Microduck vs Reachy Mini: Which Robot Fits Your AI Project?

Choose Microduck for experiments with walking and motion control. Choose Reachy Mini for interactive applications using vision, sound, conversation and expressive movement. These are different learning projects. Define the first exercise, deadline and available computer before comparing the hardware price.

Manufacturer pages and documentation checked on 9 November 2026. This is a documentation comparison and editorial assessment, not a RoboMorrow hands-on test. The photograph shows Microducks and comes from Pollen Robotics' official press kit.

Microduck or Reachy Mini: start with the project

The hardware price is only the starting point

The European store view lists Microduck at EUR 340, Reachy Mini Lite at EUR 350 and Reachy Mini Wireless at EUR 435. These are product-page prices checked on 9 November 2026, not final quotations for every destination. Confirm taxes, shipping, availability and cart contents. We do not convert global dollar figures into an invented European offer.

The observed Lite-to-Wireless difference is EUR 85. Lite will not always produce the cheapest complete workstation because it needs an external computer. If you already have a suitable machine, the extra cost may be small. When equipping several stations from scratch, budget for each one. Wireless includes a Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4, battery and Wi-Fi; Lite uses the connected computer.

Delivery can rule out a purchase before features matter

The current Microduck notice says present preorders ship after April 2027. The historical first-batch target before Christmas 2026 is not the timetable for a new order. Reachy Mini states shipping within 90 days, often sooner; that range also does not guarantee arrival on a particular December date. Obtain confirmation for your order before planning a course or gift.

For a fixed-date present, use our robot gift guide. The separate Microduck guide contains its specifications, manufacturer demonstration and announcement history.

What does ready to use actually mean?

Microduck is presented as an assembled robot supplied with a game controller. Running a prepared behaviour and training a new controller are different levels of work. A video of a walking robot does not establish how quickly you can develop another skill or whether it works on every surface.

Reachy Mini is a kit. The manufacturer estimates roughly two to three hours for assembly, with no soldering required. Schedule assembly, configuration and the first application separately. An onboard computer does not mean that every language model or service works without internet access or fees.

Microduck locomotion and Reachy Mini mobility are different

Microduck moves on legs, making balance, ground contact and learned movement relevant project topics. The basic Reachy Mini format supports expression and interaction at a workstation. The currently offered Hoverboard is a separate accessory for Wireless. Its maker describes phone control and camera viewing; this does not establish autonomous household work. Do not silently include the accessory in the base kit.

Try one small project before ordering

1. Define the output. For Microduck, reproduce one behaviour in simulation and explain its control signals. For Reachy Mini, build a small application that responds to one input with a movement.
2. Open current documentation. Record versions, operating system, computer requirements and dependencies. Training and running a prepared example may need different resources.
3. Separate the costs. Hardware, computers, accessories, API services, instructor time and spare parts need individual budget lines.
4. Check the fallback. Can the exercise run in simulation if delivery slips or one device needs repair?
5. Define acceptance. Repeating the task in documented conditions is more useful than merely launching a demonstration.

Licences, cameras and limitations

Microduck offers open-source software, but its manufacturer explicitly separates this from mechanical and electronic design files. We do not call it open-source hardware. For Reachy Mini, check the separate terms for code, documentation, models and hardware designs, particularly for commercial work.

For camera and microphone projects, establish where the data goes. Onboard computing does not determine whether an application sends audio or images to an external service. Before a class, check accounts, configuration and whether participants can use it without recorded sessions. We also do not assign a universal age threshold to Microduck: its maker still describes an age recommendation as provisional.

The decision

Choose Microduck when the intended output is a motion experiment. Choose Reachy Mini when it is an interactive application. Lite fits an existing computer workstation; Wireless fits projects requiring onboard computing and a battery. If the deadline matters most, establish delivery first. Neither purchase replaces a plan for the exercises.

Sources and scope

• Pollen Robotics: Microduck and its official press kit — purpose, assembly, software openness and photograph.
• Microduck store listing — regional price and current preorder notice.
• Pollen Robotics: Reachy Mini and the store collection — variants, prices and accessories.
• Official Reachy Mini documentation — requirements and development paths.