Darwin-OP vs Sanbot S1
Side-by-side comparison of Darwin-OP (ROBOTIS Co., Ltd.) and Sanbot S1 (Sanbot Innovation Technology) — 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
- Sanbot S1China
Year First Available
- Darwin-OP2010
- Sanbot S1—
Verified Deployments
- Darwin-OP0 Deployments
- Sanbot S10 Deployments
Layer 2: Operational
Price
- Darwin-OP$12,000 USD
- Sanbot S1$11,000 USD
Battery / Shift Runtime
- Darwin-OP0.5 hrs
- Sanbot S118 hrs
Availability Status
- Darwin-OPACTIVE
- Sanbot S1ACTIVE
Physical Form Factor
Height
- Darwin-OP45.72 cm
- Sanbot S1848.32 mm
Weight
- Darwin-OP9.1 kg
- Sanbot S1100 kg
Mobility Type
- Darwin-OPbipedal
- Sanbot S1static
Humanoid Subtype
- Darwin-OPfull bipedal
- Sanbot S1service humanoid
Walking Speed
- Darwin-OP0.2 m/s
- Sanbot S15 m/s
Stair Climbing
- Darwin-OPNo
- Sanbot S1No
Terrain
- Darwin-OPflat indoor
- Sanbot S1home
Payload & Dexterity
Payload
- Darwin-OP—
- Sanbot S175 kg
Total DOF
- Darwin-OP20
- Sanbot S127
Arm DOF
- Darwin-OP3
- Sanbot S110
Hand DOF
- Darwin-OP—
- Sanbot S11x2(L/R) DOF
Bimanual Coordination
- Darwin-OPNo
- Sanbot S1No
Compute & AI
Onboard Compute
- Darwin-OPIntel Atom N2600 @1.6 GHz dual core
- Sanbot S1—
VLM Capable
- Darwin-OPNo
- Sanbot S1No
Foundation Models
- Darwin-OPfalse
- Sanbot S1false
Imitation Learning
- Darwin-OPNo
- Sanbot S1No
Programming
- Darwin-OPcode_python, code_ros
- Sanbot S1Amazon Alexa
Battery & Power
Runtime
- Darwin-OP0.5 hrs
- Sanbot S118 hrs
Battery Swap
- Darwin-OPNo
- Sanbot S1No
Software
SDK Languages
- Darwin-OPC++
- Sanbot S1none
ROS Support
- Darwin-OPYes
- Sanbot S1No
Open API
- Darwin-OPYes
- Sanbot S1No
Reliability
Deployment Maturity
- Darwin-OPcommercial
- Sanbot S1commercial
Commercial
Price (USD)
- Darwin-OP$12,000 USD
- Sanbot S1$11,000 USD
Price Tier
- Darwin-OP10-20K
- Sanbot S1—
Pricing Model
- Darwin-OPpurchase
- Sanbot S1—
Warranty
- Darwin-OP1 yrs
- Sanbot S1—
Applications
- Darwin-OPeducation, research
- Sanbot S1healthcare, education, hospitality, public_service
| | |
|---|---|---|
| Layer 1: Identity & Trust | ||
| Manufacturer Country (values differ) | South Korea | China |
| Year First Available (values differ) | 2010 | — |
| Verified Deployments | 0 Deployments | 0 Deployments |
| Layer 2: Operational | ||
| Price (values differ) | $12,000 USD | $11,000 USD |
| Battery / Shift Runtime (values differ) | 0.5 hrs | 18 hrs |
| Availability Status | ACTIVE | ACTIVE |
| Layer 3: Category Specific | ||
| Physical Form Factor | ||
| Height (values differ) | 45.72 cm | 848.32 mm |
| Weight (values differ) | 9.1 kg | 100 kg |
| Mobility Type (values differ) | bipedal | static |
| Humanoid Subtype (values differ) | full bipedal | service humanoid |
| Walking Speed (values differ) | 0.2 m/s | 5 m/s |
| Stair Climbing | No | No |
| Terrain (values differ) | flat indoor | home |
| Payload & Dexterity | ||
| Payload (values differ) | — | 75 kg |
| Total DOF (values differ) | 20 | 27 |
| Arm DOF (values differ) | 3 | 10 |
| Hand DOF (values differ) | — | 1x2(L/R) DOF |
| 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 | Amazon Alexa |
| Battery & Power | ||
| Runtime (values differ) | 0.5 hrs | 18 hrs |
| Battery Swap | No | No |
| Software | ||
| SDK Languages (values differ) | C++ | none |
| 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 | $11,000 USD |
| Price Tier (values differ) | 10-20K | — |
| Pricing Model (values differ) | purchase | — |
| Warranty (values differ) | 1 yrs | — |
| Applications (values differ) | education, research | healthcare, education, hospitality, public_service |
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 | Sanbot S1 |
|---|---|---|
| Investment | $12,000 | $11,000 |
| Payback period | 2.9 mo | 2.6 mo |
| Net savings (5 yr) | $238,000 | $239,000 |
| ROI (5 yr) | +1983% | +2173% |
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 Sanbot S1?
Darwin-OP is made by ROBOTIS Co., Ltd., based in KR. Sanbot S1 is made by Sanbot Innovation Technology, based in CN.
How much does Darwin-OP cost compared to Sanbot S1?
Darwin-OP is listed at $12,000. Sanbot S1 is listed at $11,000.
How do Darwin-OP and Sanbot S1 compare on the Robo Index?
Darwin-OP grades AA on the Robo Index. Sanbot S1 grades BBB. 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 Sanbot S1 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 Sanbot S1?
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 Sanbot S1 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.