Darwin-OP vs THOR-RD
Side-by-side comparison of Darwin-OP (ROBOTIS Co., Ltd.) and THOR-RD (RoMeLa) — specs, pricing, Robo Index, and verified deployments. Updated daily.
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Optimized for Manufacturing buyers. Priority specs lifted to the top and marked with a target.
Layer 1: Identity & Trust
Manufacturer Country
- Darwin-OPSouth Korea
- THOR-RDSouth Korea
Year First Available
- Darwin-OP2010
- THOR-RD—
Verified Deployments
- Darwin-OP0 Deployments
- THOR-RD0 Deployments
Layer 2: Operational
Price
- Darwin-OP$12,000 USD
- THOR-RD$49,500 USD
Battery / Shift Runtime
- Darwin-OP0.5 hrs
- THOR-RD—
Availability Status
- Darwin-OPACTIVE
- THOR-RDACTIVE
Physical Form Factor
Height
- Darwin-OP45.72 cm
- THOR-RD1500 mm
Weight
- Darwin-OP9.1 kg
- THOR-RD79 kg
Mobility Type
- Darwin-OPbipedal
- THOR-RD—
Humanoid Subtype
- Darwin-OPfull bipedal
- THOR-RD—
Walking Speed
- Darwin-OP0.2 m/s
- THOR-RD—
Stair Climbing
- Darwin-OPNo
- THOR-RD—
Terrain
- Darwin-OPflat indoor
- THOR-RDindoor
Payload & Dexterity
Payload
- Darwin-OP—
- THOR-RD30 kg
Total DOF
- Darwin-OP20
- THOR-RD31
Arm DOF
- Darwin-OP3
- THOR-RD—
Bimanual Coordination
- Darwin-OPNo
- THOR-RD—
Compute & AI
Onboard Compute
- Darwin-OPIntel Atom N2600 @1.6 GHz dual core
- THOR-RD—
VLM Capable
- Darwin-OPNo
- THOR-RD—
Foundation Models
- Darwin-OPfalse
- THOR-RD—
Imitation Learning
- Darwin-OPNo
- THOR-RD—
Programming
- Darwin-OPcode_python, code_ros
- THOR-RDno_code_gui
Battery & Power
Runtime
- Darwin-OP0.5 hrs
- THOR-RD—
Battery Swap
- Darwin-OPNo
- THOR-RD—
Software
SDK Languages
- Darwin-OPC++
- THOR-RDno_code_gui
ROS Support
- Darwin-OPYes
- THOR-RD—
Open API
- Darwin-OPYes
- THOR-RDYes
Reliability
IP Rating
- Darwin-OP—
- THOR-RDIP69K
Deployment Maturity
- Darwin-OPcommercial
- THOR-RD—
Commercial
Price (USD)
- Darwin-OP$12,000 USD
- THOR-RD$49,500 USD
Price Tier
- Darwin-OP10-20K
- THOR-RD40-80K
Pricing Model
- Darwin-OPpurchase
- THOR-RDpurchase
Warranty
- Darwin-OP1 yrs
- THOR-RD—
Applications
- Darwin-OPeducation, research
- THOR-RDdisaster relief
| ||
|---|---|---|
| Layer 1: Identity & Trust | ||
| Manufacturer Country | South Korea | South Korea |
| Year First Available (values differ) | 2010 | — |
| Verified Deployments | 0 Deployments | 0 Deployments |
| Layer 2: Operational | ||
| Price (values differ) | $12,000 USD | $49,500 USD |
| Battery / Shift Runtime (values differ) | 0.5 hrs | — |
| Availability Status | ACTIVE | ACTIVE |
| Layer 3: Category Specific | ||
| Physical Form Factor | ||
| Height (values differ) | 45.72 cm | 1500 mm |
| Weight (values differ) | 9.1 kg | 79 kg |
| Mobility Type (values differ) | bipedal | — |
| Humanoid Subtype (values differ) | full bipedal | — |
| Walking Speed (values differ) | 0.2 m/s | — |
| Stair Climbing (values differ) | No | — |
| Terrain (values differ) | flat indoor | indoor |
| Payload & Dexterity | ||
| Payload (values differ) | — | 30 kg |
| Total DOF (values differ) | 20 | 31 |
| Arm DOF (values differ) | 3 | — |
| Bimanual Coordination (values differ) | No | — |
| Compute & AI | ||
| Onboard Compute (values differ) | Intel Atom N2600 @1.6 GHz dual core | — |
| VLM Capable (values differ) | No | — |
| Foundation Models (values differ) | false | — |
| Imitation Learning (values differ) | No | — |
| Programming (values differ) | code_python, code_ros | no_code_gui |
| Battery & Power | ||
| Runtime (values differ) | 0.5 hrs | — |
| Battery Swap (values differ) | No | — |
| Software | ||
| SDK Languages (values differ) | C++ | no_code_gui |
| ROS Support (values differ) | Yes | — |
| Open API | Yes | Yes |
| Reliability | ||
| IP Rating (priority for Manufacturing buyers) (values differ) | — | IP69K |
| Deployment Maturity (values differ) | commercial | — |
| Commercial | ||
| Price (USD) (values differ) | $12,000 USD | $49,500 USD |
| Price Tier (values differ) | 10-20K | 40-80K |
| Pricing Model | purchase | purchase |
| Warranty (values differ) | 1 yrs | — |
| Applications (values differ) | education, research | disaster relief |
Insufficient data for full comparison
The following fields had no data for any of the selected robots: Running Capable, Payload (Peak), Hand DOF, 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, 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 | THOR-RD |
|---|---|---|
| Investment | $12,000 | $49,500 |
| Payback period | 2.9 mo | 11.9 mo |
| Net savings (5 yr) | $238,000 | $200,500 |
| ROI (5 yr) | +1983% | +405% |
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 THOR-RD?
Darwin-OP is made by ROBOTIS Co., Ltd., based in KR. THOR-RD is made by RoMeLa, based in KR.
How much does Darwin-OP cost compared to THOR-RD?
Darwin-OP is listed at $12,000. THOR-RD is listed at $49,500.
How do Darwin-OP and THOR-RD compare on the Robo Index?
Darwin-OP grades AA on the Robo Index. THOR-RD 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 THOR-RD 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 THOR-RD?
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 THOR-RD 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.