BUYING GUIDE · CLEANING
Buy, rent or RaaS: what a cleaning robot costs, item by item
By Robot Distribution editorial teamUpdated 6 min read
IN BRIEF
Size the cleaning robot to your floors before comparing prices. Then compare buying, renting and RaaS item by item: the robot, commissioning, maintenance, software, consumables, replacement during repairs and what happens at the end. Buying suits a stable site with an in-house team; rental suits a trial or a season; RaaS spreads everything into one monthly fee.
First, size the machine to the floor
The acquisition mode does not change what the machine must do. Start with the area to clean, the floor types, the narrowest passage, the hours available and where water can be filled and drained. A robot that is too small for the floor costs more in any mode, because it needs a second machine or staff to finish the job.
| Robot | Cleaning efficiency | Minimum passage width | Runtime | Main use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PUDU CC1 | 700 to 1,000 m²/h | 70 cm | 5 h scrubbing, 9 h silent mopping | Scrubbing, sweeping, vacuuming and mopping of hard floors and carpets |
| PUDU MT1 | 1,800 m²/h max | 75 cm | 4 to 8 h | Dry sweeping of large areas, 35 L dustbin |
| PUDU MT1 Vac | 1,400 m²/h max | 75 cm | 3 to 6.5 h | Vacuuming and sweeping, H11 filtration |
| PUDU MT1 Max | 2,200 m²/h max | — | 5 to 10 h | Sweeping, IP54 |
| PUDU BG1 | 2,000 m²/h max | 85 cm | 7.5 h max | Large-area scrubbing, 75 L clean water tank |
| AGIBOT C5 | 1,980 m²/h max | — | 3 h scrubbing | Scrubbing, 550 mm cleaning width |
Maximum efficiencies are the manufacturers' figures for open areas. Corridors, furniture and turns lower the real figure, which the site survey estimates for your layout. A dash means the value is not published on the product page.
What a cleaning robot costs, item by item
Whatever the mode, the same items make up the cost. What changes is who pays for each one, and when.
- The robot itself, and the docking or emptying station when the model uses one: auto charging and water refill on PUDU CC1 Pro, for example, need the optional docking station.
- Delivery, mapping and commissioning on site.
- Training of operators and of a site lead.
- Preventive maintenance, repairs and parts after the warranty.
- Software, updates and the fleet management platform.
- Consumables: brushes, pads, filters, squeegee blades, dust bags and cleaning agents.
- A replacement robot while yours is being repaired.
- The end of the term: resale, renewal or return.
Buy, rent or RaaS compared
| Cost item | Buy | Rental, 1 day to 12 months | RaaS, 24 to 60 months |
|---|---|---|---|
| Robot | Paid at purchase; you own it | Included in the rental rate | Included in the monthly fee |
| Delivery and set-up | Quoted alongside the robot | Delivered, set up and collected | Included |
| Maintenance and repairs | Warranty, then an optional service contract | Listed per offer in the quote | Included |
| Software and updates | As stated by the manufacturer for the model | Listed per offer in the quote | Included |
| Replacement robot | Through a service contract, if chosen | Listed per offer in the quote | Included |
| End of term | You keep or resell the robot | The robot is collected | Return, renewal or purchase option, as stated in the contract |
Consumables, insurance and the cleaning agents are listed separately in each quote, whatever the mode, so that you can compare offers line by line.
When buying fits
- The site is stable for several years and the floor plan will not change much.
- You have a team, in house or through a contractor, that can handle daily care, consumables and first-level faults.
- You prefer one investment to a recurring fee, and you can add a service contract for maintenance and response times.
When rental fits
- You want to test a robot on one floor before deciding on a fleet.
- The need is seasonal or tied to a project: an event, a peak period, a temporary site.
- You want the robot delivered, set up and collected, without a long commitment.
When RaaS fits
- You run several sites or a growing fleet and want one monthly fee per robot.
- You want maintenance, software and a replacement robot handled for you.
- You prefer to keep the option to change model at the end of the term as robots evolve.
Accounting treatment differs between owning, renting and long-term contracts, and between accounting frameworks. Ask your accountant how each mode would be recorded in your company.
How to compare quotes fairly
- Compare the same robot, the same area and the same cleaning hours in every offer.
- Put every item of the list above on one line, and mark who pays for it.
- Compare over the same period, for example the length of the RaaS term, adding the service contract and consumables to the purchase.
- Check response times and the replacement robot, because a robot that waits for a part does not clean.
- Ask what happens at the end: resale, renewal, return or purchase option.
Robot Distribution quotes purchase, rental and RaaS for the same robot on request, so the three can be read side by side.
Sources
- PUDU Robotics PUDU CC1: Manufacturer product page · PUDU Robotics · accessed
- PUDU Robotics PUDU CC1: Manufacturer product page · PUDU Robotics · accessed
- PUDU Robotics PUDU MT1: Manufacturer product page · PUDU Robotics · accessed
- PUDU Robotics PUDU MT1 Vac: Manufacturer product page · PUDU Robotics · accessed
- PUDU Robotics PUDU MT1 Max: Manufacturer product page · PUDU Robotics · accessed
- PUDU Robotics PUDU BG1: Manufacturer product page · PUDU Robotics · accessed
- AGIBOT AGIBOT C5: Manufacturer product page · AGIBOT · accessed
- AGIBOT AGIBOT C5: Manufacturer product page · AGIBOT · accessed
- AGIBOT AGIBOT C5: Manufacturer product page · AGIBOT · accessed
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