ALPHA vs Darwin-OP
Side-by-side comparison of ALPHA (TeknTrash) and Darwin-OP (ROBOTIS Co., Ltd.) — specs, pricing, Robo Index, and verified deployments. Updated daily.
Optimize comparison for buyer
Optimized for Home & Household buyers. Priority specs lifted to the top and marked with a target.
Layer 1: Identity & Trust
Manufacturer Country
- ALPHAUnited Kingdom
- Darwin-OPSouth Korea
Year First Available
- ALPHA2025
- Darwin-OP2010
Verified Deployments
- ALPHA0 Deployments
- Darwin-OP0 Deployments
Layer 2: Operational
Price
- ALPHAContact for quote
- Darwin-OP$12,000 USD
Battery / Shift Runtime
- ALPHA7 hrs
- Darwin-OP0.5 hrs
Availability Status
- ALPHAACTIVE
- Darwin-OPACTIVE
Physical Form Factor
Weight
- ALPHA90 kg
- Darwin-OP9.1 kg
Height
- ALPHA200 mm
- Darwin-OP45.72 cm
Mobility Type
- ALPHAwheeled
- Darwin-OPbipedal
Humanoid Subtype
- ALPHAfull bipedal
- Darwin-OPfull bipedal
Walking Speed
- ALPHA—
- Darwin-OP0.2 m/s
Stair Climbing
- ALPHA—
- Darwin-OPNo
Terrain
- ALPHAindoor
- Darwin-OPflat indoor
Payload & Dexterity
Payload
- ALPHA5 kg
- Darwin-OP—
Payload (Peak)
- ALPHA5 kg
- Darwin-OP—
Total DOF
- ALPHA12
- Darwin-OP20
Arm DOF
- ALPHA6
- Darwin-OP3
Bimanual Coordination
- ALPHA—
- Darwin-OPNo
Compute & AI
Onboard Compute
- ALPHA275 TOPS
- Darwin-OPIntel Atom N2600 @1.6 GHz dual core
Compute Platform
- ALPHANvidia Orin AGX
- Darwin-OP—
VLM Capable
- ALPHA—
- Darwin-OPNo
Foundation Models
- ALPHA—
- Darwin-OPfalse
Imitation Learning
- ALPHA—
- Darwin-OPNo
Programming
- ALPHA—
- Darwin-OPcode_python, code_ros
Battery & Power
Runtime
- ALPHA7 hrs
- Darwin-OP0.5 hrs
Charging Time
- ALPHA3 hrs
- Darwin-OP—
Battery Swap
- ALPHANo
- Darwin-OPNo
Software
SDK Languages
- ALPHA—
- Darwin-OPC++
ROS Support
- ALPHAYes
- Darwin-OPYes
Open API
- ALPHAYes
- Darwin-OPYes
Air-Gap Capable
- ALPHANo
- Darwin-OP—
Reliability
Deployment Maturity
- ALPHA—
- Darwin-OPcommercial
IP Rating
- ALPHAIP32
- Darwin-OP—
Commercial
Price (USD)
- ALPHAContact for quote
- Darwin-OP$12,000 USD
Price Tier
- ALPHA20-40K
- Darwin-OP10-20K
Pricing Model
- ALPHAraas
- Darwin-OPpurchase
Warranty
- ALPHA1 yrs
- Darwin-OP1 yrs
Applications
- ALPHAwarehouse_transport, assembly, inspection, cleaning
- Darwin-OPeducation, research
| ||
|---|---|---|
| Layer 1: Identity & Trust | ||
| Manufacturer Country (values differ) | United Kingdom | South Korea |
| Year First Available (values differ) | 2025 | 2010 |
| Verified Deployments | 0 Deployments | 0 Deployments |
| Layer 2: Operational | ||
| Price (values differ) | Contact for quote | $12,000 USD |
| Battery / Shift Runtime (priority for Home & Household buyers) (values differ) | 7 hrs | 0.5 hrs |
| Availability Status | ACTIVE | ACTIVE |
| Layer 3: Category Specific | ||
| Physical Form Factor | ||
| Weight (priority for Home & Household buyers) (values differ) | 90 kg | 9.1 kg |
| Height (values differ) | 200 mm | 45.72 cm |
| Mobility Type (values differ) | wheeled | bipedal |
| Humanoid Subtype | full bipedal | full bipedal |
| Walking Speed (values differ) | — | 0.2 m/s |
| Stair Climbing (values differ) | — | No |
| Terrain (values differ) | indoor | flat indoor |
| Payload & Dexterity | ||
| Payload (values differ) | 5 kg | — |
| Payload (Peak) (values differ) | 5 kg | — |
| Total DOF (values differ) | 12 | 20 |
| Arm DOF (values differ) | 6 | 3 |
| Bimanual Coordination (values differ) | — | No |
| Compute & AI | ||
| Onboard Compute (values differ) | 275 TOPS | Intel Atom N2600 @1.6 GHz dual core |
| Compute Platform (values differ) | Nvidia Orin AGX | — |
| VLM Capable (values differ) | — | No |
| Foundation Models (values differ) | — | false |
| Imitation Learning (values differ) | — | No |
| Programming (values differ) | — | code_python, code_ros |
| Battery & Power | ||
| Runtime (values differ) | 7 hrs | 0.5 hrs |
| Charging Time (values differ) | 3 hrs | — |
| Battery Swap | No | No |
| Software | ||
| SDK Languages (values differ) | — | C++ |
| ROS Support | Yes | Yes |
| Open API | Yes | Yes |
| Air-Gap Capable (values differ) | No | — |
| Reliability | ||
| Deployment Maturity (values differ) | — | commercial |
| IP Rating (values differ) | IP32 | — |
| Commercial | ||
| Price (USD) (values differ) | Contact for quote | $12,000 USD |
| Price Tier (values differ) | 20-40K | 10-20K |
| Pricing Model (values differ) | raas | purchase |
| Warranty | 1 yrs | 1 yrs |
| Applications (values differ) | warehouse_transport, assembly, inspection, cleaning | education, research |
Insufficient data for full comparison
The following fields had no data for any of the selected robots: Running Capable, Hand DOF, Arm Reach, Grip Strength, Manipulation Repeatability, Tool Use, Teleoperation, Battery Capacity, Charging Method, Avg Power Consumption, Force-Limited Arms, Fall Recovery, Fall Detection Response, Emergency Stops, Human Detection Method, Safe Speed Near Humans, Simulation Platforms, MTBF, Task Success Rate, Noise Level, RaaS / Month, Developer Unit Price, Delivery Lead Time, Production Pilots
ROI Comparison
Same operating assumptions across every robot — the only difference is price. Set your numbers once to see which pays back fastest.
Annual labor displaced (per robot): $50,000
| Metric | ALPHA | Darwin-OP |
|---|---|---|
| Investment | No price | $12,000 |
| Payback period | — | 2.9 mo |
| Net savings (5 yr) | — | $238,000 |
| ROI (5 yr) | — | +1983% |
ALPHA has no listed price, so payback can't be computed. Contact the manufacturer for a quote.
Estimates labor-cost displacement only — not a full total cost of ownership. Actual ROI depends on integration, maintenance, training, downtime, and task fit. Converted currencies are indicative; USD is the price of record.
Trade-offs at a glance
Frequently asked
Who makes ALPHA and Darwin-OP?
ALPHA is made by TeknTrash, based in GB. Darwin-OP is made by ROBOTIS Co., Ltd., based in KR.
When were ALPHA and Darwin-OP launched?
ALPHA launched in 2025. Darwin-OP launched in 2010.
How do ALPHA and Darwin-OP compare on the Robo Index?
ALPHA grades A on the Robo Index. Darwin-OP grades AA. The Robo Index is a credibility grade (AAA … C) that blends commercial maturity, verified deployments, company standing, and independent coverage — see methodology for the full breakdown.
Are ALPHA and Darwin-OP 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 and Darwin-OP?
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
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About this comparison
ALPHA vs Darwin-OP 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 Robo Index is calculated.