How much does it cost to hire a robot for an event in France in 2026?
Published on 12 October 2026 · By Salomon Cordebar
In France in 2026, observed rates for hiring an event robot range from about €200 to €5,000 excl. VAT per day, depending on the robot family: €200 to €500 excl. VAT per day for a robot dog, €250 to €950 excl. VAT for a screen-based service robot, and €950 to €2,500 excl. VAT for a wheeled humanoid such as Pepper. Allow from €1,500 excl. VAT per half day for a recent bipedal humanoid such as the Unitree G1 (operator and set-up included), and from €3,000 excl. VAT per half day for a multi-screen media robot. Here is the detailed price grid, typical budgets by event and the hidden costs to check before you sign.
The price grid by robot family
Most French providers do not publish their rates. The ranges below are the public prices recorded on the French market in July 2026, together with our own rates, which we do display, in full transparency.
| Robot family | Examples | Observed range | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quadruped robot dog | Unitree Go2 | ≈ €200 – €500 excl. VAT / day | Curiosity factor, photos, supporting entertainment |
| Screen-based service robot | Tray robots (delivery, reception) | ≈ €250 – €950 excl. VAT / day | Reception, handing out items, light display |
| Wheeled humanoid (previous generation) | Pepper | ≈ €950 – €2,500 excl. VAT / day | Talking reception, quizzes; production suspended since 2021 |
| Recent bipedal humanoid | Unitree G1 | from €1,500 excl. VAT / half day | Wow factor, walking, dancing, viral content |
| Multi-screen media robot | Fourcast (4 screens) | from €3,000 excl. VAT / half day | Advertising display, sponsors, activations |
| Giant costumed robot | 2.40 m parade robots | ≈ €1,500 – €3,000 excl. VAT / day | Show, parade, walkabout |
Ranges recorded from offers published by French hire companies in July 2026; most providers only communicate their prices on quotation. Offers published in Europe go up to nearly €5,000 excl. VAT per day for a bipedal humanoid, excluding travel costs.
A simple way to read this grid: the more mobile, expressive and recent the robot, the more it costs, and the more it draws people in. A bipedal humanoid walking among visitors does not have the same effect as a tablet on wheels, and that is precisely what the rates at the top of the table pay for.
How much to budget for your event
For an operated bipedal humanoid (the format our clients ask for most), here are the starting budgets observed by type of event. They include the operator and set-up: this assumes a complete service, the basis for every budget below.
| Type of event | Usual format | Indicative starting budget |
|---|---|---|
| Grand opening, drinks reception, photo moment | Half day, targeted appearances | from €1,500 excl. VAT |
| Corporate party | Half day to full evening | from €1,500 excl. VAT |
| Trade show, 1 day | Full day with several highlights | ≈ €2,500 – €5,000 excl. VAT depending on scripting |
| Trade show, 2 to 3 days | Full days + sliding-scale rate after the first | ≈ €4,000 – €9,000 excl. VAT |
| Retail / shopping centre activation | Multi-screen media robot, repeated half days | from €3,000 excl. VAT per half day, decreasing with duration |
Indicative budgets excluding advanced creative options (bespoke choreography, full brand outfit, advanced scripting), which are quoted on request.
What makes the price vary
- Duration: half day, full day or several days. The first day carries the fixed costs (preparation, set-up), and the following days are charged on a sliding scale.
- Operation: a bipedal humanoid is controlled by a dedicated operator throughout the service. This cost cannot be compressed, and it is what ensures public safety and the quality of interactions.
- Scripting: personalised choreography, prepared sequences, integration into a keynote or the event's running order.
- Brand personalisation: outfit, script and content in the advertiser's colours.
- Logistics: venue, access, set-up times. A provider based in France keeps this item low; a robot crossing Europe for your event, much less so.
The hidden costs to watch for
A very low headline price often hides an incomplete service. The most common traps on the market:
- The operator as an “optional extra”: the robot is advertised at a floor price, and the operator who actually makes it work is billed on top.
- Travel billed at cost: minor for a French hire company, it can double the invoice when the robot comes from abroad.
- Set-up and testing outside the package: hours of installation billed as extras on the day.
- Content and scripting not included: the robot arrives “empty”, with no sequence prepared for your event.
- A high deposit or insurance excess, discovered at signing.
- A robot model not specified in the contract: “humanoid robot” can mean a recent biped just as well as a previous-generation wheeled robot. Insist on the exact model in writing, and ask to see it in real video footage before you sign.
On that last point, here is what “seeing the robot in real video footage” means: our Unitree G1 in the streets of Paris, with no special effects:
What a serious rate should include
- the operator who controls the robot throughout the service;
- set-up, on-site testing and advance preparation;
- preparation ahead of the event;
- the exact robot model, named in the quote;
- travel terms, set out in black and white (included, flat rate or at cost).
At Libella Robotics, the “Présence” package (our half-day presence package) at €1,500 excl. VAT per half day includes operation by our team, set-up and on-site preparation. The robot is a Unitree G1, named and documented, with a full technical sheet and real videos to back it up, and every quote request receives a reply within 24 hours, with a black-and-white breakdown of what is covered, including travel terms.
What if you bought the robot instead?
The question arises beyond about ten days of use per year. But buying a recent bipedal humanoid represents a very different budget from its list price: a Unitree G1 is listed at between 13,500 and 16,000 US dollars depending on the configuration, to which import costs and VAT are added, giving an entry ticket of around €20,000 incl. VAT. Then come operator training, maintenance and rapid obsolescence: humanoid platforms are evolving so fast that a model bought today risks being outdated within two years.
Below intensive use, hiring transfers all of that risk to the hire company: you pay for the effect produced on the day, not for the depreciation of a machine. We will set out the full calculation (total cost of ownership versus hire) in a forthcoming guide.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to hire a humanoid robot?
From €1,500 excl. VAT per half day for a recent bipedal humanoid such as the Unitree G1, operator and set-up included. Full-day formats and bespoke scripted experiences are quoted on request.
What budget for a 2 to 3-day trade show?
Generally allow between €4,000 and €9,000 excl. VAT for an operated bipedal humanoid with several highlights per day, depending on the duration and level of scripting. The following days benefit from a sliding-scale rate: the fixed costs (preparation, set-up) are carried by the first day.
Why do most providers display no prices at all?
Because the service varies with duration, scripting and venue, and because few providers have chosen price transparency. Always insist on a written breakdown of what the quote covers: exact robot model, operator, set-up, travel.
Is travel included in the price?
It depends on the provider: included, charged at a flat rate or billed at cost. Always check, as it is one of the main hidden costs on the market, especially when the robot comes from abroad. Libella Robotics is based in Île-de-France and works anywhere in France: every quote sets out the logistics in black and white.
Is the operator really essential?
For a bipedal humanoid, yes. Control by a trained operator ensures public safety, smooth interactions and a quality result, which is why it should be included in the rate, not billed as an extra.
Can a robot be hired for several days at a sliding-scale rate?
Yes, that is market practice: the first day carries most of the fixed costs (preparation, set-up), and the following days are offered at a reduced rate through an additional-day option.
Author
Salomon Cordebar
CEO and co-founder of Libella Robotics
Co-founder of Libella Robotics, he operates the company's Unitree G1 humanoid robot hire services at professional events in France.
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