China rents humanoid robots for about $443 a day

AGIBOT launched a rental arm called SHAREBOT in December 2025 and recorded more than 5,500 orders in the platform’s first three months. Rental daily rates start at roughly 3,000–3,500 yuan, a price that typically includes shipping and a human operator to program and control the machine on site. Customers hire robots for events, exhibitions and promotional appearances.

In Hangzhou, e-commerce livestreamer Ai Lin rents his humanoid for 3,000 yuan a day to pull crowds at trade shows, perform at private events and appear in staged marriage proposals. He bought his first robot for about $30,000 in 2025. Ai Lin noted, “The market for humanoid sales hasn’t really taken off yet because today’s robots still can’t operate on their own.”

Individual investors and companies are buying robots to run rental services. A buyer in Jiangsu purchased eight units in 2025 to add to a rental fleet. Zhao Xiaohong, a 52-year-old investor, described renting units as “the fastest way to monetize the technology in the short term.”

Retail prices help explain demand for rentals. Entry-level humanoid models start at roughly $19,000 while more advanced machines can cost over $100,000. AGIBOT projects the robot rental market in China could reach about $1.5 billion by the end of 2026.

Typical rental packages include one or more technicians who set up, program and operate the robot at the venue. Current machines require substantial human support and are used largely as attention-grabbing attractions or performers rather than independent workers.

In June 2026, Beijing launched an initiative to create more than 100 high-value application scenarios for robots by the end of the year, a policy effort intended to increase deployments across commercial and public spaces. Listings for robot rentals appear on local marketplaces such as Xianyu and on short-video platforms like Douyin alongside SHAREBOT’s offering.

Li Yiyan, SHAREBOT’s chief executive, described the rental channel as “ultimately helps robots transition faster from mere exhibition pieces to large-scale deployment.”