Unitree G1 vs Unitree R1
Researched by Riley Hart · prices checked Oct 16, 2026
As of Oct 16, 2026, the Unitree G1 costs $13,500 and the Unitree R1 costs $5,900, so the Unitree R1 is $7,600 cheaper. Pick the Unitree G1 for Developers and researchers who want a full size walking humanoid to program. Pick the Unitree R1 for Tech enthusiasts, creators and developers who want a walking humanoid at home today.
- Height
- About 4 ft 4 in
- Weight
- About 77 lb
- Runtime
- About 2 hours
G1 is a capable, widely used humanoid you can actually buy, with a 2 hour battery and folding body. It is a research and hobby platform with no chore software, tiny arm payload and a safety warning to keep your distance. Only buy one for a home if you plan to program it yourself.
Full Unitree G1 review →- Height
- About 4 ft
- Weight
- About 64 lb
- Runtime
- About 1 hour
R1 is the only humanoid here you can order and receive now at a published price, and it walks, runs and gets up on its own. It has no working hands in the base model and about an hour of battery, so it is a showpiece and coding platform, not a housekeeper. Buy it for fun or development, not to save time on chores.
Full Unitree R1 review →Side by side
| Unitree G1 | Unitree R1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $13,500 | $5,900 |
| 3 year cost | $13,500 | $5,900 |
| Our score | Not scored yet | Not scored yet |
| Rank in Humanoids | #2 | #1 |
| Status | on sale | on sale |
| Warranty | 8 months on G1, 18 months on G1 EDU (maker) | 8 months on R1, 6 months on R1 Air, 12 months on R1 EDU (maker) |
| Height | About 4 ft 4 in (1,320 mm standing); folds to 690 mm | About 4 ft (1,230 mm standing) |
| Weight | About 77 lb (35 kg) with battery | About 64 lb (29 kg) with battery; R1 Air about 60 lb (27 kg) |
| Payload | About 2 kg arm max load (3 kg on EDU), varies with arm posture | Not published; Unitree lists about 2 kg max arm joint torque and says arm load varies with posture |
| Battery runtime | About 2 hours; 9,000 mAh quick release battery | About 1 hour; quick release battery |
| Hands | No hands listed as standard; EDU offers optional 3 finger Dex3-1 hands (7 DoF) | No dexterous hands on R1 Air or R1; optional dexterous hands on R1 EDU |
| Autonomy | Remote controlled and programmable; secondary development only on EDU. Unitree advises keeping a safe distance from people. | Voice and image interaction from a multimodal model; remote control out of the box per RoboStore; SDK programming only on EDU |
| Home tasks | None claimed by the maker | None claimed; Unitree markets agility and interaction. Notebookcheck and Businessonline say it cannot do chores like cleaning or carrying |
| Ship date | Robozaps listed the base G1 as backordered in July 2026 | Shipping now; RoboStore said in June 2026 that US orders ship within 30 days |
| Us availability | Sold direct by Unitree before tax and shipping; FCC authorization status after the July 2026 Covered List action not confirmed | Sold direct by Unitree (shipping $300 to $1,200 extra, buyer pays duties per BotInfo) and by US dealer RoboStore from $8,990 |
| Best for | Developers and researchers who want a full size walking humanoid to program | Tech enthusiasts, creators and developers who want a walking humanoid at home today |
| Skip if | You want help around the house or have small children or pets | You want help with laundry, dishes or tidying, or are worried about Chinese firmware security |
Specs are maker claims unless a reviewer is named. Prices from the stores we link, checked daily.
What reviewers found
Unitree G1
- Futura Sciences, on a WhistlinDiesel YouTube test: A YouTuber's G1, dressed as a maid with its hand taped to a pan, dropped the food and pan, slipped and fell in a kitchen, then hit him as he tried to right it. The control method was not stated. Source
Unitree R1
- Businessonline.it (Marcello Tansini): In a "we tried it" piece, found R1 compact and agile, able to walk, run and stand up after a fall, but with fixed hands that cannot pick up, carry or clean, limited torque and about an hour of battery. Called it a demo, education and developer machine, not a domestic assistant. Source
Pros and cons
Unitree G1
Pros
- On sale at a published $13,500 list price
- About 2 hour battery and folds for storage
- Large developer community and optional dexterous hands on EDU
Cons
- No home chore features from the maker
- About 2 kg arm load on the base model
- Maker warns users to keep a safe distance; past security flaws
Unitree R1
Pros
- On sale now from $5,900 at Unitree
- Agile: walks, runs and recovers from falls
- Light enough (about 64 lb) for a home or office
Cons
- No dexterous hands on the base model, so no real chores
- About 1 hour of battery
- Short 6 to 12 month warranty and past Unitree security flaws
Questions buyers ask
Which is better, the Unitree G1 or the Unitree R1?
Pick the Unitree G1 for Developers and researchers who want a full size walking humanoid to program. Pick the Unitree R1 for Tech enthusiasts, creators and developers who want a walking humanoid at home today.
Which is cheaper?
The Unitree R1 at $5,900, versus $13,500 for the Unitree G1, checked Oct 16, 2026.
What is the difference between the G1 and the R1?
Height: About 4 ft 4 in (1,320 mm standing); folds to 690 mm on the G1, About 4 ft (1,230 mm standing) on the R1. Weight: About 77 lb (35 kg) with battery on the G1, About 64 lb (29 kg) with battery; R1 Air about 60 lb (27 kg) on the R1. Payload: About 2 kg arm max load (3 kg on EDU), varies with arm posture on the G1, Not published; Unitree lists about 2 kg max arm joint torque and says arm load varies… on the R1.
Also consider
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