Robot rental vs robot subscription: by the day or by the month?
Updated 12 November 2026
There are two ways to have a robot without buying one: rent it for a day, or subscribe to it by the month. Day rental is how most people in the UK meet a humanoid today, at an event, a launch or a school visit. Monthly subscriptions are how the first home robots are being sold in the US, and they are on their way here. This guide puts the two side by side, with real published prices, so you know which one fits what you want.
The short answer
- One event, launch or video shoot? Rent by the day, ideally with an operator. UK packages start at about £650 a day for a robot dog and £1,750 for a humanoid.
- A project lasting a week or a month? A self-service rental gets cheaper per day the longer you keep it, from US$299 down to US$199 a day for a Unitree G1.
- Help at home, every day? That is a subscription. 1X NEO is US$499 a month and Weave Isaac 1 is US$449 a month in the US. Neither is in the UK yet.
- A business? Robots are already leased by the week in the UK. See robot as a service.
Side by side
| Rent by the day | Subscribe by the month | |
|---|---|---|
| How long | A day to a few weeks | Months or years, like a car lease |
| Who runs the robot | Usually a trained operator; some rentals are self-service | The robot works in your home on its own, with remote help from the maker |
| What it is for | Events, launches, filming, school visits, research and trying a robot out | Everyday help at home: tidying, laundry, fetching |
| Typical price | From about US$199 to US$299 a day self-service, or from £650 a day with an operator in the UK | US$449 to US$499 a month for the first home humanoids (US) |
| What is included | Delivery, collection and basic damage cover are common; operator packages add set up and insurance | The robot, software updates and support; full inclusions not yet published |
| Available in the UK today? | Yes | Not yet for home robots; businesses can already lease robots by the week |
Day rental: published prices
| Who | Robot | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|---|
| RoboReady (UK) | Unitree Go2 robot dog, with operator | From £650 a day | Delivery, set up, a trained operator and insurance included Source |
| RoboReady (UK) | Unitree G1 humanoid, with operator | From £1,750 a day | As above; premium branded activations from £2,950 a day Source |
| ZMP Robots (UK, US, Canada, EU) | Unitree G1 humanoid, self-service | US$299 a day (3 day minimum), US$259 for 4 to 7 days, US$199 for 8 to 30 days | Delivery and collection, charging station, case and base damage cover included; refundable deposit; UK bookings billed in pounds at the booking day rate; single day events with an operator by quote Source |
| AgiBot (17 countries including the UK) | AgiBot humanoids and robots | From €899 a day | One day minimum; local partners deliver and support, with a technical operator available Source |
Published "from" prices, checked 12 November 2026. Travel, extra hours, branding and extra batteries can cost more. ZMP Robots listed a US$1,000 refundable deposit in April 2026. Always get a written quote.
Day rates are falling fast as more robots are built. In China, where humanoid rental took off first, typical daily rates fell from five figures in yuan in early 2025 to about ¥2,000 to ¥3,000 by early 2026, and some offers were under ¥1,000 a day by October 2026. Expect UK prices to follow as more robots arrive here.
Want quotes for a date? Our hire form sends your request to up to three UK operators, and our robot hire and rental guide covers which robots you can hire and what to tell the operator.
Subscriptions: published prices
| Robot | Monthly | Per day (our sum) | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1X NEO | US$499 a month | about US$16 | US pre-order |
| Weave Isaac 1 | US$449 a month | about US$15 | US orders open |
US prices before tax. Per day: monthly price times 12, divided by 365. Figure has floated about US$600 a month for its Figure 03 and Tesla has said it will probably rent Optimus, but neither has a published offer. Every offer and price change is on our robot subscription tracker.
The sums: when does each one win?
A day rental and a subscription are priced for very different jobs, so the per day numbers look miles apart:
- Three days of a self-service G1 cost US$897, about the same as 1.8 months of a NEO subscription.
- Thirty days of a self-service G1 at US$199 a day cost US$5,970, about a year of NEO.
- A NEO subscription works out at about US$16 a day, because the cost is spread across months and the robot is not delivered, set up and collected each time.
So rent when you need a robot for a moment, and subscribe when you want one around for good. The two are not really rivals: day rental is the taster, and subscriptions are how robots will move in. If you are weighing a subscription against buying outright, try the buy vs subscribe calculator on our robot leasing guide.
Our sums use published US dollar prices, before tax, delivery extras and insurance. They compare cost only; a Unitree G1 is an event and research humanoid, while NEO is built for homes.
The in-between: weekly and monthly business leases
For businesses, the gap between a day and a year is already filled. UK providers lease cleaning, serving and delivery robots by the week, from about £84 a week plus VAT for a cleaning robot, with maintenance and support included. Care homes and councils use similar monthly licences, covered in our care robots guide. This is the model most likely to reach homes next: a weekly or monthly price, with the provider looking after the robot.
Before you rent or subscribe: five checks
- Who runs it? For anything with the public, choose an operator package. Self-service suits confident teams, filming and research.
- What is included? Delivery, set up, collection, batteries and an operator can each change the price.
- What about damage? Ask about the deposit, damage cover, the excess and public liability. See robot insurance in the UK.
- How long are you tied in? Day rentals end when you hand the robot back. Subscriptions may have a minimum term and an exit fee; get them in writing.
- Is it regulated? Longer consumer hire agreements can be covered by FCA rules and a 14 day cooling off period. See robot leasing rules in the UK, and the robot leasing glossary for every term.
Want to buy instead?
Robot dogs and small humanoids are on sale in UK shops today. See every UK price, checked monthly, on the UK Robot Price Index.
Questions people ask
What is the difference between renting a robot and subscribing to one?
Renting, or hiring, is short: a day to a few weeks, often with an operator, for an event or a project. A subscription is long: you pay monthly for months or years and the robot lives and works in your home, like a car lease. You never own the robot either way.
How much does it cost to rent a humanoid robot for a day in the UK?
UK event packages with a trained operator start at about £1,750 a day for a Unitree G1 humanoid and £650 a day for a robot dog (RoboReady, checked 12 November 2026). Self-service rental of a G1 costs from US$299 a day with a three day minimum, billed in pounds. AgiBot rents its humanoids in the UK from €899 a day.
Can I rent a robot for a month in the UK?
Yes, for some robots. A self-service Unitree G1 can be rented for up to 30 days at US$199 a day, and UK businesses can lease cleaning and serving robots by the week from about £84 a week plus VAT. Home humanoid subscriptions such as 1X NEO and Weave Isaac 1 are US only for now.
Is renting a robot by the day cheaper than a subscription?
Only for a few days. A home robot subscription works out at about US$16 a day for 1X NEO, while day rental of a humanoid costs hundreds a day because it includes delivery, set up and often an operator. Three days of a self-service G1 costs about as much as 1.8 months of a NEO subscription (our sum).
Can I rent a home robot to try before I subscribe?
Not yet. NEO and Isaac 1 are not offered by the day. Renting a humanoid like the Unitree G1 for an event is a fun way to see one up close, but it is built for shows and research rather than housework. Both 1X and Weave take refundable deposits, so you can reserve without committing.
Do I need insurance to rent a robot?
Check before you book. Operator packages often include insurance, and self-service rentals may include basic damage cover with a deposit. Ask what is covered, the excess and who pays if a guest is hurt. Our robot insurance guide has the questions to ask.
Sources
- RoboReady: UK event robot hire packages (from £650, £1,750 and £2,950 a day), checked 12 November 2026
- ZMP Robots: humanoid robot company rental programmes and G1 day rates, April 2026, updated May 2026
- ZMP Robots: robot hire UK vs US (3 day minimum, billing in pounds, what is included), May 2026
- Humanoids Daily: AgiBot launches global rental platform at MWC 2026, from €899 a day, 2 March 2026
- BBC via AOL: Robots available for rent, 6 July 2026
- Humanoids Daily: China humanoid robot rental prices fall, 12 October 2026
- 1X: NEO order page (US$499 a month)
- Weave Robotics: Isaac 1 page (US$449 a month)
Independent and not affiliated with any company named here. Prices are published examples and change often. General information, not financial or legal advice: always read the agreement and check a UK provider is FCA authorised where needed. Operators may pay us a fee for introductions; it is free for you. How we make money.