → Compare Type B vs. Type N → Compare Type B vs. Type O →