Darwin-OP vs LARA
Side-by-side comparison of Darwin-OP (ROBOTIS Co., Ltd.) and LARA (NEURA Robotics) — specs, pricing, Robo Index, and verified deployments. Updated daily.
Optimize comparison for buyer
Optimized for Warehousing & Logistics buyers. Priority specs lifted to the top and marked with a target.
Layer 1: Identity & Trust
Manufacturer Country
- Darwin-OPSouth Korea
- LARAGermany
Year First Available
- Darwin-OP2010
- LARA—
Verified Deployments
- Darwin-OP0 Deployments
- LARA0 Deployments
Layer 2: Operational
Price
- Darwin-OP$12,000 USD
- LARA$16,500 USD
Battery / Shift Runtime
- Darwin-OP0.5 hrs
- LARA—
Availability Status
- Darwin-OPACTIVE
- LARAACTIVE
Physical Form Factor
Height
- Darwin-OP45.72 cm
- LARA590 mm
Weight
- Darwin-OP9.1 kg
- LARA18 kg
Mobility Type
- Darwin-OPbipedal
- LARAstatic
Humanoid Subtype
- Darwin-OPfull bipedal
- LARAfull bipedal
Walking Speed
- Darwin-OP0.2 m/s
- LARA1 m/s
Stair Climbing
- Darwin-OPNo
- LARANo
Terrain
- Darwin-OPflat indoor
- LARAflat indoor, uneven outdoor
Payload & Dexterity
Payload
- Darwin-OP—
- LARA3 kg
Total DOF
- Darwin-OP20
- LARA6
Arm DOF
- Darwin-OP3
- LARA—
Arm Reach
- Darwin-OP—
- LARA80 cm
Manipulation Repeatability
- Darwin-OP—
- LARA±0.02 mm
Bimanual Coordination
- Darwin-OPNo
- LARANo
Compute & AI
Onboard Compute
- Darwin-OPIntel Atom N2600 @1.6 GHz dual core
- LARA—
VLM Capable
- Darwin-OPNo
- LARANo
Foundation Models
- Darwin-OPfalse
- LARAfalse
Imitation Learning
- Darwin-OPNo
- LARANo
Programming
- Darwin-OPcode_python, code_ros
- LARAprogrammable control systems
Battery & Power
Runtime
- Darwin-OP0.5 hrs
- LARA—
Battery Swap
- Darwin-OPNo
- LARANo
Software
SDK Languages
- Darwin-OPC++
- LARAPython
ROS Support
- Darwin-OPYes
- LARANo
Open API
- Darwin-OPYes
- LARANo
Reliability
Deployment Maturity
- Darwin-OPcommercial
- LARAcommercial
IP Rating
- Darwin-OP—
- LARAIP54/IP66
Commercial
Price (USD)
- Darwin-OP$12,000 USD
- LARA$16,500 USD
Price Tier
- Darwin-OP10-20K
- LARA20-40K
Pricing Model
- Darwin-OPpurchase
- LARAcapex, lease
Warranty
- Darwin-OP1 yrs
- LARA—
Applications
- Darwin-OPeducation, research
- LARApalletizing, welding, quality_inspection, machine_tending
| ||
|---|---|---|
| Layer 1: Identity & Trust | ||
| Manufacturer Country (values differ) | South Korea | Germany |
| Year First Available (values differ) | 2010 | — |
| Verified Deployments | 0 Deployments | 0 Deployments |
| Layer 2: Operational | ||
| Price (values differ) | $12,000 USD | $16,500 USD |
| Battery / Shift Runtime (priority for Warehousing & Logistics buyers) (values differ) | 0.5 hrs | — |
| Availability Status | ACTIVE | ACTIVE |
| Layer 3: Category Specific | ||
| Physical Form Factor | ||
| Height (values differ) | 45.72 cm | 590 mm |
| Weight (values differ) | 9.1 kg | 18 kg |
| Mobility Type (values differ) | bipedal | static |
| Humanoid Subtype | full bipedal | full bipedal |
| Walking Speed (values differ) | 0.2 m/s | 1 m/s |
| Stair Climbing | No | No |
| Terrain (values differ) | flat indoor | flat indoor, uneven outdoor |
| Payload & Dexterity | ||
| Payload (values differ) | — | 3 kg |
| Total DOF (values differ) | 20 | 6 |
| Arm DOF (values differ) | 3 | — |
| Arm Reach (values differ) | — | 80 cm |
| Manipulation Repeatability (values differ) | — | ±0.02 mm |
| Bimanual Coordination | No | No |
| Compute & AI | ||
| Onboard Compute (values differ) | Intel Atom N2600 @1.6 GHz dual core | — |
| VLM Capable | No | No |
| Foundation Models | false | false |
| Imitation Learning | No | No |
| Programming (values differ) | code_python, code_ros | programmable control systems |
| Battery & Power | ||
| Runtime (values differ) | 0.5 hrs | — |
| Battery Swap | No | No |
| Software | ||
| SDK Languages (values differ) | C++ | Python |
| ROS Support (values differ) | Yes | No |
| Open API (values differ) | Yes | No |
| Reliability | ||
| Deployment Maturity | commercial | commercial |
| IP Rating (values differ) | — | IP54/IP66 |
| Commercial | ||
| Price (USD) (values differ) | $12,000 USD | $16,500 USD |
| Price Tier (values differ) | 10-20K | 20-40K |
| Pricing Model (values differ) | purchase | capex, lease |
| Warranty (values differ) | 1 yrs | — |
| Applications (values differ) | education, research | palletizing, welding, quality_inspection, machine_tending |
Insufficient data for full comparison
The following fields had no data for any of the selected robots: Running Capable, Payload (Peak), Hand DOF, Grip Strength, 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, 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 | LARA |
|---|---|---|
| Investment | $12,000 | $16,500 |
| Payback period | 2.9 mo | 4.0 mo |
| Net savings (5 yr) | $238,000 | $233,500 |
| ROI (5 yr) | +1983% | +1415% |
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 LARA?
Darwin-OP is made by ROBOTIS Co., Ltd., based in KR. LARA is made by NEURA Robotics, based in DE.
How much does Darwin-OP cost compared to LARA?
Darwin-OP is listed at $12,000. LARA is listed at $16,500.
How do Darwin-OP and LARA compare on the Robo Index?
Darwin-OP grades AA on the Robo Index. LARA 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 LARA 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 LARA?
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 LARA 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.