Researched by Riley Hart · we built guides for both kits · we may earn a commission
Both are beginner robot kits with a live camera you drive from your phone, both run on an Arduino UNO board and neither needs coding to get moving. The ELEGOO car costs less and builds faster. The GalaxyRVR is a bigger, slower build with six wheel suspension and a solar panel.
Buy the ELEGOO V4 for a first robot under $100 or a kid around 12. Buy the GalaxyRVR for an older kid or teen who wants a longer, more impressive build and likes space.
| ELEGOO Smart Robot Car V4 | SunFounder GalaxyRVR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | About $66 to $80 | About $130 |
| Maker age | Maker says 12+ | Maker says 15+ |
| Build time | 2 to 3 hours | 3 to 4 hours |
| Steps in our guide | 29 | 49 |
| Difficulty | Beginner | Beginner, patient |
| Coding needed | None | None |
| Wheels | 4 wheel drive | 6 wheels with rocker bogie suspension |
| Camera | Yes, streams to the phone app | Yes, ESP32 camera on a tilting mast |
| Drives itself | Avoids walls, follows you, follows a line | Avoids walls, follows your hand |
| Remote | IR remote in the box, plus the app | Phone app |
| Charging | Rechargeable battery box by USB | Rechargeable battery plus a solar panel |
| Where to buy | Amazon | SunFounder store |
Prices change. Checked 2026-10-19.
It is about $50 cheaper, builds in 2 to 3 hours over 29 steps and comes with a remote, so a kid can drive it before the app is even set up. Line following is a fun first project with just a roll of black tape.
ELEGOO Smart Robot Car V4 build guide
Check price on Amazon49 steps over 3 to 4 hours, six wheels that climb over cables and rugs like a real Mars rover, a camera you can tilt and a solar panel. It is the one people show off when it is done.
SunFounder GalaxyRVR build guide
See it at SunFounder storeThe ELEGOO V4. It has 29 steps against 49 and fewer small screws. The GalaxyRVR suspension takes patience: the rocker and bogie arms have to move freely, and the most common mistake is tightening them too hard.
Both come with the tools you need and the program already loaded, so the robot moves the moment the build is done.
Both use an Arduino UNO style board, so both can be coded later in the Arduino IDE. The ELEGOO car adds a line sensor and a motion sensor, which make good first coding projects. The GalaxyRVR teaches more about mechanics: suspension, gearing and solar charging.
No. Both come with their program loaded. You build, turn it on and drive it from the phone app. Coding is optional and comes later.
The ELEGOO V4, built with a parent. ELEGOO says 12+ and SunFounder says 15+ for the GalaxyRVR, but a 10 year old can do the ELEGOO build with an adult reading the steps.
The ELEGOO car can, with the IR remote in the box. The GalaxyRVR needs the phone app to drive.
ELEGOO Smart Robot Car V4 is a trademark of ELEGOO. SunFounder GalaxyRVR is a trademark of SunFounder. We are not affiliated with either maker.