Sphero BOLT Accessories and Add-Ons: What's Worth Buying

Quick answer

Buy Sphero BOLT accessories only when they solve a problem you already have: a robot that needs protection, a classroom that needs replacement cables, or a build that needs specific hardware. The Turbo Cover is the most broadly useful add-on for BOLT and BOLT+ owners because it protects the shell and improves grip. Skip anything that duplicates what came in the box, and prioritize accessories that match your actual play or teaching routine.

Sphero BOLT is a capable robot on its own, so the real question isn't which accessories exist but which ones you'll actually use. This guide walks through the practical trade-offs of the most common BOLT add-ons and extras, using only the product details available in our catalog.

You'll find decision rules for protection, charging, classroom replacement, and cross-compatibility with littleBits. Where a specification isn't listed, we'll say so rather than guess, so you can make a call based on what's known.

Start with protection, not performance

The first accessory most BOLT owners should consider is a cover. The Turbo Cover fits BOLT+ and BOLT robots and is designed to protect against scratches and scuffs while giving you more traction and control on different surfaces. If your robot spends time on smooth floors or gets handled by younger students, that combination of protection and grip is a genuine upgrade rather than a cosmetic one.

Other add-ons, like extra cables or build hardware, only make sense after you've covered the basics. A robot that's scratched or slipping isn't fun to drive, and replacing a damaged shell costs more than a cover.

• Buy a cover if your BOLT is handled often or used on hard floors.
• Skip a cover if your robot stays on a mat or in a case and rarely takes impacts.

Charging and cable extras: replace, don't stockpile

The USB-Micro Cable works with BOLT, Mini, indi, littleBits, and SPRK+. It can be used for plugging into inductive chargers for BOLT, and it's compatible with Sphero Mini. It also helps with disassembling the BOLT Power Pack, and with littleBits it can connect a PC to your codeBit or USB power bit or recharge your Lipo battery. The cable is about 0.5 meters long.

That range of uses makes it a sensible spare for classrooms where cables get lost or damaged. For a single home robot, one spare is usually enough. Buying several 'just in case' often leads to unused cables in a drawer.

• Classrooms: keep one or two spares per charging station.
• Home users: replace a lost cable, don't build a collection.

Build and motion add-ons for advanced projects

If you're moving beyond driving and coding into engineering builds, structural add-ons start to matter. The Blueprint Bearing Plate 50-Pack supplements a Blueprint Build Kit or Class Pack and snaps into trusses and other Blueprint parts to provide stability and rotational freedom to shafts. The 0.25x pitch extension on the connector side ensures a secure fit for smooth shaft rotation.

The Blueprint Linear Motion Bracket 10-Pack also supplements a Blueprint Build Kit or Class Pack. These brackets slide along trusses, which is useful for crane, lift, or other builds, and they help convert rotational motion into linear motion. These are targeted parts, not general accessories, so buy them when a specific build calls for them.

• Check your build instructions before buying structural parts.
• A 50-pack of bearing plates suits a class; a 10-pack of brackets suits a few projects.

littleBits add-ons that extend BOLT projects

If you already use littleBits alongside Sphero, a few small parts can expand what you build. The littleBits w7 fork lets you connect a single Bit to as many as three others. Place an input before the fork and it controls all three outputs at once, such as light, sound, and motion. That's a simple way to make one sensor trigger multiple effects.

littleBits bitShoes are mounting accessories available in Magnet, Hook & Loop, Adhesive, or a Variety Pack. They let you attach modules to different surfaces and materials, which is helpful for makerspace projects where modules need to stay put. These are worth it only if you're already building with littleBits; they won't change how a standalone BOLT behaves.

• Buy the fork if you want one input to drive several outputs.
• Choose bitShoes based on the surface you mount to, not the robot you own.

Decision rules for Sphero BOLT add-ons

• Rule 1: Protect first, upgrade second: If your BOLT gets handled, dropped, or driven on rough surfaces, buy a Turbo Cover before any other add-on. It protects the shell and improves grip, which affects every session. No cover yet? Start there.
• Rule 2: Replace cables, don't hoard them: The USB-Micro Cable covers BOLT, Mini, indi, littleBits, and SPRK+, so one spare handles most situations. Buy more only if you run multiple charging stations. One spare per station is enough.
• Rule 3: Match structural parts to a specific build: Blueprint Bearing Plates and Linear Motion Brackets only help if you're already using Blueprint Build Kits or Class Packs. Check your build plan before ordering. No Blueprint kit? Skip these.
• Rule 4: Add littleBits parts only if you already use littleBits: The w7 fork and bitShoes extend littleBits creations, not BOLT itself. They're worth it for makerspace projects, not for standalone robot play. Not a littleBits user? These won't change your BOLT experience.

Product facts

• Turbo Cover: Kick fun into high gear with a Turbo Cover for BOLT+ and BOLT robots. While protecting against scratches and scuffs, the Turbo Cover gives you the traction and control to speed past the competition on all kinds of surfaces. It's the one add-on that both protects your robot and changes how it drives, so it earns its place for most owners.
• USB-Micro Cable (BOLT, mini, indi, littleBits, SPRK+): A micro USB cable for Sphero & littleBits products. Can be used for plugging into inductive chargers for Sphero BOLT and is compatible with Sphero Mini. This can also help with disassembling the BOLT Power Pack. Use with littleBits by connecting a PC to your codeBit or USB power bit or for recharging your Lipo battery. The cable is approximately 0.5 meters long. One cable covers several devices, which makes it a practical spare for classrooms and mixed Sphero/littleBits setups.
• Blueprint Bearing Plate 50-Pack: Supplement your Blueprint Build Kit or Class Pack with the Blueprint Bearing Plate 50-Pack. Effortlessly snap these plates into trusses and other Blueprint parts, providing stability and rotational freedom to shafts. The 0.25x pitch extension on the connector side ensures a secure fit, allowing for smooth shaft rotation. Useful for classes running multiple builds that need smooth rotating shafts, but unnecessary if you're not using Blueprint parts.
• littleBits w7 fork: The fork gives you more options for connecting your Bits; it lets you connect a single Bit to as many as 3 others. If you place an input before the fork, it will control all 3 outputs at once, such as light, sound, and motion. A small, low-cost way to make one sensor trigger several outputs in littleBits projects.

Who should buy Sphero BOLT accessories

Best for

• Classrooms that need spare cables and protective covers for shared robots
• Makerspace programs already using littleBits or Blueprint Build Kits
• Owners who drive BOLT on varied surfaces and want better grip

Not for

• Owners who only use their BOLT occasionally on a single surface
• Anyone expecting accessories to add new coding features to BOLT
• Buyers who haven't checked whether their existing kit already includes the part

Sphero BOLT accessories are worth buying when they solve a real problem: protection, replacement, or a specific build need. Start with a Turbo Cover if your robot gets handled, keep a spare USB-Micro Cable for charging, and add structural or littleBits parts only when a project calls for them. That approach keeps your spending tied to actual use.