Renting and subscribing are moving from novelty to common practice. These figures and dated updates show how prices, rental firms, lenders and service models are shifting, and what that means before you sign.
38,200 robot rental firms registered in China in 2025, up 55.7% on 2024 (China Daily, 2025)
¥3,000 typical daily rent for a humanoid in China, down from about ¥30,000 (China Daily, 2026)
€899 starting daily price to rent a humanoid through Sharebot in Europe (PYMNTS, 2026)
Viabot raises $24 million to grow its subscription-based outdoor cleaning robots
· Funding
Viabot raised a $24 million Series A led by Walden International, bringing its total funding to $43 million. It offers its Viabot One outdoor sweeping and site-monitoring robot by subscription rather than outright sale, and its fleet already services about 25 million square feet for retailers, universities, healthcare sites and utilities.
Why it matters: Subscriptions now reach outdoor and facilities work, not just warehouses. Ask what the fee covers, from battery swaps and repairs to software updates, and what happens when the term ends.
IL ROBOTICS starts renting humanoids for events and stores in South Korea
· Launch
South Korea's IL Science, trading as IL ROBOTICS, launched a humanoid rental service with two models: ILBot Y1 for exhibitions, education and customer guidance, and ILBot H2 for performances and brand promotions. Rentals include installation, operation, content setup and on-site technical support, so customers need no specialist staff.
Why it matters: Rentals that bundle operation and content setup suit one-off events. For longer use, check who runs the robot day to day and whether your rental data feeds the provider's own development.
Robot rental firms multiply in China as humanoid day rates fall to about ¥3,000
· Market
China Daily reported that 38,200 robot rental-related companies registered in China in 2025, up 55.7% on the year. Daily rental prices for humanoids have fallen from around 30,000 yuan in early 2025 to roughly 3,000 yuan, while JD.com has added its own leasing of embodied robots, robot dogs and exoskeletons.
Why it matters: Falling day rates make short trials cheaper, and more providers means more terms to compare. Confirm who supplies the operator, insurance and a backup unit before booking a robot for an event.
Siemens pilots Humanoid's wheeled robot on factory logistics in Erlangen
· Deployment
Siemens tested HMND 01 Alpha, a wheeled humanoid from London startup Humanoid, at its electronics factory in Erlangen, Germany. In the proof of concept the robot picked, carried and placed containers for human operators, reaching 60 tote moves an hour, more than eight hours of uptime and a pick-and-place success rate above 90%.
Why it matters: A short, measured pilot with throughput, uptime and success-rate targets gives a clear yes or no. THG's Pilot program sets those measures with you before any fleet decision is made.
Circus and MMV Leasing team up to lease autonomous food-production robots
· Partnership
Munich-based Circus SE, maker of the CA-1 autonomous food production robot, agreed a financing partnership with MMV Leasing, part of the Landesbank Baden-Württemberg group. The deal gives business customers flexible leasing terms to cut upfront investment, with the first leasing and financing agreements expected in the first quarter of 2026.
Why it matters: When a bank-backed lessor finances a robot, the monthly cost becomes predictable. THG Flex offers leasing alongside rental and subscription, so the payment plan can follow how long you need the robot.
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