RoboThespian 3 vs Walker S1
Side-by-side comparison of RoboThespian 3 (Engineered Arts) and Walker S1 (UBTECH Robotics Corp Ltd.) — 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
- RoboThespian 3United Kingdom
- Walker S1China
Year First Available
- RoboThespian 32016
- Walker S12024
Verified Deployments
- RoboThespian 30 Deployments
- Walker S10 Deployments
Layer 2: Operational
Price
- RoboThespian 3Contact for quote
- Walker S1$75,000 USD
Battery / Shift Runtime
- RoboThespian 3—
- Walker S12 hrs
Availability Status
- RoboThespian 3ACTIVE
- Walker S1ACTIVE
Physical Form Factor
Weight
- RoboThespian 333 kg
- Walker S176 kg
Height
- RoboThespian 3175 mm
- Walker S1130 mm
Mobility Type
- RoboThespian 3bipedal
- Walker S1bipedal
Humanoid Subtype
- RoboThespian 3full bipedal
- Walker S1full bipedal
Walking Speed
- RoboThespian 3—
- Walker S10.8 m/s
Stair Climbing
- RoboThespian 3No
- Walker S1Yes
Terrain
- RoboThespian 3flat indoor
- Walker S1flat indoor, uneven outdoor, gravel, tile, thick carpet, lawn
Payload & Dexterity
Payload
- RoboThespian 3—
- Walker S110 kg
Total DOF
- RoboThespian 326
- Walker S141
Arm DOF
- RoboThespian 3—
- Walker S17
Hand DOF
- RoboThespian 3—
- Walker S16
Arm Reach
- RoboThespian 3—
- Walker S160 cm
Bimanual Coordination
- RoboThespian 3No
- Walker S1Yes
Compute & AI
Onboard Compute
- RoboThespian 3Intel dual-core CPU, multiple Marvell and Parallax microcontrollers, external Intel Core i7 control unit
- Walker S1Intel i7 8665U Frequency 1.9Ghz *2, NVIDIA GT1030 graphics card, 384 cores
VLM Capable
- RoboThespian 3No
- Walker S1No
Foundation Models
- RoboThespian 3—
- Walker S1false
Imitation Learning
- RoboThespian 3No
- Walker S1No
Programming
- RoboThespian 3Python scripting and API support
- Walker S1ROS 2.0
Battery & Power
Runtime
- RoboThespian 3—
- Walker S12 hrs
Battery Swap
- RoboThespian 3No
- Walker S1No
Software
SDK Languages
- RoboThespian 3Python
- Walker S1Python
ROS Support
- RoboThespian 3No
- Walker S1Yes
Open API
- RoboThespian 3Yes
- Walker S1Yes
Reliability
Deployment Maturity
- RoboThespian 3commercial
- Walker S1commercial
Commercial
Price (USD)
- RoboThespian 3Contact for quote
- Walker S1$75,000 USD
Price Tier
- RoboThespian 3—
- Walker S140-80K
Pricing Model
- RoboThespian 3—
- Walker S1purchase
Warranty
- RoboThespian 31 yrs
- Walker S12 yrs
Applications
- RoboThespian 3entertainment, education
- Walker S1service, entertainment, education
| | |
|---|---|---|
| Layer 1: Identity & Trust | ||
| Manufacturer Country (values differ) | United Kingdom | China |
| Year First Available (values differ) | 2016 | 2024 |
| Verified Deployments | 0 Deployments | 0 Deployments |
| Layer 2: Operational | ||
| Price (values differ) | Contact for quote | $75,000 USD |
| Battery / Shift Runtime (priority for Cleaning & Facilities buyers) (values differ) | — | 2 hrs |
| Availability Status | ACTIVE | ACTIVE |
| Layer 3: Category Specific | ||
| Physical Form Factor | ||
| Weight (priority for Cleaning & Facilities buyers) (values differ) | 33 kg | 76 kg |
| Height (values differ) | 175 mm | 130 mm |
| Mobility Type | bipedal | bipedal |
| Humanoid Subtype | full bipedal | full bipedal |
| Walking Speed (values differ) | — | 0.8 m/s |
| Stair Climbing (values differ) | No | Yes |
| Terrain (values differ) | flat indoor | flat indoor, uneven outdoor, gravel, tile, thick carpet, lawn |
| Payload & Dexterity | ||
| Payload (values differ) | — | 10 kg |
| Total DOF (values differ) | 26 | 41 |
| Arm DOF (values differ) | — | 7 |
| Hand DOF (values differ) | — | 6 |
| Arm Reach (values differ) | — | 60 cm |
| Bimanual Coordination (values differ) | No | Yes |
| Compute & AI | ||
| Onboard Compute (values differ) | Intel dual-core CPU, multiple Marvell and Parallax microcontrollers, external Intel Core i7 control unit | Intel i7 8665U Frequency 1.9Ghz *2, NVIDIA GT1030 graphics card, 384 cores |
| VLM Capable | No | No |
| Foundation Models (values differ) | — | false |
| Imitation Learning | No | No |
| Programming (values differ) | Python scripting and API support | ROS 2.0 |
| Battery & Power | ||
| Runtime (values differ) | — | 2 hrs |
| Battery Swap | No | No |
| Software | ||
| SDK Languages (values differ) | Python | Python |
| ROS Support (values differ) | No | Yes |
| Open API | Yes | Yes |
| Reliability | ||
| Deployment Maturity | commercial | commercial |
| Commercial | ||
| Price (USD) (values differ) | Contact for quote | $75,000 USD |
| Price Tier (values differ) | — | 40-80K |
| Pricing Model (values differ) | — | purchase |
| Warranty (values differ) | 1 yrs | 2 yrs |
| Applications (values differ) | entertainment, education | service, entertainment, education |
Insufficient data for full comparison
The following fields had no data for any of the selected robots: Running Capable, Payload (Peak), Grip Strength, Manipulation Repeatability, Tool Use, Compute Platform, Teleoperation, Battery Capacity, Charging Time, Charging Method, Avg Power Consumption, Force-Limited Arms, Fall Recovery, Fall Detection Response, Emergency Stops, Human Detection Method, 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 | Walker S1 |
|---|---|---|
| Investment | No price | $75,000 |
| Payback period | — | 18.0 mo |
| Net savings (5 yr) | — | $175,000 |
| ROI (5 yr) | — | +233% |
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 Walker S1?
RoboThespian 3 is made by Engineered Arts, based in GB. Walker S1 is made by UBTECH Robotics Corp Ltd., based in CN.
When were RoboThespian 3 and Walker S1 launched?
RoboThespian 3 launched in 2016. Walker S1 launched in 2024.
How do RoboThespian 3 and Walker S1 compare on the Robo Score?
RoboThespian 3 scores 68.4 on the Robo Score. Walker S1 scores 69.6. 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 RoboThespian 3 and Walker S1 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 Walker S1?
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 Walker S1 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.