iRobot Create vs Surveyor
Side-by-side comparison of iRobot Create (iRobot Corporation (Amazon subsidiary)) and Surveyor (Saildrone Inc.) — specs, pricing, Robo Score, 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
- iRobot CreateUnited States
- SurveyorUnited States
Year First Available
- iRobot Create—
- Surveyor2015
Verified Deployments
- iRobot Create0 Deployments
- Surveyor0 Deployments
Layer 2: Operational
Price
- iRobot Create$129 USD
- SurveyorResearch platform
Battery / Shift Runtime
- iRobot Create—
- Surveyor8,640 hrs
Availability Status
- iRobot CreateACTIVE
- SurveyorACTIVE
Layer 3: Category Specific
Payload Capacity
- iRobot Create—
- Surveyor100 kg
Max Speed
- iRobot Create0.5 m/s
- Surveyor3.4 m/s
Autonomy Level
- iRobot Create—
- Surveyorfully autonomous
| | |
|---|---|---|
| Layer 1: Identity & Trust | ||
| Manufacturer Country | United States | United States |
| Year First Available (values differ) | — | 2015 |
| Verified Deployments | 0 Deployments | 0 Deployments |
| Layer 2: Operational | ||
| Price (values differ) | $129 USD | Research platform |
| Battery / Shift Runtime (values differ) | — | 8,640 hrs |
| Availability Status | ACTIVE | ACTIVE |
| Layer 3: Category Specific | ||
| Payload Capacity (priority for Manufacturing buyers) (values differ) | — | 100 kg |
| Max Speed (values differ) | 0.5 m/s | 3.4 m/s |
| Autonomy Level (values differ) | — | fully autonomous |
Insufficient data for full comparison
The following fields had no data for any of the selected robots: Reach, IP Rating
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 | iRobot Create | Surveyor |
|---|---|---|
| Investment | $129 | No price |
| Payback period | < 1 mo | — |
| Net savings (5 yr) | $249,871 | — |
| ROI (5 yr) | +193698% | — |
Surveyor has 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 iRobot Create and Surveyor?
iRobot Create is made by iRobot Corporation (Amazon subsidiary), based in US. Surveyor is made by Saildrone Inc., based in US.
How do iRobot Create and Surveyor compare on the Robo Score?
iRobot Create scores 62.4 on the Robo Score. Surveyor scores 48.6. 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 iRobot Create and Surveyor 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 iRobot Create and Surveyor?
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
The real cost of a research platform
7 min readResearch & Lab Robots
The research-robot procurement RFP: questions and red flags
11 min readResearch & Lab Robots
A 90-day playbook to stand up a new platform in a lab
8 min readResearch & Lab 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
iRobot Create vs Surveyor 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 Score is calculated.