Darwin-OP vs R1
Side-by-side comparison of Darwin-OP (ROBOTIS Co., Ltd.) and R1 (Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia) — 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
- Darwin-OPSouth Korea
- R1—
Year First Available
- Darwin-OP2010
- R1—
Verified Deployments
- Darwin-OP0 Deployments
- R10 Deployments
Layer 2: Operational
Price
- Darwin-OP$12,000 USD
- R1$250,000 USD
Battery / Shift Runtime
- Darwin-OP0.5 hrs
- R13 hrs
Availability Status
- Darwin-OPACTIVE
- R1ACTIVE
Physical Form Factor
Weight
- Darwin-OP9.1 kg
- R150 kg
Height
- Darwin-OP45.72 cm
- R1130 mm
Mobility Type
- Darwin-OPbipedal
- R1bipedal
Humanoid Subtype
- Darwin-OPfull bipedal
- R1full bipedal
Walking Speed
- Darwin-OP0.2 m/s
- R10.6 m/s
Stair Climbing
- Darwin-OPNo
- R1—
Terrain
- Darwin-OPflat indoor
- R1cluttered indoor
Payload & Dexterity
Payload
- Darwin-OP—
- R11.5 kg
Total DOF
- Darwin-OP20
- R120
Arm DOF
- Darwin-OP3
- R18
Hand DOF
- Darwin-OP—
- R14
Bimanual Coordination
- Darwin-OPNo
- R1Yes
Compute & AI
Onboard Compute
- Darwin-OPIntel Atom N2600 @1.6 GHz dual core
- R1dual-core CPU with external Ethernet interface
VLM Capable
- Darwin-OPNo
- R1—
Foundation Models
- Darwin-OPfalse
- R1—
Imitation Learning
- Darwin-OPNo
- R1—
Programming
- Darwin-OPcode_python, code_ros
- R1code_python, code_ros, proprietary_app
Battery & Power
Runtime
- Darwin-OP0.5 hrs
- R13 hrs
Battery Swap
- Darwin-OPNo
- R1—
Software
SDK Languages
- Darwin-OPC++
- R1Python
ROS Support
- Darwin-OPYes
- R1Yes
Open API
- Darwin-OPYes
- R1Yes
Reliability
Deployment Maturity
- Darwin-OPcommercial
- R1—
Commercial
Price (USD)
- Darwin-OP$12,000 USD
- R1$250,000 USD
Price Tier
- Darwin-OP10-20K
- R1150K+
Pricing Model
- Darwin-OPpurchase
- R1purchase
Warranty
- Darwin-OP1 yrs
- R1—
Applications
- Darwin-OPeducation, research
- R1eldercare_assistance, hospitality
| | |
|---|---|---|
| Layer 1: Identity & Trust | ||
| Manufacturer Country (values differ) | South Korea | — |
| Year First Available (values differ) | 2010 | — |
| Verified Deployments | 0 Deployments | 0 Deployments |
| Layer 2: Operational | ||
| Price (values differ) | $12,000 USD | $250,000 USD |
| Battery / Shift Runtime (priority for Home & Household buyers) (values differ) | 0.5 hrs | 3 hrs |
| Availability Status | ACTIVE | ACTIVE |
| Layer 3: Category Specific | ||
| Physical Form Factor | ||
| Weight (priority for Home & Household buyers) (values differ) | 9.1 kg | 50 kg |
| Height (values differ) | 45.72 cm | 130 mm |
| Mobility Type | bipedal | bipedal |
| Humanoid Subtype | full bipedal | full bipedal |
| Walking Speed (values differ) | 0.2 m/s | 0.6 m/s |
| Stair Climbing (values differ) | No | — |
| Terrain (values differ) | flat indoor | cluttered indoor |
| Payload & Dexterity | ||
| Payload (values differ) | — | 1.5 kg |
| Total DOF | 20 | 20 |
| Arm DOF (values differ) | 3 | 8 |
| Hand DOF (values differ) | — | 4 |
| Bimanual Coordination (values differ) | No | Yes |
| Compute & AI | ||
| Onboard Compute (values differ) | Intel Atom N2600 @1.6 GHz dual core | dual-core CPU with external Ethernet interface |
| VLM Capable (values differ) | No | — |
| Foundation Models (values differ) | false | — |
| Imitation Learning (values differ) | No | — |
| Programming (values differ) | code_python, code_ros | code_python, code_ros, proprietary_app |
| Battery & Power | ||
| Runtime (values differ) | 0.5 hrs | 3 hrs |
| Battery Swap (values differ) | No | — |
| Software | ||
| SDK Languages (values differ) | C++ | Python |
| ROS Support | Yes | Yes |
| Open API | Yes | Yes |
| Reliability | ||
| Deployment Maturity (values differ) | commercial | — |
| Commercial | ||
| Price (USD) (values differ) | $12,000 USD | $250,000 USD |
| Price Tier (values differ) | 10-20K | 150K+ |
| Pricing Model | purchase | purchase |
| Warranty (values differ) | 1 yrs | — |
| Applications (values differ) | education, research | eldercare_assistance, hospitality |
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 | R1 |
|---|---|---|
| Investment | $12,000 | $250,000 |
| Payback period | 2.9 mo | 60.0 mo |
| Net savings (5 yr) | $238,000 | $0 |
| ROI (5 yr) | +1983% | +0% |
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 R1?
Darwin-OP is made by ROBOTIS Co., Ltd., based in KR. R1 is made by Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia.
How much does Darwin-OP cost compared to R1?
Darwin-OP is listed at $12,000. R1 is listed at $250,000.
How do Darwin-OP and R1 compare on the Robo Index?
Darwin-OP grades AA on the Robo Index. R1 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 R1 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 R1?
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 R1 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.