Nao vs RH5 Manus
Side-by-side comparison of Nao (SoftBank Robotics) and RH5 Manus (German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence GmbH) — specs, pricing, Robolist Product Score, 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
- NaoUnited States
- RH5 Manus—
Year First Available
- Nao2008
- RH5 Manus2022
Verified Deployments
- Nao0 Deployments
- RH5 Manus0 Deployments
Layer 2: Operational
Price Range (USD)
- Nao$32,990
- RH5 ManusContact for quote
Battery / Shift Runtime
- Nao1.5 hrs
- RH5 Manus—
Availability Status
- NaoACTIVE
- RH5 ManusACTIVE
Physical Form Factor
Height
- Nao5800 mm
- RH5 Manus187 mm
Weight
- Nao0.5 kg
- RH5 Manus36 kg
Mobility Type
- Naobipedal
- RH5 Manusbipedal
Humanoid Subtype
- Naofull bipedal
- RH5 Manusfull bipedal
Walking Speed
- Nao0.1 m/s
- RH5 Manus0.5 m/s
Running Capable
- Nao—
- RH5 Manusstatic walk
Stair Climbing
- NaoNo
- RH5 Manusnone
Terrain
- Naoindoor
- RH5 Manusflat_indoor
Payload & Dexterity
Payload
- Nao0.5 kg
- RH5 Manus4 kg
Total DOF
- Nao25
- RH5 Manus19
Arm DOF
- Nao—
- RH5 Manus7
Hand DOF
- Nao—
- RH5 Manus4
Bimanual Coordination
- NaoNo
- RH5 Manusfull bimanual
Tool Use
- Nao—
- RH5 Manusvendor demo
Compute & AI
Onboard Compute
- NaoATOM E3845 1.91 GHz, Quad core
- RH5 ManusDFKI electronic stack with FPGA for motor control
VLM Capable
- NaoNo
- RH5 Manusnone
Foundation Models
- Naofalse
- RH5 Manus—
Imitation Learning
- NaoNo
- RH5 Manussingle task
Teleoperation
- Nao—
- RH5 Manusvr_headset, full_body_suit
Programming
- Naovisual_block, code_python
- RH5 Manusteleoperation
Battery & Power
Runtime
- Nao1.5 hrs
- RH5 Manus—
Charging Method
- Nao—
- RH5 Manustethered
Battery Swap
- NaoNo
- RH5 Manus—
Safety
Force-Limited Arms
- Nao—
- RH5 ManusYes
Fall Recovery
- Nao—
- RH5 ManusYes
Human Detection Method
- Nao—
- RH5 Manusgeneric obstacle
Safe Speed Near Humans
- Nao—
- RH5 Manusnone
Software
SDK Languages
- NaoPython, C++, JavaScript
- RH5 ManusPython, C++, ROS2
ROS Support
- NaoNo
- RH5 Manusros2 community
Simulation Platforms
- Nao—
- RH5 ManusMARS
Open API
- NaoYes
- RH5 Manusopen rest
Air-Gap Capable
- Nao—
- RH5 ManusYes
Reliability
Deployment Maturity
- Naoproduction pilot
- RH5 Manusprototype
Commercial
Price (USD)
- Nao$32,990
- RH5 ManusContact for quote
Price Tier
- Nao20-40K
- RH5 Manus—
RaaS / Month
- Nao$647
- RH5 Manus—
Pricing Model
- Naocapex, raas
- RH5 Manus—
Warranty
- Nao1 yrs
- RH5 Manus—
Applications
- Naoeducation, research
- RH5 Manusassembly
| | |
|---|---|---|
| Layer 1: Identity & Trust | ||
| Manufacturer Country (values differ) | United States | — |
| Year First Available (values differ) | 2008 | 2022 |
| Verified Deployments | 0 Deployments | 0 Deployments |
| Layer 2: Operational | ||
| Price Range (USD) (values differ) | $32,990 | Contact for quote |
| Battery / Shift Runtime (values differ) | 1.5 hrs | — |
| Availability Status | ACTIVE | ACTIVE |
| Layer 3: Category Specific | ||
| Physical Form Factor | ||
| Height (values differ) | 5800 mm | 187 mm |
| Weight (values differ) | 0.5 kg | 36 kg |
| Mobility Type | bipedal | bipedal |
| Humanoid Subtype | full bipedal | full bipedal |
| Walking Speed (values differ) | 0.1 m/s | 0.5 m/s |
| Running Capable (values differ) | — | static walk |
| Stair Climbing (values differ) | No | none |
| Terrain (values differ) | indoor | flat_indoor |
| Payload & Dexterity | ||
| Payload (values differ) | 0.5 kg | 4 kg |
| Total DOF (values differ) | 25 | 19 |
| Arm DOF (values differ) | — | 7 |
| Hand DOF (values differ) | — | 4 |
| Bimanual Coordination (values differ) | No | full bimanual |
| Tool Use (values differ) | — | vendor demo |
| Compute & AI | ||
| Onboard Compute (values differ) | ATOM E3845 1.91 GHz, Quad core | DFKI electronic stack with FPGA for motor control |
| VLM Capable (values differ) | No | none |
| Foundation Models (values differ) | false | — |
| Imitation Learning (values differ) | No | single task |
| Teleoperation (values differ) | — | vr_headset, full_body_suit |
| Programming (values differ) | visual_block, code_python | teleoperation |
| Battery & Power | ||
| Runtime (values differ) | 1.5 hrs | — |
| Charging Method (values differ) | — | tethered |
| Battery Swap (values differ) | No | — |
| Safety | ||
| Force-Limited Arms (values differ) | — | Yes |
| Fall Recovery (values differ) | — | Yes |
| Human Detection Method (values differ) | — | generic obstacle |
| Safe Speed Near Humans (values differ) | — | none |
| Software | ||
| SDK Languages (values differ) | Python, C++, JavaScript | Python, C++, ROS2 |
| ROS Support (values differ) | No | ros2 community |
| Simulation Platforms (values differ) | — | MARS |
| Open API (values differ) | Yes | open rest |
| Air-Gap Capable (values differ) | — | Yes |
| Reliability | ||
| Deployment Maturity (values differ) | production pilot | prototype |
| Commercial | ||
| Price (USD) (values differ) | $32,990 | Contact for quote |
| Price Tier (values differ) | 20-40K | — |
| RaaS / Month (values differ) | $647 | — |
| Pricing Model (values differ) | capex, raas | — |
| Warranty (values differ) | 1 yrs | — |
| Applications (values differ) | education, research | assembly |
Insufficient data for full comparison
The following fields had no data for any of the selected robots: Payload (Peak), Arm Reach, Grip Strength, Manipulation Repeatability, Compute Platform, Battery Capacity, Charging Time, Avg Power Consumption, Fall Detection Response, Emergency Stops, MTBF, Task Success Rate, IP Rating, Noise Level, Developer Unit Price, Delivery Lead Time, Production Pilots
best in categoryweakest in categoryvalues differ
Trade-offs at a glance
Frequently asked
Who makes Nao and RH5 Manus?
Nao is made by SoftBank Robotics, based in US. RH5 Manus is made by German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence GmbH.
When were Nao and RH5 Manus launched?
Nao launched in 2008. RH5 Manus launched in 2022.
How do Nao and RH5 Manus compare on the Robolist Product Score?
Nao scores 48/100. RH5 Manus scores 46/100. The Product Score blends specs, pricing transparency, verified deployments, and independent media coverage — see methodology for the full breakdown.
What is the payload difference between Nao and RH5 Manus?
Nao carries up to 0.5 kg. RH5 Manus carries up to 4 kg.
Are Nao and RH5 Manus 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 Nao and RH5 Manus?
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
About this comparison
Nao vs RH5 Manus 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 Robolist Product Score is calculated.