Alpha 1S vs TUlip
Side-by-side comparison of Alpha 1S (UBTECH Robotics Corp Ltd.) and TUlip (Delft University of Technology) — specs, pricing, Robolist Product Score, and verified deployments. Updated daily.
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Layer 1: Identity & Trust
Manufacturer Country
- Alpha 1SChina
- TUlip—
Year First Available
- Alpha 1S2013
- TUlip2008
Verified Deployments
- Alpha 1S0 Deployments
- TUlip0 Deployments
Layer 2: Operational
Price Range (USD)
- Alpha 1S$3,999
- TUlip$30,000
Battery / Shift Runtime
- Alpha 1S1 hrs
- TUlip0.5 hrs
Availability Status
- Alpha 1SACTIVE
- TUlipACTIVE
Physical Form Factor
Height
- Alpha 1S59 mm
- TUlip130 mm
Weight
- Alpha 1S4 kg
- TUlip25 kg
Mobility Type
- Alpha 1Sbipedal
- TUlipbipedal
Humanoid Subtype
- Alpha 1Sservice humanoid
- TUlipfull bipedal
Walking Speed
- Alpha 1S—
- TUlip0.4 m/s
Stair Climbing
- Alpha 1SNo
- TUlipNo
Terrain
- Alpha 1Sflat indoor
- TUlipuneven terrain
Payload & Dexterity
Total DOF
- Alpha 1S20
- TUlip12
Arm DOF
- Alpha 1S3
- TUlip1
Bimanual Coordination
- Alpha 1SNo
- TUlipNo
Compute & AI
Onboard Compute
- Alpha 1SRM 32位 Cortex-A7 CPU: 900MHz
- TUlip1 GHz single board computer
VLM Capable
- Alpha 1SNo
- TUlipNo
Foundation Models
- Alpha 1Sfalse
- TUlipfalse
Imitation Learning
- Alpha 1SNo
- TUlipNo
Programming
- Alpha 1Smodular programming
- TUlipXenomai Linux OS, RoboFrame middleware
Battery & Power
Runtime
- Alpha 1S1 hrs
- TUlip0.5 hrs
Battery Swap
- Alpha 1SNo
- TUlipNo
Software
SDK Languages
- Alpha 1SChinese
- TUlipC++
ROS Support
- Alpha 1SNo
- TUlipNo
Open API
- Alpha 1SNo
- TUlipNo
Reliability
Deployment Maturity
- Alpha 1Scommercial
- TUlipresearch
Commercial
Price (USD)
- Alpha 1S$3,999
- TUlip$30,000
Price Tier
- Alpha 1S40-80K
- TUlip50k_150k
Pricing Model
- Alpha 1Spurchase
- TUlipoutright purchase
Applications
- Alpha 1S娱乐
- TUlipresearch
| ||
|---|---|---|
| Layer 1: Identity & Trust | ||
| Manufacturer Country (values differ) | China | — |
| Year First Available (values differ) | 2013 | 2008 |
| Verified Deployments | 0 Deployments | 0 Deployments |
| Layer 2: Operational | ||
| Price Range (USD) (values differ) | $3,999 | $30,000 |
| Battery / Shift Runtime (values differ) | 1 hrs | 0.5 hrs |
| Availability Status | ACTIVE | ACTIVE |
| Layer 3: Category Specific | ||
| Physical Form Factor | ||
| Height (values differ) | 59 mm | 130 mm |
| Weight (values differ) | 4 kg | 25 kg |
| Mobility Type | bipedal | bipedal |
| Humanoid Subtype (values differ) | service humanoid | full bipedal |
| Walking Speed (values differ) | — | 0.4 m/s |
| Stair Climbing | No | No |
| Terrain (values differ) | flat indoor | uneven terrain |
| Payload & Dexterity | ||
| Total DOF (values differ) | 20 | 12 |
| Arm DOF (values differ) | 3 | 1 |
| Bimanual Coordination | No | No |
| Compute & AI | ||
| Onboard Compute (values differ) | RM 32位 Cortex-A7 CPU: 900MHz | 1 GHz single board computer |
| VLM Capable | No | No |
| Foundation Models | false | false |
| Imitation Learning | No | No |
| Programming (values differ) | modular programming | Xenomai Linux OS, RoboFrame middleware |
| Battery & Power | ||
| Runtime (values differ) | 1 hrs | 0.5 hrs |
| Battery Swap | No | No |
| Software | ||
| SDK Languages (values differ) | Chinese | C++ |
| ROS Support | No | No |
| Open API | No | No |
| Reliability | ||
| Deployment Maturity (values differ) | commercial | research |
| Commercial | ||
| Price (USD) (values differ) | $3,999 | $30,000 |
| Price Tier (values differ) | 40-80K | 50k_150k |
| Pricing Model (values differ) | purchase | outright purchase |
| Applications (values differ) | 娱乐 | research |
Insufficient data for full comparison
The following fields had no data for any of the selected robots: Running Capable, Payload, Payload (Peak), Hand DOF, Arm Reach, Grip Strength, Manipulation Repeatability, Tool Use, Compute Platform, Teleoperation, Battery Capacity, Charging Time, Charging Method, Avg Power Consumption, Force-Limited Arms, Fall Recovery, Fall Detection Response, Emergency Stops, Human Detection Method, Safe Speed Near Humans, Simulation Platforms, Air-Gap Capable, MTBF, Task Success Rate, IP Rating, Noise Level, RaaS / Month, Developer Unit Price, Delivery Lead Time, Warranty, Production Pilots
best in categoryweakest in categoryvalues differ
Trade-offs at a glance
Frequently asked
Who makes Alpha 1S and TUlip?
Alpha 1S is made by UBTECH Robotics Corp Ltd., based in CN. TUlip is made by Delft University of Technology.
When were Alpha 1S and TUlip launched?
Alpha 1S launched in 2013. TUlip launched in 2008.
How much does Alpha 1S cost compared to TUlip?
Alpha 1S is listed at $3,999. TUlip is listed at $30,000.
How do Alpha 1S and TUlip compare on the Robolist Product Score?
Alpha 1S scores 38/100. TUlip scores 28/100. The Product Score blends specs, pricing transparency, verified deployments, and independent media coverage — see methodology for the full breakdown.
Are Alpha 1S and TUlip in the same category?
Both robots are classified as Humanoid on Robolist. Filters and ranking treat them as direct alternatives.
What is the realistic total cost of ownership for Humanoid robots?
Hardware cost is one input. Humanoid TCO also includes integration, training, downtime, and end-of-life. Our breakdown: Humanoid TCO: Hardware, Cloud Subscriptions, and the Cost of Teleop Time.
What should a buyer ask vendors when choosing between Alpha 1S and TUlip?
Spec sheets only show part of the story. Useful vendor questions cover support, lifecycle, integration cost, and references. We have a buyer-focused checklist: Vendor Selection for Humanoids: The 10 Questions You Must Ask.
Going deeper — picking the right robot
Humanoid TCO: Hardware, Cloud Subscriptions, and the Cost of Teleop Time
8 min readHumanoid Robots
Vendor Selection for Humanoids: The 10 Questions You Must Ask
10 min readHumanoid Robots
Running a Humanoid Pilot: Scope, Success Criteria, and Exit Options
9 min readHumanoid Robots
Build vs buy vs lease: which model fits a first deployment
8 min readChoosing Your First Robot
The hidden specs vendors hope you'll miss
10 min readReading the Spec Sheet
About this comparison
Alpha 1S vs TUlip compares two robots in the humanoid category. All data is sourced from manufacturer spec sheets, verified deployments, and third-party filings; see our methodology for how the Robolist Product Score is calculated.