RACER3 vs Nextage
Side-by-side comparison of RACER3 (Comau) and Nextage (Kawada Industries) — specs, pricing, Robo Index, and verified deployments. Updated daily.
Optimize comparison for buyer
Optimized for Hospitality & F&B buyers. Priority specs lifted to the top and marked with a target.
Layer 1: Identity & Trust
Manufacturer Country
- RACER3Italy
- NextageJapan
Year First Available
- RACER3—
- Nextage2009
Verified Deployments
- RACER30 Deployments
- Nextage0 Deployments
Layer 2: Operational
Availability Status
- RACER3ACTIVE
- NextageACTIVE
Arm Mechanics
Payload
- RACER33 kg
- Nextage1.5 kg
Robot Weight
- RACER330 kg
- Nextage28 kg
Max TCP Speed
- RACER31.5 m/s
- Nextage—
Reach
- RACER31,436 mm
- Nextage1,450 mm
Degrees of Freedom
- RACER36
- Nextage15
Repeatability
- RACER3±0.05 mm
- Nextage±0.03 mm
Mounting Options
- RACER3floor, table
- Nextagefloor
IP Rating
- RACER3IP54
- Nextage—
Safety
Safety Rating
- RACER3CE, ISO/TS 15066
- NextageISO10218
Force/Torque Sensing
- RACER3none
- Nextagenone
Ease of Use
Setup Time
- RACER31 hrs
- Nextage—
Programming Interface
- RACER3TP5
- Nextagecode_ros
Software & Connectivity
ROS Compatible
- RACER3Yes
- NextageYes
Fieldbus Protocols
- RACER3EtherCAT, Modbus TCP
- Nextage—
Commercial
Lead Time
- RACER34 wks
- Nextage—
| ||
|---|---|---|
| Layer 1: Identity & Trust | ||
| Manufacturer Country (values differ) | Italy | Japan |
| Year First Available (values differ) | — | 2009 |
| Verified Deployments | 0 Deployments | 0 Deployments |
| Layer 2: Operational | ||
| Availability Status | ACTIVE | ACTIVE |
| Layer 3: Category Specific | ||
| Arm Mechanics | ||
| Payload (priority for Hospitality & F&B buyers) (values differ) | 3 kg | 1.5 kg |
| Robot Weight (priority for Hospitality & F&B buyers) (values differ) | 30 kg | 28 kg |
| Max TCP Speed (priority for Hospitality & F&B buyers) (values differ) | 1.5 m/s | — |
| Reach (values differ) | 1,436 mm | 1,450 mm |
| Degrees of Freedom (values differ) | 6 | 15 |
| Repeatability (values differ) | ±0.05 mm | ±0.03 mm |
| Mounting Options (values differ) | floor, table | floor |
| IP Rating (values differ) | IP54 | — |
| Safety | ||
| Safety Rating (values differ) | CE, ISO/TS 15066 | ISO10218 |
| Force/Torque Sensing | none | none |
| Ease of Use | ||
| Setup Time (values differ) | 1 hrs | — |
| Programming Interface (values differ) | TP5 | code_ros |
| Software & Connectivity | ||
| ROS Compatible | Yes | Yes |
| Fieldbus Protocols (values differ) | EtherCAT, Modbus TCP | — |
| Commercial | ||
| Lead Time (values differ) | 4 wks | — |
Insufficient data for full comparison
The following fields had no data for any of the selected robots: Price, Battery / Shift Runtime, TCP Speed (Collaborative), Power/Force Limiting, Safety I/O Pairs, Duty Cycle, Time to Redeploy, No-Code Capable, Offline Programming, Tool Flange Standard, Tool Changer Support, Integrated F/T Sensor, Wrist Power Supply, SDK Languages, Digital Twin Support, MTBF, Path Accuracy, Price (USD), CaaS / Month, Warranty
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 | RACER3 | Nextage |
|---|---|---|
| Investment | No price | No price |
| Payback period | — | — |
| Net savings (5 yr) | — | — |
| ROI (5 yr) | — | — |
RACER3, Nextage have 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 RACER3 and Nextage?
RACER3 is made by Comau, based in IT. Nextage is made by Kawada Industries, based in JP.
How do RACER3 and Nextage compare on the Robo Index?
RACER3 grades A on the Robo Index. Nextage 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.
How does the reach of RACER3 compare to Nextage?
RACER3 has a reach of 600 mm. Nextage has a reach of 1450 mm.
Are RACER3 and Nextage in the same category?
Both robots are classified as Cobot on Robolist. Filters and ranking treat them as direct alternatives.
What is the realistic total cost of ownership for Cobot robots?
Hardware cost is one input. Cobot TCO also includes integration, training, downtime, and end-of-life. Our breakdown: Cobot TCO and Payback Math: Hardware, EOAT, and Zero-Fencing Savings.
What should a buyer ask vendors when choosing between RACER3 and Nextage?
Spec sheets only show part of the story. Useful vendor questions cover support, lifecycle, integration cost, and references. We have a buyer-focused checklist: Cobot Vendor Red Flags: Questions That Filter Out the Marketing.
Going deeper — picking the right robot
Cobot TCO and Payback Math: Hardware, EOAT, and Zero-Fencing Savings
6 min readCollaborative Robots
Cobot Vendor Red Flags: Questions That Filter Out the Marketing
9 min readCollaborative Robots
Running a Cobot Pilot in a Manual Production Line
9 min readCollaborative 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
RACER3 vs Nextage compares two robots in the cobot 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.