Robot as a Service in the UK: rent robots for your business
Updated 27 October 2026
UK businesses can already rent a robot by the week, with set up, training and repairs built in. Restaurants, hotels, offices and warehouses are using robot as a service (RaaS) to put robots to work without buying them. This guide shows what it costs, who offers it in the UK, what you get and what to ask before you sign. It is also a preview of how home robots will be sold: by the month.
The quick answer
- What it is. You pay a regular fee, the provider owns the robot and keeps it running. Set up, software and support are usually included.
- What it costs. The lowest published UK price we have found is £84 a week plus VAT for a cleaning robot, about £364 a month. Serving robots start from about £99 a week plus VAT. Most providers quote per site.
- Who it suits. Businesses that want robots without a big upfront bill, or want to try one before committing.
- For homes? Not in the UK yet. The home version is a robot subscription or lease.
Buy, lease, RaaS or hire?
| Option | How it works | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Buy outright | You pay up front and own the robot. Support and repairs are often quoted separately, per year. | Long term use on one site, with your own budget for repairs. |
| Lease or rental | A fixed weekly or monthly payment over a set term, often with support included. | Spreading the cost while keeping a predictable bill. |
| Robot as a Service (RaaS) | A recurring fee that bundles the robot, set up, software, updates and support. The provider keeps ownership and keeps it running. | Trying robots with little upfront cost, paid from the operating budget. |
| Day hire | A robot and its operator for an event or a few days. | Launches, exhibitions and parties. |
The difference between a lease and RaaS is mostly who does the work: with RaaS the provider stays responsible for keeping the robot working and can swap it for another. More terms in the robot leasing glossary.
What robot as a service costs in the UK
Published prices from UK providers, as shown on their own pages:
| Provider | Robot | Price | Per month (our sum) | Terms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hospitable Automation Leeds support hub, London sales | Cleaning robot (Keenon KleenBot C30) | From £84 a week + VAT | About £364 | Lease. Three year warranty, support, delivery with mapping, set up and same day training included. Source |
| Hospitable Automation Leeds support hub, London sales | Kitchen automation, or heavy load delivery robot (Keenon S100) | From £98 a week + VAT | About £425 | Lease, same inclusions. Discounts for more than one robot. Source |
| Hospitable Automation Leeds support hub, London sales | Serving robot (Keenon DinerBot T10) | From £99 a week + VAT | About £429 | Lease, same inclusions. Source |
| Hospitable Automation Leeds support hub, London sales | Room service robot (Keenon W3) | From £110 a week + VAT | About £477 | Lease, same inclusions. Source |
| Lolly Braintree, Essex | Fergus robot waiter | From around £750 a month | About £750 | Over a three year term, maintenance and support included. Price quoted at launch in 2022. Source |
Monthly figures are our estimate: weekly price times 52, divided by 12, before VAT. Starting prices only; your quote depends on the site, the term and how many robots. Checked 27 October 2026.
UK providers that price on quote
- Fresh Mango Robotics (Ripon, North Yorkshire): Serving, room service, cleaning and logistics robots (Keenon). Purchase, monthly rental or RaaS. Prices on quote; upfront rental cost is typically the first month plus deployment. Source
- GO Robotics (UK wide): Delivery and serving robots (Keenon DinerBot T10 and T11, UBTECH Cadebot L100) for hotels, restaurants, retail and healthcare. Rental with full maintenance and no upfront investment. Prices on quote. Source
- Kärcher Hire (UK): The KIRA B 50 robot scrubber dryer can be bought or rented through Kärcher Hire. Source
Listed for information. None of these companies pays us to appear here. Know a UK provider we have missed? Email hello@therobotradar.com.
Where UK businesses use robots as a service
- Restaurants and pubs. Serving robots carry plates and clear tables so staff can spend more time with guests. This is where UK RaaS pricing is most open today.
- Hotels. Room service robots take towels, drinks and deliveries to guest rooms, riding the lifts on their own.
- Cleaning. Robot scrubbers and vacuums clean offices, shops, stations and corridors on a schedule. Kärcher's KIRA B 50 can be rented in the UK through Kärcher Hire.
- Care homes. Robots move linen and meals, clean corridors and run activities. In Europe, United Robotics Group offers care home robots to buy or rent as a service; UK suppliers such as Hospitable Automation say their robots have been trialled in care homes.
- Warehouses. Picking robots are often rented by the robot, so a warehouse can add more for Christmas and send them back after. Locus Robotics sells this way.
What is usually included
| Included | What it means |
|---|---|
| Site survey and mapping | The robot is taught your floor plan, routes and no go zones. |
| Integration | Lifts, tills and kitchen screens connected where needed. |
| Staff training | Usually on site, on the day it arrives. |
| Software updates | New features and fixes for the length of the contract. |
| UK support | Phone support first, then an engineer. Fresh Mango says an engineer typically attends within 24 to 48 hours if remote fixes fail; Hospitable Automation says next day, with a replacement robot in the worst case. |
If you buy instead, support and maintenance are often quoted separately, per year, so compare like with like.
Before you sign: questions to ask
- What is the minimum term, and what does it cost to end early?
- Is the price per robot, per site, per hour or per task, and is VAT on top?
- What is included: delivery, mapping, training, updates, repairs, parts?
- How fast will an engineer come, and do I get a replacement robot while mine is fixed?
- Can I add robots for busy periods and hand them back after?
- Can I swap to a newer model during the term?
- Who insures the robot, and who is liable if it damages something or injures someone?
- What data do its cameras and sensors record, where is it stored and who can see it?
Agreements between businesses usually carry fewer protections than consumer ones, so read the terms closely. For cover and liability, see robot insurance in the UK.
Rent or buy?
Renting wins when you want to start small, avoid a large upfront cost, keep repairs someone else's problem and upgrade as robots improve. Buying can win when you will keep the same robot for years. Even a RaaS provider in care robots says renting is not automatically cheaper, so add up the full term. The same sums apply at home: our robot leasing guide has a buy vs subscribe calculator, and the UK Robot Price Index shows what robots cost to buy in UK shops.
Need a robot for one day?
For a launch, exhibition or party, hire a robot with an operator instead. Our hire form sends your request to up to three UK operators.
Questions people ask
What is robot as a service?
Robot as a service (RaaS) means paying a regular fee to use a robot instead of buying it. The provider owns the robot and usually includes set up, software updates, maintenance and support in the price. It is the business version of a robot subscription.
How much does robot as a service cost in the UK?
Published UK prices are rare, but they exist. Hospitable Automation leases cleaning robots from £84 a week plus VAT and serving robots from £99 a week plus VAT, which is roughly £364 to £429 a month. Lolly quoted around £750 a month for its Fergus robot waiter over three years at launch in 2022. Most providers price on quote.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy a robot?
Not always. Renting avoids a big upfront cost and usually includes support, which suits trying robots out or growing slowly. Buying can work out cheaper if you keep the robot for years. One European care robot provider says plainly that renting is not automatically cheaper than buying, so compare the total over the term.
Which UK businesses use robots as a service?
Mostly hospitality, cleaning and logistics today: restaurants with serving robots, hotels with room service robots, offices and shops with cleaning robots and warehouses with picking robots. UK suppliers also mention trials in care homes, universities and a doctor's surgery.
Can I get a robot as a service for my home?
Not in the UK yet. The home version is a robot subscription, such as 1X NEO at US$499 a month in the US. See our robot leasing guide for every home offer.
Can I rent a robot for just one day?
Yes. For events, launches and parties, hire a robot with an operator by the day. Published UK day rates start from about £395.
Sources
- Hospitable Automation: lease prices from £84 a week + VAT (cleaning), £98 (heavy load, kitchen), £99 (service), £110 (room service); warranty, support and training included
- Fresh Mango Robotics: commercial service robot cost UK, purchase vs rental vs RaaS, what deployment includes (June 2026)
- Lolly: Fergus robot waiter, leasing from around £750 a month over three years (2022)
- GO Robotics: robot rental with full maintenance and no upfront investment
- Cleaning Magazine: Kärcher UK launches KIRA B 50, for purchase or rental through Kärcher Hire (April 2023)
- Locus Robotics: robots as a service for warehouses, add robots for peaks and send them back
- United Robotics Group: care home robots to buy or rent as a service; renting not automatically cheaper
- Wikipedia: robot as a service, the subscription model and how it differs from a lease
General information, checked 27 October 2026. Not financial or legal advice. We do not sell, rent or arrange robots or finance: always read the agreement and get quotes from more than one provider. How we make money.