Buy
How do you compare humanoid robots?
Compare humanoid robots on six numbers, not on videos: height and weight, degrees of freedom, payload, runtime per charge, sensing, and software access. Those six decide what a robot can physically do and what you are allowed to make it do. Then add a seventh line that is not a number: order status, meaning whether you can actually buy it. On those terms the Unitree G1 (1.32 m, 35 kg, 23 DoF, 2 kg per arm, about 2 hours, LiDAR, no SDK in the base tier) and the 1X NEO (1.68 m, 30 kg, 25 kg carry, pre-order) are different tools for different jobs, not rivals.
By ROBOOSH · Published 2026-09-06 · Last updated 2026-09-06
Free: The Humanoid Robot Guide 2026, all six numbers for every robot you can order, side by side → Get the free guide
Why do demo videos tell you so little?
Because a video shows what one robot did once, under conditions you cannot see. A side-flip proves the actuators are strong and the balance controller is good. It does not tell you whether the robot can carry a tray across a room, run for an afternoon, or be programmed by your team. Many demos are also teleoperated, which we cover in Are humanoid robots autonomous or remote controlled?.
We compared the public spec pages of eight humanoids that can be ordered in 2026 against the claims in their launch videos, and the pattern was consistent: the videos emphasise locomotion, the spec sheets are quiet on runtime and payload, and software access is often only explained in the price list. The numbers below are where the real differences live.
What are the six numbers that matter?
1. Height and weight. This decides where the robot fits and who can move it. A Unitree G1 at 1.32 m and about 35 kg fits in a car boot and can be lifted by two people. An Apptronik Apollo at 1.73 m and about 73 kg is a warehouse machine. The 1X NEO is built light on purpose, about 30 kg at 1.68 m, because it is meant to share a home with people. Our dedicated piece on how big and heavy a humanoid robot is has a full table.
2. Degrees of freedom (DoF). The count of independently controlled joints. The G1 has 23 in its base configuration and up to 43 with dexterous hands; the Unitree R1 has 4 to 5 DoF per arm against the G1's 7. More DoF in the arms means reaching around objects rather than only in front; more in the hands means grasping a cup rather than a box. Whole-body DoF above 40 usually signals five-finger hands are included, and the price reflects it.
3. Payload. What the arms can lift and what the robot can carry while walking. The G1 is rated at about 2 kg per arm; NEO is rated to carry 25 kg and lift 68 kg; Apollo's published lift is about 25 kg. This single number rules most tasks in or out. A 2 kg arm payload is a robot that hands out flyers, not one that unloads a van.
4. Runtime per charge. Around two hours for the G1, roughly half that for the R1, about four hours per swappable pack for Apollo. Runtime decides whether you need a spare battery for a working day, and whether the battery can be swapped hot or the robot has to sit down and charge.
5. Sensing. What the robot can see. The G1 carries 3D LiDAR plus a depth camera; the R1 relies on basic monocular or binocular cameras. Less sensing means less autonomous navigation and more supervision. For a robot that will walk around guests, sensing is a safety number.
6. Software access. Whether you can program it at all. Unitree's base G1 and R1 ship without a development kit; the R1 EDU at $10,500 and G1 EDU from $43,900 add it. Makers of home robots such as Weave and 1X do not offer a public SDK. If your plan involves code, this line moves the price by three to five times.
What is the seventh line, and why is it not a number?
Order status. A perfect spec sheet is irrelevant if the robot is a pilot-only machine. We use four statuses: orderable with a public price, pre-order with a deposit, quote-only for businesses, and not for sale. The current list is in Which humanoid robots are for sale in 2026?. Put status next to the six numbers and most comparisons resolve themselves: the robot with the numbers you need and a price you can pay is usually one of two or three machines.
How do you turn the numbers into a decision?
Start from the job, write down the minimum for each line, then cross off every robot that misses one.
| Job | Payload | Runtime | Sensing | Software | Typical candidates | |---|---|---|---|---|---| | Events, greeting, filming | under 2 kg | 2 h with a spare | LiDAR preferred around crowds | not needed | G1, R1 | | Home chores (light) | 5 kg plus | 2 h plus | depth cameras | not offered | NEO, Isaac 1 (pre-order) | | Research, development | any | any | LiDAR plus depth | SDK required | R1 EDU, G1 EDU | | Warehouse, factory | 15 kg plus | shift length, swappable | full stack | vendor-managed | Apollo, Digit (quote only) |
The full pre-purchase list is in 20 questions to ask before buying a humanoid robot. Two mistakes we see most often. Buying for the most demanding task you might ever do, which pushes you into a $40,000 machine when a $6,000 one covers the actual job. And ignoring runtime, which turns a great event into a robot sitting on a chair at 3 pm.
You can put any three robots from the guide side by side on these lines in our compare tool, and the total cost behind each option is in How much does a humanoid robot cost?.
Specs checked August 2026 against maker pages; this page is updated when makers change them.
FAQ
Q: What is the most important spec on a humanoid robot? Payload, because it decides which tasks are physically possible. Runtime is second, because it decides whether the robot works a whole day.
Q: What does DoF mean on a humanoid robot? Degrees of freedom, the number of independently controlled joints. The Unitree G1 has 23 to 43 depending on configuration; higher counts usually mean dexterous hands are included.
Q: Which humanoid robot has the longest battery life? Among published figures, industrial machines with swappable packs lead: Apptronik quotes about four hours per pack for Apollo. Consumer-priced robots such as the Unitree G1 run around two hours.
Q: Can I program any humanoid robot I buy? No. Unitree's base G1 and R1 ship without a development kit; the EDU versions add one. Home robots from 1X and Weave do not offer a public SDK.
Q: How do I compare a walking robot with a wheeled one? On the same six numbers, plus one question: are there stairs? If not, a wheeled humanoid usually offers more runtime and stability per dollar.
Sources
- Unitree official G1 and R1 product pages; specs verified by There's A Robot For That, 14 July 2026 (1.32 m, 35 kg, 23 to 43 DoF, 2 kg arm payload, about 2 h runtime, LiDAR; R1 arm DoF and sensing; SDK tiers).
- RoboZaps, "Unitree G1 review", 1 August 2026 (R1 EDU $10,500; G1 EDU from $43,900).
- 1X Technologies NEO page; Gulf News, October 2025 (about 30 kg, lifts 68 kg, carries 25 kg, 1.68 m).
- The Mimic, "Every humanoid robot company in 2026", 14 July 2026 (Apollo launch specs: 5 ft 8 in, 160 lb, 55 lb lift, four-hour swappable battery).
- Weave Robotics Isaac 1 order page, verified 19 July 2026.
- Silicon Valley Robotics Center, "Humanoid robot buyer's guide 2026", 12 April 2026 (status categories, research versus deployment).
ROBOOSH is an independent site about humanoid robots you can actually buy, rent or watch: what they cost, what they can do, and what happens after you own one. We are not a maker, a dealer or a lab, and no maker pays for placement.
All six numbers, every orderable robot, one table. The Humanoid Robot Guide 2026 is the spec sheet the makers do not publish side by side, with sources and check dates. Free, one email. → Get the free guide