LM324 and LM358 are two widely used general-purpose operational amplifier families found in embedded electronics, industrial control, sensor interfaces, power supplies, measurement equipment, and consumer electronics.
Although both devices belong to the same general-purpose op-amp family and share many electrical characteristics, the most important difference is the number of amplifier channels. LM358 is a dual operational amplifier with two channels, while LM324 is a quad operational amplifier with four channels.
For engineers searching for LM324 vs LM358, the key considerations include channel count, supply voltage, input common-mode range, output behavior, bandwidth, package, PCB requirements, and whether the application needs two or four independent amplifier channels.
LM324 is a general-purpose quad operational amplifier designed for applications requiring four independent amplifier channels in a single IC.
The device family supports a wide supply range and is designed for single-supply as well as dual-supply operation. TI specifies the LM324 family with supply operation from 3V to 30V for the standard device, with the input common-mode range extending to the negative supply rail.
The four-channel architecture makes LM324 useful when a circuit requires several analog amplifier stages.
Typical applications include:
Sensor signal conditioning
Industrial control
Power supply feedback
Analog measurement
Active filters
Signal amplification
Battery monitoring
Embedded control systems
LM358 is a dual operational amplifier containing two independent amplifier channels in one package.
TI currently lists LM358 as an active dual 30V, 700kHz operational amplifier. The standard LM358 has two channels, a 3V minimum supply, a 30V maximum total supply, and a typical gain-bandwidth product of 0.7MHz.
The two-channel configuration is useful when a design needs one or two analog amplifier stages without requiring four channels.
Common applications include:
Sensor interfaces
Signal conditioning
Voltage monitoring
Audio circuits
Power management
Industrial electronics
Embedded systems
The most obvious difference between LM324 and LM358 is channel count.
LM324 contains four operational amplifier channels.
LM358 contains two operational amplifier channels.
This difference affects PCB design and component selection.
If a circuit requires four independent op amps, one LM324 can provide all four channels in a single IC.
If the circuit requires only one or two op amps, LM358 may provide a simpler solution.
However, channel count alone does not determine whether the devices are interchangeable.
Both families are designed for relatively wide supply-voltage operation.
The standard LM358 is specified for a total supply voltage from 3V to 30V.
TI's LM324 documentation similarly specifies a wide supply range, with the standard family supporting single-supply operation from 3V to 32V in the relevant device variants.
This allows both devices to be used in systems powered by common rails such as 5V, 9V, 12V, 15V and other supported supply configurations.
The exact maximum supply voltage depends on the specific ordering code, so engineers should verify the datasheet for the selected part.
One important characteristic shared by LM324 and LM358 is their ability to sense input signals close to the negative supply rail.
For single-supply circuits, this can be useful because the input signal may need to approach ground.
TI's application guidance for the LM324 and LM358 families specifically discusses their input-stage behavior and common-mode limitations.
However, neither standard device should automatically be considered rail-to-rail.
For example, the standard LM358 has a typical positive-side input common-mode limitation of approximately 1.5V below the positive supply.
Therefore, engineers should check the actual input voltage range rather than assuming that the amplifier can sense the entire supply range.
The output stage is another important consideration when comparing LM324 and LM358.
Both devices can drive their outputs close to the negative supply under suitable load conditions, but the output does not normally reach the positive supply rail.
TI lists the standard LM358 output swing as approximately 5mV above the negative rail under the relevant test condition, while the positive-side output can remain approximately 2V below the positive supply.
This characteristic is important in single-supply circuits.
For a 5V system, for example, an LM358 output should not automatically be expected to produce a clean 5V output under normal operating conditions.
The two families have similar general-purpose operating characteristics, although the exact specifications depend on the selected version.
The standard LM358 has a typical gain-bandwidth product of 0.7MHz.
TI's standard LM324 product information lists a typical gain-bandwidth product of approximately 1.2MHz for the current LM324 device.
Because different variants and generations exist within these product families, engineers should compare the exact ordering codes rather than assuming that every LM324 and LM358 version has identical bandwidth.
For low-frequency signal conditioning, both families can be suitable.
For higher-speed analog designs, a newer or higher-bandwidth op amp may be more appropriate.
Slew rate determines how quickly an op amp output can change in response to a changing input.
The standard LM358 has a typical slew rate of approximately 0.3V/µs.
The current standard LM324 information lists approximately 0.5V/µs typical slew rate.
These values indicate that both devices are primarily intended for general-purpose analog applications rather than high-speed amplification.
When the input signal changes rapidly or when the amplifier is configured for high-frequency operation, slew-rate limitations should be included in the design calculation.
Package selection is important when evaluating these devices for an existing PCB.
The standard LM324 is available in 14-pin packages such as PDIP, SOIC, SOP and TSSOP.
The standard LM358 is available in 8-pin packages including PDIP, SOIC, SOP, TSSOP and VSSOP.
This difference means that LM324 and LM358 are not direct PCB drop-in replacements for each other simply because they belong to the same op-amp family.
The number of pins, package size and internal channel arrangement are different.
Because LM324 contains four amplifier channels, the standard package uses 14 pins.
Each amplifier has its own inverting and non-inverting input and output.
The package also includes the positive and negative supply connections.
When replacing LM324 with another quad op amp, engineers should compare the exact pin assignment and package footprint.
LM358 contains two amplifier channels and is normally packaged in an 8-pin package.
The two channels share the same supply pins while each channel has its own input and output connections.
This compact configuration makes LM358 particularly useful for designs requiring one or two analog amplifier stages.
However, the smaller package does not mean that LM358 can be substituted directly into an LM324 PCB footprint.
In most cases, LM358 cannot directly replace LM324 on the same PCB.
The primary reason is the difference in channel count and package.
LM324 provides four amplifier channels in a 14-pin package, while LM358 provides two channels in an 8-pin package.
If an existing design uses only two of the four LM324 amplifier channels, an engineer may redesign the PCB around LM358.
However, that would be a PCB redesign rather than a simple drop-in replacement.
The power connections and pin assignments must also be redesigned accordingly.
LM324 also cannot normally be considered a direct drop-in replacement for LM358.
An LM358 circuit is usually designed around an 8-pin dual-op-amp footprint, while LM324 uses a 14-pin quad-op-amp package.
Although LM324 provides more amplifier channels, the physical package and pinout are different.
Therefore, an LM324 replacement for an LM358 design would generally require PCB changes.
Both devices can be used for sensor signal conditioning.
A sensor circuit may use an operational amplifier to:
Increase signal amplitude
Buffer a sensor output
Filter noise
Create a threshold
Convert a sensor signal
Condition an analog measurement
If the system requires several independent signal-conditioning stages, LM324 can reduce the number of ICs required because one package provides four amplifier channels.
If only one or two amplifier stages are needed, LM358 can be sufficient.
Both devices are popular in single-supply analog circuits.
For example, a circuit powered from 5V can use the op amp for:
Sensor amplification
Voltage buffering
Low-frequency filtering
Reference monitoring
Battery voltage measurement
Because the input common-mode range extends to the negative supply, both devices can be useful when signals are close to ground.
However, designers must account for the positive-side input and output limitations.
Industrial control systems frequently contain several analog signal-processing stages.
An LM324 can be useful when multiple channels are required for:
Temperature sensors
Current sensing
Feedback loops
Alarm circuits
Analog control signals
Using one quad package can simplify the overall component count.
LM358 can be used when the design requires fewer analog channels or when a smaller 8-pin package is preferred.
For industrial applications, the exact temperature grade should also be checked.
Power consumption is another consideration in multi-channel analog designs.
TI lists a typical supply current of approximately 0.8mA for the LM324 family under the specified conditions.
The standard LM358 product information lists approximately 0.35mA typical quiescent current per channel.
Because the devices contain different numbers of amplifier channels, current comparisons should be made using the actual number of active channels and the exact device specification.
For battery-powered designs, newer low-voltage versions may provide substantially lower current consumption.
The LM324 and LM358 names represent broader product families rather than only one exact device.
For example, TI offers newer variants such as LM324B and LM358B, which provide improved specifications compared with the original devices. TI describes LM358B as a next-generation version with a 36V supply rating, 1.2MHz bandwidth and improved offset performance.
TI also offers LM324LV and LM358LV for lower-voltage applications.
The LM358LV operates from 2.7V to 5.5V and provides a typical 1MHz unity-gain bandwidth and 1.5V/µs slew rate.
The corresponding LM324LV is a quad-channel version with the same 2.7V to 5.5V low-voltage operating concept.
This means engineers should always identify the complete part number before making a replacement decision.
LM324 is particularly useful for:
Four-channel analog circuits
Multi-sensor systems
Power supply monitoring
Analog signal conditioning
Measurement equipment
Embedded controllers
LM358 is commonly used for:
Two-channel signal conditioning
Voltage detection
Consumer electronics
Compact analog circuits
The two devices overlap significantly in application areas, but their different channel counts make them suitable for different PCB architectures.
From a PCB perspective, the biggest difference is the package.
LM324 typically uses a 14-pin footprint.
LM358 typically uses an 8-pin footprint.
Therefore, engineers designing a new PCB can select the package that matches the required number of amplifier channels.
For an existing product, however, package and pin compatibility must be checked before attempting a replacement.
A component with similar electrical behavior but a different package is not a true drop-in replacement.
Choose LM324 when the design requires four independent operational amplifiers in one package.
Choose LM358 when two amplifier channels are sufficient and an 8-pin dual-op-amp package is preferred.
For low-cost general-purpose analog circuits, both are practical options.
For applications requiring low-voltage operation, lower offset, higher bandwidth, lower power consumption or improved performance, newer variants such as LM324LV, LM358LV, LM324B and LM358B may be worth evaluating.
LM324 and LM358 are closely related general-purpose operational amplifiers, but they should not be treated as direct substitutes.
The most important difference is that LM324 provides four amplifier channels while LM358 provides two. Their standard package configurations are also different, with LM324 commonly using 14 pins and LM358 commonly using 8 pins.
For engineers evaluating LM324 vs LM358, the correct approach is to compare the complete part number, channel requirements, supply voltage, input and output ranges, bandwidth, slew rate, package, pin assignment and operating temperature.
For a new design, either device may be appropriate depending on the required number of amplifier channels. For an existing PCB, however, replacing one with the other normally requires hardware changes rather than a simple component substitution.
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