RoboThespian 3 vs Sanbot Nano
Side-by-side comparison of RoboThespian 3 (Engineered Arts) and Sanbot Nano (Sanbot Innovation Technology) — specs, pricing, Robo Score, and verified deployments. Updated daily.
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Layer 1: Identity & Trust
Manufacturer Country
- RoboThespian 3United Kingdom
- Sanbot NanoChina
Year First Available
- RoboThespian 32016
- Sanbot Nano2017
Verified Deployments
- RoboThespian 30 Deployments
- Sanbot Nano0 Deployments
Layer 2: Operational
Price
- RoboThespian 3Contact for quote
- Sanbot Nano$2,800 USD
Battery / Shift Runtime
- RoboThespian 3—
- Sanbot Nano4 hrs
Availability Status
- RoboThespian 3ACTIVE
- Sanbot NanoACTIVE
Physical Form Factor
Height
- RoboThespian 3175 mm
- Sanbot Nano90.2 mm
Weight
- RoboThespian 333 kg
- Sanbot Nano19 kg
Mobility Type
- RoboThespian 3bipedal
- Sanbot Nanowheeled
Humanoid Subtype
- RoboThespian 3full bipedal
- Sanbot Nanowheeled humanoid
Walking Speed
- RoboThespian 3—
- Sanbot Nano0.8 m/s
Stair Climbing
- RoboThespian 3No
- Sanbot Nanonone
Terrain
- RoboThespian 3flat indoor
- Sanbot Nanoflat_indoor
Payload & Dexterity
Payload
- RoboThespian 3—
- Sanbot Nano75 kg
Total DOF
- RoboThespian 326
- Sanbot Nano8
Arm DOF
- RoboThespian 3—
- Sanbot Nano10
Hand DOF
- RoboThespian 3—
- Sanbot Nano10
Bimanual Coordination
- RoboThespian 3No
- Sanbot Nano—
Compute & AI
Onboard Compute
- RoboThespian 3Intel dual-core CPU, multiple Marvell and Parallax microcontrollers, external Intel Core i7 control unit
- Sanbot NanoQuad-core ARM Cortex-A53
Compute Platform
- RoboThespian 3—
- Sanbot NanoQuad-core ARM Cortex-A53
VLM Capable
- RoboThespian 3No
- Sanbot Nanonone
Imitation Learning
- RoboThespian 3No
- Sanbot Nano—
Teleoperation
- RoboThespian 3—
- Sanbot Nanojoystick
Programming
- RoboThespian 3Python scripting and API support
- Sanbot Nanocode_python, teleoperation
Battery & Power
Runtime
- RoboThespian 3—
- Sanbot Nano10 hrs
Battery Capacity
- RoboThespian 3—
- Sanbot Nano0.3 kWh
Battery Swap
- RoboThespian 3No
- Sanbot Nano—
Safety
Human Detection Method
- RoboThespian 3—
- Sanbot Nanovision human
Software
SDK Languages
- RoboThespian 3Python
- Sanbot NanoPython
ROS Support
- RoboThespian 3No
- Sanbot Nanoros1 community
Open API
- RoboThespian 3Yes
- Sanbot Nano—
Reliability
Deployment Maturity
- RoboThespian 3commercial
- Sanbot Nanoproduction pilot
Commercial
Price (USD)
- RoboThespian 3Contact for quote
- Sanbot Nano$2,800 USD
Price Tier
- RoboThespian 3—
- Sanbot Nano10-20K
Pricing Model
- RoboThespian 3—
- Sanbot Nanocapex
Warranty
- RoboThespian 31 yrs
- Sanbot Nano—
Applications
- RoboThespian 3entertainment, education
- Sanbot Nanohome, education, healthcare, public_service
| | |
|---|---|---|
| Layer 1: Identity & Trust | ||
| Manufacturer Country (values differ) | United Kingdom | China |
| Year First Available (values differ) | 2016 | 2017 |
| Verified Deployments | 0 Deployments | 0 Deployments |
| Layer 2: Operational | ||
| Price (values differ) | Contact for quote | $2,800 USD |
| Battery / Shift Runtime (values differ) | — | 4 hrs |
| Availability Status | ACTIVE | ACTIVE |
| Layer 3: Category Specific | ||
| Physical Form Factor | ||
| Height (values differ) | 175 mm | 90.2 mm |
| Weight (values differ) | 33 kg | 19 kg |
| Mobility Type (values differ) | bipedal | wheeled |
| Humanoid Subtype (values differ) | full bipedal | wheeled humanoid |
| Walking Speed (values differ) | — | 0.8 m/s |
| Stair Climbing (values differ) | No | none |
| Terrain (values differ) | flat indoor | flat_indoor |
| Payload & Dexterity | ||
| Payload (values differ) | — | 75 kg |
| Total DOF (values differ) | 26 | 8 |
| Arm DOF (values differ) | — | 10 |
| Hand DOF (values differ) | — | 10 |
| Bimanual Coordination (values differ) | No | — |
| Compute & AI | ||
| Onboard Compute (values differ) | Intel dual-core CPU, multiple Marvell and Parallax microcontrollers, external Intel Core i7 control unit | Quad-core ARM Cortex-A53 |
| Compute Platform (values differ) | — | Quad-core ARM Cortex-A53 |
| VLM Capable (values differ) | No | none |
| Imitation Learning (values differ) | No | — |
| Teleoperation (values differ) | — | joystick |
| Programming (values differ) | Python scripting and API support | code_python, teleoperation |
| Battery & Power | ||
| Runtime (values differ) | — | 10 hrs |
| Battery Capacity (values differ) | — | 0.3 kWh |
| Battery Swap (values differ) | No | — |
| Safety | ||
| Human Detection Method (values differ) | — | vision human |
| Software | ||
| SDK Languages (values differ) | Python | Python |
| ROS Support (values differ) | No | ros1 community |
| Open API (values differ) | Yes | — |
| Reliability | ||
| Deployment Maturity (values differ) | commercial | production pilot |
| Commercial | ||
| Price (USD) (values differ) | Contact for quote | $2,800 USD |
| Price Tier (values differ) | — | 10-20K |
| Pricing Model (values differ) | — | capex |
| Warranty (values differ) | 1 yrs | — |
| Applications (values differ) | entertainment, education | home, education, healthcare, public_service |
Insufficient data for full comparison
The following fields had no data for any of the selected robots: Running Capable, Payload (Peak), Arm Reach, Grip Strength, Manipulation Repeatability, Tool Use, Foundation Models, Charging Time, Charging Method, Avg Power Consumption, Force-Limited Arms, Fall Recovery, Fall Detection Response, Emergency Stops, Safe Speed Near Humans, Simulation Platforms, Air-Gap Capable, MTBF, Task Success Rate, IP Rating, 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 | RoboThespian 3 | Sanbot Nano |
|---|---|---|
| Investment | No price | $2,800 |
| Payback period | — | < 1 mo |
| Net savings (5 yr) | — | $247,200 |
| ROI (5 yr) | — | +8829% |
RoboThespian 3 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 RoboThespian 3 and Sanbot Nano?
RoboThespian 3 is made by Engineered Arts, based in GB. Sanbot Nano is made by Sanbot Innovation Technology, based in CN.
When were RoboThespian 3 and Sanbot Nano launched?
RoboThespian 3 launched in 2016. Sanbot Nano launched in 2017.
How do RoboThespian 3 and Sanbot Nano compare on the Robo Score?
RoboThespian 3 scores 68.4 on the Robo Score. Sanbot Nano scores 63.7. 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 RoboThespian 3 and Sanbot Nano 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 RoboThespian 3 and Sanbot Nano?
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
RoboThespian 3 vs Sanbot Nano 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 Score is calculated.