NEO vs Pepper: Specs, Price & ROS Support Compared (2024)
1X Technologies vs SoftBank Robotics / Aldebaran — independent, side-by-side analysis.
Quick Verdict
NEO leads in more DOF, faster speed, lower price, while Pepper leads in longer runtime. Overall, NEO has an edge in 3 out of 4 compared categories.
NEO
1X Technologies
Pepper
SoftBank Robotics / Aldebaran
DNA Fingerprint Overlay
NEO Pepper
Specifications
$20,000Price$32,000
168 cmHeight120 cm
30 kgWeight28 kg
75DOF20
25 kgPayload—
4hRuntime12h
1.4 m/sSpeed0.83 m/s
YesStairsNo
NoLiDARNo
Proprietary (World Model AI onboard)ComputeIntel Atom Z530
Task Capabilities
✓Pick up a box from shelf?
✓Open a door handle?
✓Pour liquid into cup?
◔Use a power tool?
◔Type on keyboard?
✓Climb stairs with load?
◔Walk on uneven terrain?
?Run (>3 m/s)?
◔Crouch under obstacle?
✓Navigate in crowd?
✓Recognize & locate objects?
✓Respond to voice commands?
✓Detect humans nearby?
◔Work 8-hour shift?
✕Hot-swap battery?
◔Operate 24/7 (with charging)?
✕Work in rain (IP65+)?
✕Work below 0°C?
✕Work in dusty environment?
✓Work safely alongside humans?
Ecosystem Openness
10
NEO
/100
—
Pepper
Proprietary World Model AI. No public SDK.
Pros and cons at a glance
NEO
Pros
- Open for preorders
- High rated payload (25 kg) for industrial pick-and-place
- 75 degrees of freedom — full-body articulation
Cons
- Closed software stack — no public SDK or ROS support
Pepper
Pros
- Long runtime (12h per charge) for full-shift operation
Cons
- Discontinued by the manufacturer
- Cannot navigate stairs — restricts deployment environments
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper: NEO or Pepper?
NEO is cheaper at $20,000 vs $32,000 for Pepper. Note that lower price does not imply lower total cost of ownership — see the TCO calculator on the Explore page for utilisation-adjusted figures.
Is NEO or Pepper actually available to buy?
NEO is open for preorders. Pepper has been discontinued. Status reflects the vendor's published commercial position as of the last review and can change between announcement and actual delivery.
Which is better for ROS-based development: NEO or Pepper?
NEO has no ROS support; Pepper has ROS 1 only. For research and multi-vendor robotics stacks, native ROS 2 is the strongest signal of ecosystem maturity.
Last updated: 2024