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What's the Cheapest Humanoid Robot You Can Buy? Every Unitree R1 Build, Priced in the Cart
What's the Cheapest Humanoid Robot You Can Buy? Every Unitree R1 Build, Priced in the Cart
By the BotInfo.ai Research Team · Prices read in dealer carts, October 5, 2026
The short answer Checked Oct 5, 2026
Cheapest humanoid: In dealer carts on October 5, 2026: the Noetix Bumi PRO Compact (about 94 cm), $4,995, then the Unitree R1 Air, $6,870. Cheapest you can program: the Booster K1 GEEK, $7,500, though no FCC authorization for it is on record.
Which R1: Demos only: the R1 Basic, $8,990 (no SDK). To write code: the R1 EDU Standard, $15,950, or the EDU Smart (100 TOPS), $18,900. Dexterous hands: the EDU Pro C, $28,900.
Who ships it: An authorized US dealer ships the Basic and EDU builds within North America; a second dealer ships the Air, Bumi and K1 worldwide.
How fast: All were listed in stock on October 5; get a written ship date first.
Pick your exact R1 build
Every R1 configuration we could put in a cart on October 5, 2026, at the cart line that day, before tax. Order opens the dealer's checkout for that exact build. The EDU builds and the Basic come from an authorized US dealer, which listed free shipping; the Air comes from a second dealer.
| Build | US price | Order |
|---|---|---|
| R1 EDU · programmable · 12-month dealer warranty | ||
| R1 EDU StandardDummy hands · up to 26 DOF · NVIDIA Jetson Orin, 40 TOPS · teaching and first SDK workCheapest programmable R1 | $15,950Cart checkOct 5, 2026 | Order |
| R1 EDU SmartDummy hands · up to 26 DOF · Jetson Orin, 100 TOPS for on-board vision and language models | $18,900Cart checkOct 5, 2026 | Order |
| R1 EDU Pro CBrainCo Revo 2 Basic five-finger hands · up to 38 DOF · 100 TOPSLowest-priced dexterous build | $28,900Cart checkOct 5, 2026 | Order |
| R1 EDU Pro ADex3-1 three-finger hands · up to 40 DOF · 100 TOPS | $30,900Cart checkOct 5, 2026 | Order |
| R1 EDU Pro BDex3-1 three-finger hands with touch sensing · up to 40 DOF · 100 TOPS | $32,900Cart checkOct 5, 2026 | Order |
| R1 EDU Pro DBrainCo Revo 2 Touch five-finger hands with touch sensing · up to 38 DOF · 100 TOPS | $32,900Cart checkOct 5, 2026 | Order |
| Demonstration units · no SDK | ||
| R1 Air20 DOF, fixed torso and head · monocular camera · no SDK · sold by the second dealer, which ships worldwideCheapest R1 | $6,870Cart checkOct 5, 2026 | Request a quote → |
| R1 BasicDummy hands · up to 24 DOF · binocular cameras · 8-core CPU · no SDK (the dealer lists no secondary development) | $8,990Cart checkOct 5, 2026 | Order |
Only the EDU builds run your own code: Unitree's store says only the EDU version supports secondary development. Two of the US dealer's Pro listings (A and C) still carry older production-date text, so ask for the ship date in writing. Budget-hand Pro builds (E to H) and the legless R1-A dual-arm models were not listed at either dealer on October 5; ask for a quote.
Not sure which R1? Quick picks by job
The cheapest humanoids in a dealer cart today
Walking humanoids we put in a dealer's cart on October 5, 2026, cheapest first. Height and programmability matter as much as price: the two cheapest are kid-size, and only some of these run your code.
| Humanoid | Cart price | Order |
|---|---|---|
| Noetix Bumi PRO CompactAbout 94 cm · the lowest cart price we found for a walking humanoid · no FCC filing under the Noetix name foundLowest price | $4,995Cart checkOct 5, 2026 | Request a quote → |
| Noetix Bumi StandardAbout 94 cm · consumer and classroom model | $5,995Cart checkOct 5, 2026 | Request a quote → |
| Unitree R1 AirAbout 123 cm · no SDK · ships worldwide | $6,870Cart checkOct 5, 2026 | Request a quote → |
| Booster K1 GEEKAbout 95 cm · secondary development supported · no FCC authorization for the robot itself on recordCheapest programmable | $7,500Cart checkOct 5, 2026 | Request a quote → |
| Unitree R1 BasicAbout 123 cm · no SDK · ships from the US dealer | $8,990Cart checkOct 5, 2026 | Order |
| Unitree R1 EDU StandardAbout 123 cm · the cheapest programmable Unitree humanoid | $15,950Cart checkOct 5, 2026 | Order |
| Unitree G1 Basic127 cm · remote-controlled demonstration unit · no SDK | $17,990Cart checkOct 5, 2026 | Order |
FCC status, from the public FCC record on October 5, 2026: the Unitree R1 line holds its own equipment authorization; for the Booster K1 the only grant under Booster's code is for its remote control; we found no filing under the Noetix name. Our FCC robot rule explainer covers what that means. Unitree's own store lists the R1 Air at $4,900 before shipping and duties: see buying outside North America.
Buying from outside North America
The R1 Basic and EDU buttons on this page go to a US dealer that ships within North America. Anywhere else:
- The R1 Air, from a dealer that ships worldwide. $6,870 in its cart on October 5, 2026; it confirms availability at checkout.
- Unitree direct. Unitree's own store listed the R1 Air at $4,900, the R1 at $5,900 and the R1 EDU (its Edu Standard edition) at $10,500, each with Add to Cart enabled, plus shipping of $300 to $1,200, with customs duties, taxes and import clearance on the buyer (read on the store October 5, 2026). For anything beyond that edition, the store points buyers to Unitree's sales team.
- A quote, for EDU Smart and Pro builds. Send us your country, the build and your deadline. We reply with the routes we can confirm for your country and a dated, landed-cost estimate.
Buying on a purchase order, or more than one unit
PO buyers: ask for a formal quote. Universities, labs and companies paying by purchase order, or buying a classroom set, start with a quote request. Put the build, the quantity and your budget deadline in it.
For purchasing offices: the free R1 Procurement Packet, and our R1 classroom cost guide for a teaching lab's spares budget.
Spending US federal money, or working under a Department of War contract? Separate US rules can matter for Chinese-made robots: the FCC's 2026 robot rule and the Pentagon's 1260H list. Our dated explainers set out what each one restricts: the FCC robot rule and Unitree and the 1260H list.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest humanoid robot you can buy?
How much does the Unitree R1 cost?
Can I program the R1 Air or R1 Basic?
Which R1 should a university lab buy?
Can I buy a Unitree R1 outside North America?
How fast can I get an R1?
Is the Unitree R1 FCC authorized?
Can I pay for an R1 by purchase order?
Should I buy the R1 or the Unitree G1?
R1 specs, build by build
| Air | Basic | EDU | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Programming | None | None | Secondary development (SDK) |
| Degrees of freedom | 20, fixed torso and head | Up to 24 | Up to 26; 38 to 40 with Pro hands |
| Compute | Not published by the dealer | 8-core CPU | Jetson Orin: 40 TOPS (Standard), 100 TOPS (Smart, Pro) |
| Cameras | Monocular | Binocular | Binocular |
| Warranty | 6 months | 8 months | 12 months |
From each dealer's listing, read October 5, 2026. Unitree's store gives the R1 as about 123 cm tall and about 29 kg; the US dealer lists about one hour per charge on a quick-release battery.
Unitree direct vs a US dealer: why the prices differ
Unitree's own store lists the R1 from $4,900. That figure is before shipping, which the store lists at $300 to $1,200, and before customs duties, taxes and import clearance, which it puts on the buyer. Its EDU option is the Edu Standard edition at $10,500; for anything beyond that, it points buyers to its sales team. The US dealer's cart lines ($8,990 for the Basic, $15,950 for the EDU Standard) are the price of a robot already in North America, with free shipping listed. Compare landed costs, not headlines: our Unitree direct vs US dealer guide walks through it.
R1 or G1?
| Unitree R1 | Unitree G1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Cheapest programmable build | EDU Standard, $15,950 | EDU Pro, dummy hands, $43,900 |
| Demonstration unit | R1 Basic, $8,990 | G1 Basic, $17,990 |
| Height and weight | About 123 cm, about 29 kg | 127 cm, 35 kg |
| Runtime per charge | About 1 hour | About 2 hours standing |
US dealer cart lines, October 5, 2026. Under $20,000, the R1 EDU is the only programmable Unitree humanoid. The G1 adds runtime and a wider choice of hands: which G1 to buy and our R1 vs G1 comparison.
A real R1, filmed by us
Our own footage from BotInfo's YouTube channel, filmed in August 2026. We claim nothing from it beyond what it visibly shows. More on the BotInfo YouTube channel.
Budget lines buyers forget
US dealer listing prices, October 5, 2026. At about an hour per charge, spare batteries are the line most teaching labs add.
- Spare R1 battery: $750
- R1 battery charger: $180
- R1 remote controller: $370
- Protective gantry: listed with no price; ask the dealer
Need a formal quote, a purchase order, or delivery outside North America?
Tell us the build, the country and the deadline. You get a dated answer within one business day.
Request a quote →
