C40 vs Relay
Side-by-side comparison of C40 (Shanghai Keenon Robotics Co., Ltd.) and Relay (Relay Robotics) — 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
- C40China
- RelayUnited States
Year First Available
- C40—
- Relay2014
Verified Deployments
- C400 Deployments
- Relay0 Deployments
Layer 2: Operational
Price
- C40$19,600 USD
- Relay$26,000 USD
Battery / Shift Runtime
- C405 hrs
- Relay16 hrs
Availability Status
- C40ACTIVE
- RelayACTIVE
Physical
Robot Weight
- C4070 kg
- Relay—
Payload
- C40300 kg
- Relay—
Dimensions
- C40578x500x690
- Relay—
Compartment Type
- C40—
- Relayhybrid
Navigation & Safety
Navigation Type
- C40lidar slam,vision,hybrid
- Relaylidar slam,vision
Max Speed
- C400.8 m/s
- Relay—
Min Passable Width
- C4065 cm
- Relay—
Power
Battery Runtime
- C405 hrs
- Relay16 hrs
Charge Time
- C402 hrs
- Relay—
Auto Docking
- C40Yes
- RelayYes
Hot-Swap Battery
- C40No
- Relay—
Integration
Elevator API
- C40—
- RelayYes
Fleet Management
- C40single dashboard
- Relay—
Floor Compatibility
- C40hard floor,low pile carpet
- Relayhard floor,carpet
Commercial
Price (USD)
- C40$19,600 USD
- Relay$26,000 USD
Warranty
- C402 yrs
- Relay—
| | |
|---|---|---|
| Layer 1: Identity & Trust | ||
| Manufacturer Country (values differ) | China | United States |
| Year First Available (values differ) | — | 2014 |
| Verified Deployments | 0 Deployments | 0 Deployments |
| Layer 2: Operational | ||
| Price (values differ) | $19,600 USD | $26,000 USD |
| Battery / Shift Runtime (priority for Home & Household buyers) (values differ) | 5 hrs | 16 hrs |
| Availability Status | ACTIVE | ACTIVE |
| Layer 3: Category Specific | ||
| Physical | ||
| Robot Weight (priority for Home & Household buyers) (values differ) | 70 kg | — |
| Payload (values differ) | 300 kg | — |
| Dimensions (values differ) | 578x500x690 | — |
| Compartment Type (values differ) | — | hybrid |
| Navigation & Safety | ||
| Navigation Type (values differ) | lidar slam,vision,hybrid | lidar slam,vision |
| Max Speed (values differ) | 0.8 m/s | — |
| Min Passable Width (values differ) | 65 cm | — |
| Power | ||
| Battery Runtime (priority for Home & Household buyers) (values differ) | 5 hrs | 16 hrs |
| Charge Time (values differ) | 2 hrs | — |
| Auto Docking | Yes | Yes |
| Hot-Swap Battery (values differ) | No | — |
| Integration | ||
| Elevator API (values differ) | — | Yes |
| Fleet Management (values differ) | single dashboard | — |
| Floor Compatibility (values differ) | hard floor,low pile carpet | hard floor,carpet |
| Commercial | ||
| Price (USD) (values differ) | $19,600 USD | $26,000 USD |
| Warranty (values differ) | 2 yrs | — |
Insufficient data for full comparison
The following fields had no data for any of the selected robots: Tray Count, Tray Capacity, IP Rating, Obstacle Detection Range, Min Object Detection Height, PMS / POS Integration, Noise Level, Display Size, RaaS / Month
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 | C40 | Relay |
|---|---|---|
| Investment | $19,600 | $26,000 |
| Payback period | 4.7 mo | 6.2 mo |
| Net savings (5 yr) | $230,400 | $224,000 |
| ROI (5 yr) | +1176% | +862% |
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 C40 and Relay?
C40 is made by Shanghai Keenon Robotics Co., Ltd., based in CN. Relay is made by Relay Robotics, based in US.
How much does C40 cost compared to Relay?
C40 is listed at $19,600. Relay is listed at $26,000.
How do C40 and Relay compare on the Robo Index?
C40 grades A on the Robo Index. Relay 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 C40 and Relay in the same category?
Both robots are classified as Delivery on Robolist. Filters and ranking treat them as direct alternatives.
What should a buyer ask vendors when choosing between C40 and Relay?
Spec sheets only show part of the story. Useful vendor questions cover support, lifecycle, integration cost, and references. We have a buyer-focused checklist: Delivery Robot Vendor Selection: Insurance, Telemetry, and Fallback Procedures.
Going deeper — picking the right robot
Delivery Robot Vendor Selection: Insurance, Telemetry, and Fallback Procedures
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Last-Mile Delivery Pilots: 90 Days to a Decision
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Indoor vs Outdoor Delivery: Why the Cost Gap Is Larger Than It Looks
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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
C40 vs Relay compares two robots in the delivery 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.