How to compare robot hire quotes like for like

To compare robot hire quotes like for like, rebuild each one as a single total for the same scope: the same days, hours, crew, transport in both directions and content, with tax and any refundable deposit kept separate. Then compare those totals together with the terms that sit beside them: cancellation, what happens if the robot fails, and insurance.

Why headline prices mislead

A day rate can cover six hours or twelve. It may include an operator or assume you provide one. It may be ex works, meaning you arrange transport, or delivered and collected. It may assume the robot runs an existing programme, or include days of content development. A supplier with a two-day minimum charges two days for a one-day event either way. This site's how it works page gives a simple illustration: a quote of 2,000 that includes transport and an operator can be cheaper than a quote of 1,400 that adds both.

Inclusions differ in the real market too. China Daily reported in April 2025 that typical robot rentals in China came with local transport and a full-day operator and no deposit, while some businesses charged a high deposit and supplied no operator. Two quotes with the same day rate can describe very different jobs.

Step 1: fix the scope

Before comparing, make sure every supplier is quoting the same job:

the same show days, plus build and breakdown days
the same hours per day and the same active programme time
the same number of robots
the same programme, languages and branding
the same information about venue access, floor and power

If one supplier has quoted a different scope, ask for a re-quote rather than adjusting their numbers yourself. On this platform a quote is never edited silently: any change creates a new version, and you can see what moved.

Step 2: normalise each quote

Rebuild every quote from the same lines:

Rental for the duration you need, after any minimum. If the minimum is two days and your event is one, use the two-day figure.
Operator or crew time, including the hours before opening and after closing.
Transport to the venue.
Transport back, the most commonly omitted line.
Setup and teardown, if charged separately from crew time.
Travel time, if billed separately from transport.
Accommodation and per diems for overnight jobs.
Programming or content development, including rehearsals and changes.
Branding, costume, wrap or custom graphics.
Other mandatory fees, such as power distribution, rigging, a standby technician, a venue insurance charge or on-site storage.
Minus discounts actually granted, not indicative ones.

The result is your comparable total. The pricing guide explains each line in more detail. Quotes on this platform already use these line types, which makes the arithmetic easier.

Step 3: keep tax and deposits apart

Tax. Rates differ by country and by the supplier's registration, so folding tax into the comparison rewards whoever sits in the lower-tax jurisdiction rather than whoever offers better value. Cross-border quotes add another layer. Within the EU, a business buying services from a supplier in another member state is usually not charged VAT by that supplier and accounts for it at its own country's rate under the reverse charge, but the EU's business portal stresses that there are several important exceptions. Ask your accountant how a particular quote should be treated.

Deposit. A refundable deposit is not a cost. Adding it to the total makes a careful supplier look expensive. List it separately and note when it is refunded and what would reduce it.

Step 4: compare the terms, not only the total

Day length and overtime. What happens if your event overruns?
Cancellation. A lower price with strict cancellation terms is a different product from a higher price with flexible ones; price them together. See cancellations and changes.
Failure on site. Is there a spare robot or battery, and what is the remedy if the robot cannot run? See what happens if the robot fails.
Insurance. Ask for the certificate and read the limit and the exclusions: public liability at the value your venue requires, cover for the robot itself, and whether the venue needs to be named. This platform does not provide, arrange or verify insurance.
Autonomy. Is what you will see autonomous, teleoperated or pre-programmed? All three are legitimate, but the quotes you compare should describe the same thing.
Operator. Who operates, for how many hours, and who covers breaks on a long day?

Cross-border quotes

A distant supplier may have a lower day rate but higher transport, travel and accommodation costs, and border formalities take time and money. For destinations outside the EU, equipment for fairs and professional use can travel on an ATA carnet, which the Netherlands Chamber of Commerce (KVK) says is valid for one year; the destination country may still require the goods to leave sooner. Ask who arranges this, and add its cost and lead time to the comparison.

Comparison checklist

Same scope confirmed with every supplier
Every quote rebuilt from the same eleven lines
Return transport present in every quote
Minimum days applied
Tax listed separately
Deposit listed separately, with refund conditions
Overtime rate known
Cancellation, failure remedy and insurance compared side by side
Autonomy described the same way in every quote
Latest quote version used

With comparable totals in front of you, ask your remaining questions in each supplier's thread, then decide. If you have not started yet, send a request; for a first idea of what drives the total, see how much it costs to hire a humanoid robot.

FAQ

Should I simply choose the lowest normalised total?

Not automatically. Once totals are comparable, weigh cancellation terms, the failure remedy, insurance and how clearly each supplier answered your questions. A slightly higher price that includes a spare unit can be the safer choice.

Can I ask a supplier to change their quote?

Yes. On this platform a change produces a new quote version, so you can see exactly what moved between versions.

Can suppliers see each other's quotes?

No. Each quote has its own private thread, and suppliers cannot see each other or the other quotes.

Should VAT be part of the comparison?

Keep it out of the comparable total. List tax separately, and check the treatment of cross-border quotes with your accountant.

Sources

How this guide was made: prepared with AI assistance; every factual statement was checked against the sources listed above on 12 October 2026. Spotted an error? Write to info@humanoid4rent.com.