# Digital Dream Labs Vector 2.0 review

Expressive desk robot with paid AI voice; maker is in receivership

- Our score: not scored yet
- Price: $190 (checked Oct 26, 2026)
- Status: on sale
- Best for: tinkerers willing to self host its software
- Skip if: you want a robot backed by a stable company
- HTML version: https://robotsforthat.com/robot/digital-dream-labs-vector-2/

## Verdict

Vector 2.0 still has one of the most charming personalities of any desk robot, and the store lists it in stock at $249.99. But its maker is in court receivership, is being sued by Pennsylvania over thousands of unfilled orders, and voice features need a paid cloud plan that may not keep working. Buy it only with a credit card or PayPal protection and only if you are comfortable self hosting its software; everyone else should skip it.

## Pros

- Lively, pet like personality with face recognition
- Drives itself back to its charger
- Owner swappable battery for $19.99
- Voice plans with ChatGPT or Claude

## Cons

- Maker in court receivership since July 2026
- Voice commands need a paid plan
- Cloud service reported unreliable
- Long history of unfilled orders and refused refunds
- Short runtime per charge

## Specs

- type: Tabletop companion robot with animated eyes, from the Anki Vector line now run by Digital Dream Labs under the Anki brand
- interaction: Voice ("Hey Vector", paid plan required), touch sensor on the back, face recognition, companion app for setup
- ai features: Cloud AI. Paid plans connect voice commands to ChatGPT or Claude; store listing also mentions Alexa built in. Without a plan it still roams, reacts and self docks but ignores voice commands
- camera: Yes, 2 MP camera used for face recognition; privacy controls not published
- mobility: Small treads for tabletop driving; cliff sensors to avoid edges (Anton Robots)
- battery runtime: Not published as a figure; maker says up to 30% longer than Vector 1.0. Gamereactor got about 35 min; Anton Robots cites about 52 min
- charge time: Not published; returns to its charging dock on its own
- size weight: About 7.5 by 10 by 6 cm and 185 g (Gamereactor)
- subscription: Required for voice commands: ChatGPT plan $11.99 per month or $99.99 per year; Claude plan $14.99 per month or $139.99 per year; first 28 days free
- age range: Not published

## Safety

- recalls: No recall found as of 2026-10-25 (web search of cpsc.gov)
- fcc: Not found in our search
- company status: In court receivership since July 2026; Pennsylvania Attorney General lawsuit over about 14,000 unfulfilled orders still pending
- warranty: 1 year limited warranty on electronics (Anki warranty policy)
- company note: In September 2024 the Pennsylvania Attorney General sued Digital Dream Labs for failing to fulfill most of about 14,000 orders placed from November 2020 to January 2024 and for refused refunds. On July 9, 2026 an Allegheny County judge appointed a receiver over the company's digital assets, including domains, GitHub, hosting and subscription billing. The anki.bot store still lists Vector 2.0 in black as in stock, and some 2026 Trustpilot reviewers report delivery within about a week, while others report orders never shipped.

## Questions buyers ask

### Does Vector work without a subscription?

Partly. It still moves, reacts to touch and faces and docks itself, but the maker says voice commands need a paid plan from $11.99 per month.

### Will my order actually ship?

Some 2026 buyers report delivery within a week, but the company has a documented history of unfilled orders and is in receivership. Pay with a method that offers buyer protection.

### Can I run Vector without the company's servers?

Yes, with effort. The community Wirepod project lets you host Vector's voice features yourself, usually on a Raspberry Pi.

## Sources

1. [Anki store: Vector 2.0 product page](https://anki.bot/products/vector-robot)
2. [Anki store: Vector membership plans](https://anki.bot/pages/vector-membership)
3. [Anki warranty policy](https://anki.bot/pages/warranty-policy)
4. [CBS Pittsburgh: Pa. Attorney General sues Digital Dream Labs](https://www.cbsnews.com/pittsburgh/news/pa-attorney-general-lawsuit-digital-dream-labs/)
5. [Court appoints receiver over Digital Dream Labs assets](https://vector.thedroidyouarelookingfor.info/2026/07/11/digital-dream-labs-a-pittsburgh-court-has-put-vectors-infrastructure-under-a-receiver/)
6. [Trustpilot: Digital Dream Labs reviews](https://www.trustpilot.com/review/digitaldreamlabs.com)
7. [Robotics 24/7: Digital Dream Labs ships Vector 2.0](https://robotics247.com/article/digital_dream_labs_ships_upgraded_vector_2_0_social_robot)
8. [Gamereactor: Vector 2.0 review](https://www.gamereactor.eu/digital-dream-labs-vector-20-1677173/)
9. [Anton Robots: Vector 2.0 buyer review](https://antonrobots.com/digital-dream-labs-vector-2-0-review/)