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

Type E vs. Type F (Schuko)

Comparing 2 standards across 5 specifications. 3 key differences identified.

Comparing:
Type E
Type F (Schuko)
Type E →

Type E is the French/Belgian standard -- unusually, its round grounding pin is fixed in the socket, not the plug. It's used across France, Belgium, Poland, Slovakia, and Czechia, and a hybrid CEE 7/7 plug design bridges it with the incompatible German Type F.

View full Type E spec sheet →
Type F (Schuko) →

Type F, universally called "Schuko" (German for "protective contact"), is the dominant grounded plug across continental Europe. Unlike most grounded plugs, its earth connection is made via two flat spring clips on the plug's sides rather than a third pin.

View full Type F (Schuko) spec sheet →

Specification Comparison Table

5 Parameters
Parameter / Spec
Type E
Type F (Schuko)
Pin Count
2 round power pins; earth pin projects from the socket, not the plug 2 round pins + 2 side grounding clips (not a third pin)
Rated Current
16 A 16 A
Rated Voltage
250 V 250 V
Grounded
Yes (mandatory) Yes
Common Regions
France, Belgium, Poland, Slovakia, Czechia Germany, Austria, Spain, Netherlands, Scandinavia, much of Eastern Europe and Russia -- notably absent from Belgium, Czechia, Ireland, Switzerland, and the UK

Other Alternatives to Compare

Compare Type E vs. Type A → Compare Type E vs. Type B → Compare Type E vs. Type C → Compare Type E vs. Type D → Compare Type E vs. Type G → Compare Type E vs. Type H → Compare Type E vs. Type I → Compare Type E vs. Type J → Compare Type E vs. Type K → Compare Type E vs. Type L → Compare Type E vs. Type M → Compare Type E vs. Type N → Compare Type E vs. Type O →