Franka Emika Panda vs LBR iiwa 7 R800 CR
Side-by-side comparison of Franka Emika Panda (Franka Robotics GmbH) and LBR iiwa 7 R800 CR (KUKA Robotics) — specs, pricing, Robo Score, and verified deployments. Updated daily.
Optimize comparison for buyer
Optimized for Cleaning & Facilities buyers. Priority specs lifted to the top and marked with a target.
Layer 1: Identity & Trust
Manufacturer Country
- Franka Emika PandaGermany
- LBR iiwa 7 R800 CRGermany
Year First Available
- Franka Emika Panda2017
- LBR iiwa 7 R800 CR—
Verified Deployments
- Franka Emika Panda0 Deployments
- LBR iiwa 7 R800 CR0 Deployments
Layer 2: Operational
Price
- Franka Emika Panda$30,000 USD
- LBR iiwa 7 R800 CR$50,000–$74,000 USD
Availability Status
- Franka Emika PandaACTIVE
- LBR iiwa 7 R800 CRACTIVE
Arm Mechanics
Robot Weight
- Franka Emika Panda11 kg
- LBR iiwa 7 R800 CR—
Payload
- Franka Emika Panda3 kg
- LBR iiwa 7 R800 CR7 kg
Reach
- Franka Emika Panda1,260 mm
- LBR iiwa 7 R800 CR800 mm
Degrees of Freedom
- Franka Emika Panda—
- LBR iiwa 7 R800 CR7
Repeatability
- Franka Emika Panda±0.1 mm
- LBR iiwa 7 R800 CR±2 mm
Mounting Options
- Franka Emika Pandafloor, ceiling, wall
- LBR iiwa 7 R800 CRfloor, ceiling, wall
IP Rating
- Franka Emika PandaIP54
- LBR iiwa 7 R800 CRIP54
Safety
Safety Rating
- Franka Emika PandaISO/TS 15066
- LBR iiwa 7 R800 CRCat3 PLd
Force/Torque Sensing
- Franka Emika Pandaintegrated wrist ft
- LBR iiwa 7 R800 CRjoint level all
Duty Cycle
- Franka Emika Panda—
- LBR iiwa 7 R800 CR24 7 continuous
Ease of Use
Setup Time
- Franka Emika Panda—
- LBR iiwa 7 R800 CR0.5 hrs
No-Code Capable
- Franka Emika PandaYes
- LBR iiwa 7 R800 CRYes
Offline Programming
- Franka Emika PandaYes
- LBR iiwa 7 R800 CRYes
Programming Interface
- Franka Emika PandaFranka Emika API
- LBR iiwa 7 R800 CRteach_pendant
End-Effector
Tool Flange Standard
- Franka Emika PandaISO 9409-1-A50
- LBR iiwa 7 R800 CRiso 9283
Integrated F/T Sensor
- Franka Emika Panda—
- LBR iiwa 7 R800 CRYes
Software & Connectivity
ROS Compatible
- Franka Emika PandaYes
- LBR iiwa 7 R800 CR—
Fieldbus Protocols
- Franka Emika PandaEtherCAT
- LBR iiwa 7 R800 CR—
Digital Twin Support
- Franka Emika Panda—
- LBR iiwa 7 R800 CRYes
Commercial
Price (USD)
- Franka Emika Panda$30,000 USD
- LBR iiwa 7 R800 CR$50,000–$74,000 USD
| | |
|---|---|---|
| Layer 1: Identity & Trust | ||
| Manufacturer Country | Germany | Germany |
| Year First Available (values differ) | 2017 | — |
| Verified Deployments | 0 Deployments | 0 Deployments |
| Layer 2: Operational | ||
| Price (values differ) | $30,000 USD | $50,000–$74,000 USD |
| Availability Status | ACTIVE | ACTIVE |
| Layer 3: Category Specific | ||
| Arm Mechanics | ||
| Robot Weight (priority for Cleaning & Facilities buyers) (values differ) | 11 kg | — |
| Payload (priority for Cleaning & Facilities buyers) (values differ) | 3 kg | 7 kg |
| Reach (values differ) | 1,260 mm | 800 mm |
| Degrees of Freedom (values differ) | — | 7 |
| Repeatability (values differ) | ±0.1 mm | ±2 mm |
| Mounting Options (values differ) | floor, ceiling, wall | floor, ceiling, wall |
| IP Rating | IP54 | IP54 |
| Safety | ||
| Safety Rating (values differ) | ISO/TS 15066 | Cat3 PLd |
| Force/Torque Sensing (values differ) | integrated wrist ft | joint level all |
| Duty Cycle (values differ) | — | 24 7 continuous |
| Ease of Use | ||
| Setup Time (values differ) | — | 0.5 hrs |
| No-Code Capable | Yes | Yes |
| Offline Programming (values differ) | Yes | Yes |
| Programming Interface (values differ) | Franka Emika API | teach_pendant |
| End-Effector | ||
| Tool Flange Standard (values differ) | ISO 9409-1-A50 | iso 9283 |
| Integrated F/T Sensor (values differ) | — | Yes |
| Software & Connectivity | ||
| ROS Compatible (values differ) | Yes | — |
| Fieldbus Protocols (values differ) | EtherCAT | — |
| Digital Twin Support (values differ) | — | Yes |
| Commercial | ||
| Price (USD) (values differ) | $30,000 USD | $50,000–$74,000 USD |
Insufficient data for full comparison
The following fields had no data for any of the selected robots: Battery / Shift Runtime, Max TCP Speed, TCP Speed (Collaborative), Power/Force Limiting, Safety I/O Pairs, Time to Redeploy, Tool Changer Support, Wrist Power Supply, SDK Languages, MTBF, Path Accuracy, CaaS / Month, Warranty, Lead Time
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 | Franka Emika Panda | LBR iiwa 7 R800 CR |
|---|---|---|
| Investment | $30,000 | $62,000 |
| Payback period | 7.2 mo | 14.9 mo |
| Net savings (5 yr) | $220,000 | $188,000 |
| ROI (5 yr) | +733% | +303% |
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 Franka Emika Panda and LBR iiwa 7 R800 CR?
Franka Emika Panda is made by Franka Robotics GmbH, based in DE. LBR iiwa 7 R800 CR is made by KUKA Robotics, based in DE.
How do Franka Emika Panda and LBR iiwa 7 R800 CR compare on the Robo Score?
Franka Emika Panda scores 69.8 on the Robo Score. LBR iiwa 7 R800 CR scores 65.7. The Robo Score is a 0–100 credibility figure blending commercial maturity, verified deployments, company standing, and independent coverage — see methodology for the full breakdown.
Are Franka Emika Panda and LBR iiwa 7 R800 CR in the same category?
Both robots are classified as Cobot on Robolist. Filters and ranking treat them as direct alternatives.
What is the realistic total cost of ownership for Cobot robots?
Hardware cost is one input. Cobot TCO also includes integration, training, downtime, and end-of-life. Our breakdown: Cobot TCO and Payback Math: Hardware, EOAT, and Zero-Fencing Savings.
What should a buyer ask vendors when choosing between Franka Emika Panda and LBR iiwa 7 R800 CR?
Spec sheets only show part of the story. Useful vendor questions cover support, lifecycle, integration cost, and references. We have a buyer-focused checklist: Cobot Vendor Red Flags: Questions That Filter Out the Marketing.
Going deeper — picking the right robot
Cobot TCO and Payback Math: Hardware, EOAT, and Zero-Fencing Savings
6 min readCollaborative Robots
Cobot Vendor Red Flags: Questions That Filter Out the Marketing
9 min readCollaborative Robots
Running a Cobot Pilot in a Manual Production Line
9 min readCollaborative 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
Franka Emika Panda vs LBR iiwa 7 R800 CR compares two robots in the cobot category. All data is sourced from manufacturer spec sheets, verified deployments, and third-party filings; see our methodology for how the Robo Score is calculated.