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

Type A vs. Type D

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

Comparing:
Type A
Type D
Type A →

Type A is the ungrounded 2-flat-pin plug standard in North America, Central America, and Japan -- NEMA 1-15, rated 15A/125V. It's a physical subset of Type B: any Type A plug fits directly into a Type B socket, the ground pin recess simply unused.

View full Type A 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 A
Type D
Pin Count
2 flat parallel blades, non-coplanar, 12.7mm apart 3 round pins in a triangle (large, non-coplanar sizing)
Rated Current
15 A 5 A
Rated Voltage
125 V 250 V
Grounded
No Yes
Common Regions
USA, Canada, Mexico, Central America, Japan India, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Namibia, and roughly 40 countries with British-influenced history

Other Alternatives to Compare

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