Tesla has not published a price for its Optimus humanoid robot. The only figure on record comes from Elon Musk, who said at the We, Robot event in October 2024 that Optimus should eventually cost USD 20,000 to 30,000, less than a car, once it is built in very large volumes. That is a long-term target for mass production, not a price you can pay today.
This guide pulls together what Tesla has actually said about Optimus pricing and sales, what the robot can do now, and which humanoid robots you can order in the US today if you do not want to wait. Store prices below were checked on RobotsUSA on 19 October 2026.
Contents
How much will Tesla Optimus cost?
Two answers circulate online, and they mean different things:
- USD 20,000 to 30,000: Musk’s long-term target price at high volume, stated in October 2024 and repeated in later interviews. Tesla has never attached it to a product, an order page or a delivery date.
- No price at all: the current official position. Tesla has no Optimus configurator, no reservation deposit and no price list, and its Q2 2026 earnings materials did not add one.
Early buyers are unlikely to pay the target figure. New industrial robots usually launch at a premium and get cheaper as volume grows, and reports from September 2026 say Tesla plans to lease the first commercial units to a short list of companies rather than sell them. Leasing would mean a monthly fee plus service, not a one-off sticker price.
Can you buy Optimus today?
No. As of October 2026 there is no way for a business or a private buyer to order Optimus from Tesla. Some websites claim to take Optimus pre-orders or deposits; Tesla does not sell Optimus through third parties, so treat any page asking for money for an Optimus as a scam.
Robot retailers do list Optimus, but only as a quote request with no live price. RobotsUSA, for example, shows a Tesla Optimus page marked out of stock, which is useful if you want to be notified, not if you want a robot this year.
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Optimus release date: the timeline so far
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| August 2021 | Optimus announced at Tesla AI Day, shown with a person in a robot suit. |
| September 2022 | First working prototype walks on stage at AI Day 2022. |
| December 2023 | Optimus Gen 2 shown, about 10 kg lighter and 30% faster than before, with new 11-degree-of-freedom hands. |
| October 2024 | At We, Robot, Musk gives the USD 20,000 to 30,000 long-term price target. |
| January 2026 | Musk says Tesla will convert part of its Fremont factory to Optimus production. |
| May 2026 | Model S and Model X production ends; the Fremont line is converted for Optimus. |
| August 2026 | Tesla tells analysts the Gen 3 design is finalized and outside sales could start as early as the second half of 2027. |
| September 2026 | Reports say Fremont builds several hundred robots a week, mainly for Tesla’s own testing and data collection. The public V3 reveal promised for mid-2026 has not happened yet. |
The pattern matters for buyers. Musk predicted thousands of useful Optimus robots inside Tesla factories by the end of 2025; in January 2026 he acknowledged none were yet doing useful work. Tesla’s own targets have slipped by a year or more several times, so 2027 is the earliest realistic date for outside customers, and that first wave is expected to be businesses, not households.
Why Tesla has not published a price
A humanoid’s cost is driven by its actuators (the motors and gearboxes in each joint), its hands, batteries, sensors and the computer that runs the AI. Hands are the hardest part. Reporting in September 2026 described Optimus hands and forearms with more than 100 small parts that are still assembled by hand, plus reliability issues with touch sensors. Until those parts are built on an automated line, Tesla cannot know its real unit cost, so a public price would be a guess.
The other open question is what the robot will do. A humanoid that only works in a supervised area on one programmed task is worth far less to a buyer than one that can switch jobs. Tesla says the commercial version still has to pass stricter durability and reliability tests than the robots now coming off the line.
Humanoid robots you can buy now, with prices
If you need a humanoid in 2026 for research, teaching, demos or pilot projects, several are already for sale in the US. Prices are RobotsUSA list prices on 19 October 2026; most ship with a lead time and need a quote for options.
1Unitree R1
A small, light humanoid aimed at developers, schools and hobbyists who want to experiment with walking, balance and AI control. The R1 Air lists at USD 6,870 and the R1 Basic at USD 8,990. If you plan to write your own software, check the EDU versions; our R1 Basic vs R1 EDU guide explains why SDK access matters.
2Unitree G1
The most widely used research humanoid right now, at about 1.3 m tall. The G1 Basic is USD 19,995, which is the price Musk has talked about for Optimus, only available today. Development versions such as the G1 EDU Plus (USD 50,950) add dexterous hands, more joints and full SDK access.
3Unitree H2
A full-size humanoid closer to Optimus in height and purpose. The H2 lists at USD 37,500 and the H2 EDU at USD 67,995, both on back order. The older H1 is USD 94,905.
4AgiBot X2 Ultra
A mid-size Chinese humanoid with an open-source software stack, popular with labs that want to modify both hardware and code. The X2 Ultra is USD 48,720 and shown as in stock.
5Apptronik Apollo and XPeng Iron
Two of the closest rivals to Optimus in concept: full-size, general-purpose humanoids for factories and logistics. RobotsUSA lists Apptronik Apollo at USD 100,000 and XPeng Iron at USD 120,000, both with limited availability and quote-based delivery.
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Optimus vs available humanoids
| Robot | US price (Oct 2026) | Can you order it? | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tesla Optimus | No price; USD 20,000 to 30,000 long-term target | No, earliest outside sales 2027 | Future factory work |
| Unitree R1 | USD 6,870 to 8,990 | Yes | Education, hobby, demos |
| Unitree G1 | From USD 19,995 | Yes | Research, teaching, events |
| Unitree H2 | From USD 37,500 | Yes, back order | Full-size research and pilots |
| AgiBot X2 Ultra | USD 48,720 | Yes, in stock | Open-source development |
| Apptronik Apollo | USD 100,000 | Quote, limited | Industrial pilots |
| XPeng Iron | USD 120,000 | Quote, limited | Industrial and service pilots |
For a wider list with more brands and price bands, see our humanoid robots for sale guide and the cheapest humanoid robots round-up.
Wait for Optimus or buy now?
Waiting makes sense if you are a large manufacturer planning for 2028 or later and want a robot that may eventually cost less than a car. Even then, the first Optimus contracts are expected to be leases for selected industrial customers.
Buying now makes sense if you need a robot this year: a university lab, a robotics course, a company building humanoid software or a venue that wants a robot at events. The money you would spend on Optimus later buys a working G1 or H2 today, and the skills your team builds on ROS 2 and humanoid control will carry over to whatever robot you run next. Our humanoid vs AMR guide is worth reading first if the goal is factory logistics, because a wheeled robot is often the cheaper answer.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the Tesla robot?
Tesla has not published a price. Elon Musk’s long-term target is USD 20,000 to 30,000 once Optimus is mass-produced; no order page or price list exists as of October 2026.
When will Tesla Optimus be available to buy?
Tesla told analysts in August 2026 that sales to outside companies could start as early as the second half of 2027. Sales to households have no date.
Can I pre-order Optimus?
No. Tesla does not take Optimus reservations. Sites asking for an Optimus deposit are not authorised by Tesla.
Will Optimus be sold or leased?
Reports from September 2026 say Tesla plans to lease the first commercial units to a short list of companies with factories and warehouses similar to its own.
What is the cheapest humanoid robot I can buy instead?
In the US, the Unitree R1 Air lists at USD 6,870 and the R1 Basic at USD 8,990. The Unitree G1 Basic, at USD 19,995, is the closest match to Optimus’s target price.
Is Optimus Gen 3 the same as V3?
Yes. Tesla and Musk use both names for the third-generation design, which Tesla says is finalized but has not yet been shown publicly.
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Sources: Tesla We, Robot event (October 2024); Built In, Tesla Optimus overview (updated February 2026); Electrek reports of 20 August 2026 and 25 September 2026; RobotsUSA product pages and prices (19 October 2026).
