Darwin-OP vs IRON
Side-by-side comparison of Darwin-OP (ROBOTIS Co., Ltd.) and IRON (XPeng) — specs, pricing, Robo Index, and verified deployments. Updated daily.
Optimize comparison for buyer
Optimized for Last-Mile Delivery buyers. Priority specs lifted to the top and marked with a target.
Layer 1: Identity & Trust
Manufacturer Country
- Darwin-OPSouth Korea
- IRONChina
Year First Available
- Darwin-OP2010
- IRON2024
Verified Deployments
- Darwin-OP0 Deployments
- IRON0 Deployments
Layer 2: Operational
Price
- Darwin-OP$12,000 USD
- IRON$150,000 USD
Battery / Shift Runtime
- Darwin-OP0.5 hrs
- IRON—
Availability Status
- Darwin-OPACTIVE
- IRONACTIVE
Physical Form Factor
Height
- Darwin-OP45.72 cm
- IRON1780 mm
Weight
- Darwin-OP9.1 kg
- IRON70 kg
Mobility Type
- Darwin-OPbipedal
- IRONbipedal
Humanoid Subtype
- Darwin-OPfull bipedal
- IRONfull bipedal
Walking Speed
- Darwin-OP0.2 m/s
- IRON1.2 m/s
Stair Climbing
- Darwin-OPNo
- IRONNo
Terrain
- Darwin-OPflat indoor
- IRONflat floors, carpets, tiles, slight inclines
Payload & Dexterity
Payload
- Darwin-OP—
- IRON5 kg
Total DOF
- Darwin-OP20
- IRON22
Arm DOF
- Darwin-OP3
- IRON22
Hand DOF
- Darwin-OP—
- IRON22
Bimanual Coordination
- Darwin-OPNo
- IRONYes
Compute & AI
Onboard Compute
- Darwin-OPIntel Atom N2600 @1.6 GHz dual core
- IRONTuring AI chip
VLM Capable
- Darwin-OPNo
- IRONNo
Foundation Models
- Darwin-OPfalse
- IRONfalse
Imitation Learning
- Darwin-OPNo
- IRONNo
Programming
- Darwin-OPcode_python, code_ros
- IRONcode_python, no_code_gui
Battery & Power
Runtime
- Darwin-OP0.5 hrs
- IRON8.5 hrs
Battery Swap
- Darwin-OPNo
- IRONNo
Software
SDK Languages
- Darwin-OPC++
- IRONPython
ROS Support
- Darwin-OPYes
- IRONNo
Open API
- Darwin-OPYes
- IRONYes
Reliability
Deployment Maturity
- Darwin-OPcommercial
- IRONcommercial
Commercial
Price (USD)
- Darwin-OP$12,000 USD
- IRON$150,000 USD
Price Tier
- Darwin-OP10-20K
- IRON150K+
Pricing Model
- Darwin-OPpurchase
- IRONpurchase
Warranty
- Darwin-OP1 yrs
- IRON2 yrs
Applications
- Darwin-OPeducation, research
- IRONelectric_vehicle_assembly, administrative_support, customer_service_operations, household_assistance
| ||
|---|---|---|
| Layer 1: Identity & Trust | ||
| Manufacturer Country (values differ) | South Korea | China |
| Year First Available (values differ) | 2010 | 2024 |
| Verified Deployments | 0 Deployments | 0 Deployments |
| Layer 2: Operational | ||
| Price (values differ) | $12,000 USD | $150,000 USD |
| Battery / Shift Runtime (priority for Last-Mile Delivery buyers) (values differ) | 0.5 hrs | — |
| Availability Status | ACTIVE | ACTIVE |
| Layer 3: Category Specific | ||
| Physical Form Factor | ||
| Height (values differ) | 45.72 cm | 1780 mm |
| Weight (values differ) | 9.1 kg | 70 kg |
| Mobility Type | bipedal | bipedal |
| Humanoid Subtype | full bipedal | full bipedal |
| Walking Speed (values differ) | 0.2 m/s | 1.2 m/s |
| Stair Climbing | No | No |
| Terrain (values differ) | flat indoor | flat floors, carpets, tiles, slight inclines |
| Payload & Dexterity | ||
| Payload (values differ) | — | 5 kg |
| Total DOF (values differ) | 20 | 22 |
| Arm DOF (values differ) | 3 | 22 |
| Hand DOF (values differ) | — | 22 |
| Bimanual Coordination (values differ) | No | Yes |
| Compute & AI | ||
| Onboard Compute (values differ) | Intel Atom N2600 @1.6 GHz dual core | Turing AI chip |
| VLM Capable | No | No |
| Foundation Models | false | false |
| Imitation Learning | No | No |
| Programming (values differ) | code_python, code_ros | code_python, no_code_gui |
| Battery & Power | ||
| Runtime (values differ) | 0.5 hrs | 8.5 hrs |
| Battery Swap | No | No |
| Software | ||
| SDK Languages (values differ) | C++ | Python |
| ROS Support (values differ) | Yes | No |
| Open API | Yes | Yes |
| Reliability | ||
| Deployment Maturity | commercial | commercial |
| Commercial | ||
| Price (USD) (values differ) | $12,000 USD | $150,000 USD |
| Price Tier (values differ) | 10-20K | 150K+ |
| Pricing Model | purchase | purchase |
| Warranty (values differ) | 1 yrs | 2 yrs |
| Applications (values differ) | education, research | electric_vehicle_assembly, administrative_support, customer_service_operations, household_assistance |
Insufficient data for full comparison
The following fields had no data for any of the selected robots: Running Capable, Payload (Peak), 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, 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 | Darwin-OP | IRON |
|---|---|---|
| Investment | $12,000 | $150,000 |
| Payback period | 2.9 mo | 36.0 mo |
| Net savings (5 yr) | $238,000 | $100,000 |
| ROI (5 yr) | +1983% | +67% |
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 Darwin-OP and IRON?
Darwin-OP is made by ROBOTIS Co., Ltd., based in KR. IRON is made by XPeng, based in CN.
When were Darwin-OP and IRON launched?
Darwin-OP launched in 2010. IRON launched in 2024.
How much does Darwin-OP cost compared to IRON?
Darwin-OP is listed at $12,000. IRON is listed at $150,000.
How do Darwin-OP and IRON compare on the Robo Index?
Darwin-OP grades AA on the Robo Index. IRON grades A. 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 Darwin-OP and IRON 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 Darwin-OP and IRON?
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
Darwin-OP vs IRON 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.