hitchBOT vs Kilobot

Side-by-side comparison of hitchBOT (David Harris Smith and Frauke Zeller) and Kilobot (Harvard) — 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.

hitchBOTB

KilobotAA

Layer 1: Identity & Trust

Manufacturer Country

hitchBOT—
KilobotSwitzerland

Year First Available

hitchBOT2013
Kilobot2014

Verified Deployments

hitchBOT0 Deployments
Kilobot0 Deployments

Layer 2: Operational

Battery / Shift Runtime

hitchBOT7.5 hrs
Kilobot4 hrs

Availability Status

hitchBOTACTIVE
KilobotACTIVE

Layer 3: Category Specific

Max Speed

hitchBOT—
Kilobot0 m/s

Autonomy Level

hitchBOTteleoperated
Kilobotfully autonomous

	hitchBOTresearchDavid Harris Smith and Frauke Zeller BRobo Index	KilobotresearchHarvard AARobo Index
Layer 1: Identity & Trust
Manufacturer Country (values differ)	—	Switzerland
Year First Available (values differ)	2013	2014
Verified Deployments	0 Deployments	0 Deployments
Layer 2: Operational
Battery / Shift Runtime (values differ)	7.5 hrs	4 hrs
Availability Status	ACTIVE	ACTIVE
Layer 3: Category Specific
Max Speed (values differ)	—	0 m/s
Autonomy Level (values differ)	teleoperated	fully autonomous

Insufficient data for full comparison

The following fields had no data for any of the selected robots: Price, Payload Capacity, Reach, IP Rating

best in categoryweakest in categoryvalues differ

ROI Comparison

Same operating assumptions across every robot — the only difference is price. Set your numbers once to see which pays back fastest.

Robots (fleet)

Hours / day

Labor $/hr (USD)

Days / year

Annual labor displaced (per robot): $50,000

Metric	hitchBOT	Kilobot
Investment	No price	No price
Payback period	—	—
Net savings (5 yr)	—	—
ROI (5 yr)	—	—

hitchBOT, Kilobot have no listed price, so payback can't be computed. Contact the manufacturer for a quote.

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 hitchBOT and Kilobot?

hitchBOT is made by David Harris Smith and Frauke Zeller. Kilobot is made by Harvard, based in CH.

When were hitchBOT and Kilobot launched?

hitchBOT launched in 2013. Kilobot launched in 2014.

How do hitchBOT and Kilobot compare on the Robo Index?

hitchBOT grades B on the Robo Index. Kilobot grades AA. 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 hitchBOT and Kilobot in the same category?

Both robots are classified as Research on Robolist. Filters and ranking treat them as direct alternatives.

What is the realistic total cost of ownership for Research robots?

Hardware cost is one input. Research TCO also includes integration, training, downtime, and end-of-life. Our breakdown: The real cost of a research platform.

What should a buyer ask vendors when choosing between hitchBOT and Kilobot?

Spec sheets only show part of the story. Useful vendor questions cover support, lifecycle, integration cost, and references. We have a buyer-focused checklist: The research-robot procurement RFP: questions and red flags.

Going deeper — picking the right robot

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About this comparison

hitchBOT vs Kilobot compares two robots in the research 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.