China's Robot-Rental Market Lets Firms Try Unitree Humanoids by the Day

Humanoid robots in China are increasingly available to rent rather than buy, according to Tech Orijin. Unitree's humanoid machines are now part of a growing robot-rental market that lets businesses and event organizers bring a working humanoid to a venue without a large upfront purchase.

Pricing details cited from China Daily show a Unitree G1 typically rents for between 2,500 and 3,500 yuan per day. The company's U2 model, built for dancing and performance work, costs around 4,000 yuan per day. Tech Orijin noted that renting sidesteps the steep upfront cost of buying a humanoid outright, which matters for customers who only need a robot briefly, such as for a product launch, exhibition, livestream or corporate event.

Shanghai's leasing platform and wider market growth

Shanghai launched what it called the country's first open robot-leasing platform in December, according to the article. The platform runs on a Robot-as-a-Service model, letting customers rent different robot types for specific needs. Basic humanoids on the platform rent for about 3,000 yuan a day, while more capable dance-oriented models can cost around 5,000 yuan per day.

The report notes that additional rental platforms are emerging elsewhere in China, offering robots for performances, exhibitions and promotional activities. Some of these rentals include technicians, since operating a humanoid reliably can still require human assistance.

Unitree's visibility feeds rental demand

Unitree is described as well positioned in this market because its robots are already among China's most recognizable humanoids, having appeared in viral demonstrations of dancing, running and martial arts. The company also supplied H1 humanoids for China's 2025 Spring Festival Gala, which Tech Orijin says gave Unitree significant public exposure that the rental market is now converting into practical use.

According to the article, this rental approach could serve as a bridge between humanoid robots used purely for entertainment and humanoids used as commercial tools, even though the technology still faces challenges with reliability, endurance and handling complex tasks without human intervention.

Tech Orijin frames the shift as changing the core question facing businesses: rather than asking whether they can afford to own a humanoid, they can now ask whether they are willing to rent one for a day — a far lower-stakes decision. The publication suggests humanoids may not need to become cheap enough to buy widely before they become common sights, so long as they are cheap enough to rent.

Sources: Tech Orijin — original article.