What Is the Difference Between NE555P and NE555N?

Short answer: almost none.
Long answer: the difference lives in history, labeling, and supply chains, not in how your circuit works.

Engineers still ask this question because the 555 timer is everywhere. Old schematics. New hobby boards. Industrial control panels. The suffix letters P and N look important—and sometimes they are—but not in the way many people assume.

This article clears the confusion. Plain language. Real engineering context. No myths.

Understanding the NE555 Timer IC Family

The 555 timer is one of the most successful integrated circuits ever made.

Invented in 1971 by Hans Camenzind, it solved a simple problem extremely well: reliable timing. Decades later, it still does.

Why it refuses to die:

Works from 4.5 V to 15 V
Can source or sink high current
Survives noisy environments
Costs very little
Easy to understand

You’ll find it in:

Industrial delay relays
Consumer products
Toys
Alarm circuits
DIY and educational kits

Why suffix letters exist

As the 555 spread across manufacturers, suffixes emerged to describe:

Package type
Temperature grade
Lead finish
Internal qualification

That’s where P and N entered the story.

What Do the Part Numbers NE555P and NE555N Mean?

Let’s break the name apart.

What “NE555” really defines

NE: Original Signetics bipolar design family
555: The timer core (comparators, flip-flop, discharge transistor)

This defines function and electrical behavior.

What the suffix does not define

It does not define a new circuit
It does not change timing equations
It does not affect pinout

What P and N usually mean

Historically:

N = PDIP (Plastic Dual In-Line Package)
P = Also PDIP, but used by some vendors as an internal code

Over time, these suffixes became legacy labels, not strict standards.

That’s why distributors and datasheets often mix them.

Manufacturer Differences and Branding

Texas Instruments, STMicroelectronics, ON Semiconductor, and NXP Semiconductors have all produced NE555 variants.

Important point:

NE555P and NE555N are not locked to specific manufacturers.

One vendor may use NE555P.
Another uses NE555N.
Same silicon behavior.

Minor differences can exist:

Output saturation voltage (typical, not guaranteed)
ESD robustness
Internal trimming methods

But these differences stay within datasheet limits.

Functionally? Identical.

Electrical Specifications: Are They Electrically Different?

No—not in any meaningful way.

Here’s what matters electrically:

Same pinout
Same operating voltage range
Same output drive capability
Same timing equations

Guaranteed vs typical specs

Datasheets list:

Guaranteed limits (what you can rely on)
Typical values (what usually happens)

Different vendors may publish slightly different typical numbers.
The guaranteed limits overlap completely.

Absolute maximum ratings

When you compare:

Supply voltage
Output current
Power dissipation

You’ll find no functional difference between NE555P and NE555N.

Package, Materials, and Physical Characteristics

Both parts are almost always:

DIP-8
0.3-inch body width
Standard through-hole footprint

Subtle physical differences

Depending on vendor and production year:

Lead finish: SnPb or matte tin
Molding compound color
Marking font and logo

None of these affect circuit behavior.

PCB compatibility

Drop-in compatible. No layout change required.

RoHS, Lead-Free, and Environmental Compliance

This is where suffix confusion increases.

Old assumption

“N = leaded”
“P = something else”

Modern reality

Compliance is vendor-specific, not suffix-specific.

One NE555P may be:

RoHS compliant
Lead-free
REACH compliant

Another NE555N may be:

Leaded
Non-RoHS
Intended for legacy markets

Always check:

Distributor compliance notes
Manufacturer ordering code

Never assume compliance from P or N alone.

Temperature Grade and Qualification

Most NE555P and NE555N parts are:

Commercial grade
0°C to 70°C (sometimes 85°C)

Industrial or automotive-grade 555s:

Use different part numbers
Often prefixed with SE or vendor-specific codes
Sometimes come in ceramic packages

Common myth

“NE555N is industrial, NE555P is commercial.”

This is false.

Temperature rating is defined by the full ordering code, not the last letter.

Pin Compatibility and Drop-In Replacement

Yes. 100% pin-to-pin compatible.

Pin functions:

GND
TRIG
OUT
RESET
CTRL
THRESH
DISCH
VCC

No exceptions.

Edge cases to watch

Very old designs with minimal decoupling
Circuits operating near absolute limits
High-temperature environments

Even then, differences are due to vendor process, not P vs N.

Performance in Real Applications

In real circuits:

Astable oscillators behave the same
Monostable pulse width is unchanged
Bistable latch action is identical

When one might be preferred

Procurement consistency
Long-term supply agreements
Environmental compliance needs

Not electrical performance.

Quick Comparison Table: NE555P vs NE555N

Feature	NE555P	NE555N
Core circuit	Same	Same
Package	DIP-8	DIP-8
Pinout	Identical	Identical
Voltage range	4.5–15 V	4.5–15 V
Timing behavior	Same	Same
RoHS status	Vendor-specific	Vendor-specific
Drop-in replacement	Yes	Yes

Comparison With Other 555 Variants

Variant	Type	Power Use	Notes
NE555	Bipolar	High	Classic, robust
LM555	Bipolar	High	Vendor-branded equivalent
SE555	Bipolar	High	Extended temperature
TLC555	CMOS	Low	Better for battery designs
LMC555	CMOS	Very low	High precision

If power matters, CMOS wins.
If noise immunity matters, bipolar still shines.

Which One Should You Choose?

Here’s the truth engineers live by:

If the circuit calls for NE555, either NE555P or NE555N will work.

Choose based on:

Availability
Compliance requirements
Trusted distributor
Long-term sourcing

Ignore the suffix myth.
Trust the datasheet.
Design with margins.

The 555 timer has survived for over 50 years because it is forgiving, stable, and interchangeable.

NE555P vs NE555N?
Different labels. Same legend.

What Is the Difference Between NE555P and NE555N?

What Is the Difference Between NE555P and NE555N?