Darwin-OP vs NEO Home Robot
Side-by-side comparison of Darwin-OP (ROBOTIS Co., Ltd.) and NEO Home Robot (1X Technologies AS) — specs, pricing, Robo Index, and verified deployments. Updated daily.
Optimize comparison for buyer
Optimized for Manufacturing buyers. Priority specs lifted to the top and marked with a target.
Layer 1: Identity & Trust
Manufacturer Country
- Darwin-OPSouth Korea
- NEO Home RobotUnited States
Year First Available
- Darwin-OP2010
- NEO Home Robot2025
Verified Deployments
- Darwin-OP0 Deployments
- NEO Home Robot0 Deployments
Layer 2: Operational
Price
- Darwin-OP$12,000 USD
- NEO Home Robot$20,000 USD
Battery / Shift Runtime
- Darwin-OP0.5 hrs
- NEO Home Robot4 hrs
Availability Status
- Darwin-OPACTIVE
- NEO Home RobotACTIVE
Physical Form Factor
Height
- Darwin-OP45.72 cm
- NEO Home Robot167.64 mm
Weight
- Darwin-OP9.1 kg
- NEO Home Robot29.9 kg
Mobility Type
- Darwin-OPbipedal
- NEO Home Robotbipedal
Humanoid Subtype
- Darwin-OPfull bipedal
- NEO Home Robotfull bipedal
Walking Speed
- Darwin-OP0.2 m/s
- NEO Home Robot1.4 m/s
Stair Climbing
- Darwin-OPNo
- NEO Home RobotNo
Terrain
- Darwin-OPflat indoor
- NEO Home Robotflat indoor
Payload & Dexterity
Payload
- Darwin-OP—
- NEO Home Robot25 kg
Total DOF
- Darwin-OP20
- NEO Home Robot50
Arm DOF
- Darwin-OP3
- NEO Home Robot7
Hand DOF
- Darwin-OP—
- NEO Home Robot22
Bimanual Coordination
- Darwin-OPNo
- NEO Home RobotYes
Compute & AI
Onboard Compute
- Darwin-OPIntel Atom N2600 @1.6 GHz dual core
- NEO Home Robot1X NEO Cortex (Nvidia Jetson Thor)
VLM Capable
- Darwin-OPNo
- NEO Home RobotYes
Foundation Models
- Darwin-OPfalse
- NEO Home Robottrue
Imitation Learning
- Darwin-OPNo
- NEO Home RobotNo
Programming
- Darwin-OPcode_python, code_ros
- NEO Home RobotVoice Interface, Mobile Interface
Battery & Power
Runtime
- Darwin-OP0.5 hrs
- NEO Home Robot4 hrs
Battery Swap
- Darwin-OPNo
- NEO Home RobotNo
Software
SDK Languages
- Darwin-OPC++
- NEO Home RobotVoice Interface, Mobile Interface
ROS Support
- Darwin-OPYes
- NEO Home RobotNo
Open API
- Darwin-OPYes
- NEO Home RobotNo
Reliability
Deployment Maturity
- Darwin-OPcommercial
- NEO Home Robotcommercial
Commercial
Price (USD)
- Darwin-OP$12,000 USD
- NEO Home Robot$20,000 USD
Price Tier
- Darwin-OP10-20K
- NEO Home Robot150k_500k
Pricing Model
- Darwin-OPpurchase
- NEO Home Robotoutright purchase
Developer Unit Price
- Darwin-OP—
- NEO Home Robot$499
Warranty
- Darwin-OP1 yrs
- NEO Home Robot3 yrs
Applications
- Darwin-OPeducation, research
- NEO Home Roboteldercare_assistance, household_management, personal_assistant
| | |
|---|---|---|
| Layer 1: Identity & Trust | ||
| Manufacturer Country (values differ) | South Korea | United States |
| Year First Available (values differ) | 2010 | 2025 |
| Verified Deployments | 0 Deployments | 0 Deployments |
| Layer 2: Operational | ||
| Price (values differ) | $12,000 USD | $20,000 USD |
| Battery / Shift Runtime (values differ) | 0.5 hrs | 4 hrs |
| Availability Status | ACTIVE | ACTIVE |
| Layer 3: Category Specific | ||
| Physical Form Factor | ||
| Height (values differ) | 45.72 cm | 167.64 mm |
| Weight (values differ) | 9.1 kg | 29.9 kg |
| Mobility Type | bipedal | bipedal |
| Humanoid Subtype | full bipedal | full bipedal |
| Walking Speed (values differ) | 0.2 m/s | 1.4 m/s |
| Stair Climbing | No | No |
| Terrain (values differ) | flat indoor | flat indoor |
| Payload & Dexterity | ||
| Payload (values differ) | — | 25 kg |
| Total DOF (values differ) | 20 | 50 |
| Arm DOF (values differ) | 3 | 7 |
| 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 | 1X NEO Cortex (Nvidia Jetson Thor) |
| VLM Capable (values differ) | No | Yes |
| Foundation Models (values differ) | false | true |
| Imitation Learning | No | No |
| Programming (values differ) | code_python, code_ros | Voice Interface, Mobile Interface |
| Battery & Power | ||
| Runtime (values differ) | 0.5 hrs | 4 hrs |
| Battery Swap | No | No |
| Software | ||
| SDK Languages (values differ) | C++ | Voice Interface, Mobile Interface |
| ROS Support (values differ) | Yes | No |
| Open API (values differ) | Yes | No |
| Reliability | ||
| Deployment Maturity | commercial | commercial |
| Commercial | ||
| Price (USD) (values differ) | $12,000 USD | $20,000 USD |
| Price Tier (values differ) | 10-20K | 150k_500k |
| Pricing Model (values differ) | purchase | outright purchase |
| Developer Unit Price (values differ) | — | $499 |
| Warranty (values differ) | 1 yrs | 3 yrs |
| Applications (values differ) | education, research | eldercare_assistance, household_management, personal_assistant |
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, 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 | NEO Home Robot |
|---|---|---|
| Investment | $12,000 | $20,000 |
| Payback period | 2.9 mo | 4.8 mo |
| Net savings (5 yr) | $238,000 | $230,000 |
| ROI (5 yr) | +1983% | +1150% |
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 NEO Home Robot?
Darwin-OP is made by ROBOTIS Co., Ltd., based in KR. NEO Home Robot is made by 1X Technologies AS, based in US.
When were Darwin-OP and NEO Home Robot launched?
Darwin-OP launched in 2010. NEO Home Robot launched in 2025.
How much does Darwin-OP cost compared to NEO Home Robot?
Darwin-OP is listed at $12,000. NEO Home Robot is listed at $20,000.
How do Darwin-OP and NEO Home Robot compare on the Robo Index?
Darwin-OP grades AA on the Robo Index. NEO Home Robot 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 NEO Home Robot 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 NEO Home Robot?
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
Want to be notified when specs or pricing change for these robots? Drop your email.
Other comparisons
About this comparison
Darwin-OP vs NEO Home Robot 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.