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1X NEO in Australia: price, release date and what we know
1X opened pre-orders for NEO, its US$20,000 home humanoid, on 28 October 2025. A year on, the first early-access robots are reportedly reaching US homes, TIME has named it one of 2026's best inventions, and Australians are asking when they can get one. Here's what 1X has actually said, what's only reported, and what to check before you put down a deposit. Checked 27 October 2026.
By Domestic Robot · Editor: Christian Ganaban · Updated 27 October 2026
Quick answer
Not yet. 1X says it will deliver NEO "primarily in the U.S." in 2026, with other markets starting in 2027, and its order page only mentions US deliveries. There's no Australian price, date or local support. In the US, NEO costs US$20,000 to own (Early Access, with a $200 refundable deposit and a three-year warranty) or US$499 a month on a subscription that ships later. Startup Fortune reported on 22 October 2026 that early-access units have shipped, but it found no independently verified customer receiving one at home. Expect a remote operator to help with chores it can't yet do on its own, which is the main privacy question for any buyer.
Status at a glance
| Question | Answer | What it's based on |
|---|---|---|
| Can Australians buy one? | Not yet | 1X's order page mentions only US deliveries ("US Deliveries start 2026") |
| Australian release | 2027 at the earliest | 1X: deliveries primarily in the US in 2026, other markets from 2027. No Australian date |
| Australian price | Not announced | US: US$20,000 to own, or US$499 a month |
| Deposit | US$200, refundable | 1X order page (Early Access) |
| Deliveries so far | Early access, US | Startup Fortune (22 Oct 2026): units shipped to early-access customers; no independently verified home delivery found |
| Recognition | TIME Best Inventions 2026 | TIME list published 15 Oct 2026 (via Humanoid Guide) |
Checked 27 October 2026 against 1X's NEO and order pages and the reporting linked under Sources. TIME's entry says NEO "launched globally" in 2026; 1X's own pages say the US comes first and other markets from 2027, so we go with 1X.
What NEO is, and what 1X says it can do
NEO is a two-legged humanoid made by 1X, a robotics company founded in Norway that now builds NEO in Hayward, California. 1X pitches it as a household helper: you list chores, set a schedule or ask for help in real time, and it learns new skills through software updates. 1X's examples include folding laundry, organising shelves, fetching items, opening doors and turning off lights. It also has a built-in language model for conversation, responds only when spoken to, and remembers past conversations.
| Spec | What 1X says |
|---|---|
| Weight | 29.9 kg (66 lb) |
| Lifting | Over 68 kg (150 lb) |
| Carrying | 25 kg (55 lb) |
| Noise | 22 dB, which 1X says is quieter than a modern fridge |
| Hands | 22 degrees of freedom (main NEO page); a later 1X post says 25 |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and 5G |
| Warranty | 3 years with Early Access ownership (US order page) |
From 1X's NEO and order pages, checked 27 October 2026. 1X doesn't publish height, battery runtime or charging details on those pages, so we've left them out.
Deliveries so far
1X said its Hayward factory began full production on 30 April 2026, and that units have since shipped to early-access customers, according to Startup Fortune's 22 October 2026 report. The same report says it found no independently verified case of a customer outside 1X's early-access program actually receiving a NEO at home. 1X itself has hedged, telling buyers that some will get their NEO this year and some later.
In other words, NEO is real and being built, but it's still early, US-only and largely unreviewed in ordinary homes. We'll update this page when the first independent owner reports appear.
When could NEO reach Australia?
- 1X's timeline: US first in 2026, "other markets" from 2027. 1X hasn't named which markets, so Australia isn't confirmed for 2027.
- Ordering from here: the order page only describes US deliveries. Before paying a deposit from Australia, ask 1X in writing whether it will deliver and support NEO here, and whether the deposit is refunded if it can't.
- Local requirements: a robot sold here needs a charger approved for Australian 240 V electrical safety rules, local repairs and parts, and 5G or Wi-Fi bands that work on Australian networks. None of that has been announced.
- The subscription: 1X says the US$499-a-month plan ships later than Early Access ownership, even in the US.
How much would NEO cost in Australia?
There's no Australian price. In the US it's US$20,000 to own through Early Access, or US$499 a month on subscription. If 1X sells here, expect GST (10%) and delivery on top, and the subscription would add up quickly: US$499 a month is US$17,964 over three years before any local charges. We haven't converted the US price to Australian dollars, because exchange rates move and 1X may set its own local price. Be wary of any site taking Australian-dollar orders for NEO; 1X's only order page is its own.
Remote operators and privacy
This is the part to think hardest about. NEO doesn't yet do everything on its own. For chores it hasn't learned, 1X says a "1X Expert" can guide it. In practice that means a person working remotely, watching through NEO's cameras. The Wall Street Journal's Joanna Stern reported in October 2025 that most tasks in her demo were done by an operator in a VR headset (as summarised on Wikipedia), and Startup Fortune reports early testing found NEO couldn't finish a household task without remote help.
1X says it blurs faces in footage, lets owners set no-go zones, gives owners control over when remote access is allowed, and that a light ring shows when a human is in control (Startup Fortune). Ask how long footage is kept, where it's stored, and whether that's in Australia, before inviting one into your home. Our robot vacuum privacy guide covers the same questions for camera robots you can buy today.
Before you pay a deposit
- Confirm it will ship to Australia. Get it in writing; the order page only mentions US deliveries.
- Check the refund terms. 1X says the US$200 Early Access deposit is fully refundable. Read the terms of use before paying.
- Ask about repairs. Who services a 30 kg robot in Australia, and who pays to ship it? A three-year warranty is only useful if someone here can honour it.
- Ask about remote operators. When can a person see inside your home, what's recorded, and can you turn it off?
- Remember the Australian Consumer Law. Its guarantees apply to goods sold to you in Australia; buying from an overseas store can make enforcing them much harder.
Our can you buy a humanoid in Australia? explainer has more on deposits and local support.
NEO versus the other home humanoids
| Robot | Status | Price | In Australia? |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1X NEO | Pre-order, US deliveries starting | US$20,000 or US$499/month | Other markets from 2027 (1X) |
| Tesla Optimus | Early production, used inside Tesla | Not announced | No; business deliveries targeted around end of 2027 |
| Figure 03 | Commercial pilots | Home lease floated at about US$600/month | No |
| Unitree R1 / G1 | On sale for research and education | From about A$13,189 (R1) | Yes, through local resellers, but not for chores |
Status and prices from our humanoid robot tracker and Tesla Optimus tracker. For what humanoids can do in a ring rather than a kitchen, see our HFC I Melbourne preview.
Our take
NEO is the closest thing to a home humanoid you can order, and the first early-access units are reportedly arriving in US homes a year after pre-orders opened. For Australians it's still a watch-and-wait robot: no local price, no date beyond 1X's "other markets from 2027", and an unresolved question about how much of its work a remote human does. If you want help around the house now, a robot vacuum, robot mower or pool robot will do more for far less. We'll update this tracker when 1X confirms international markets or independent owner reviews appear.
The first humanoids Australians are living with are in aged care: see humanoid robots in Australian aged care.
The one humanoid you can order from Australian stock today is a research robot: see the Unitree G1 price in Australia.
Musk has denied a report that Optimus reservations open in December 2026: see our Tesla Optimus in Australia tracker.
How NEO compares with Figure's home plans: see Figure's humanoid at home, and our humanoid robot price guide.
How NEO stacks up against Tesla and Figure: Tesla Optimus vs Figure vs 1X NEO. Thinking about remote operators and a 30 kg robot at home? Read humanoid robot safety at home.
What else happened in home humanoids this month: our November roundup.
Common questions
Can I buy a 1X NEO in Australia?
Not yet. 1X says deliveries are primarily in the US in 2026, with other markets from 2027, and its order page only mentions US deliveries. There's no Australian price or date.
How much is the 1X NEO?
In the US, US$20,000 to own through Early Access, with a US$200 refundable deposit, or US$499 a month on a subscription that ships later. No Australian price has been announced.
Has anyone received a NEO yet?
Startup Fortune reported on 22 October 2026 that units have shipped to early-access customers in the US, but it found no independently verified case of a customer receiving one at home.
Does a person control NEO remotely?
Sometimes. For tasks it hasn't learned, 1X says a 1X Expert can guide it, which means a remote person watching through its cameras. 1X says owners control when remote access is allowed and a light shows when a human is in control.
What can the 1X NEO do?
1X says it can fetch items, open doors, turn off lights, fold laundry and tidy shelves, and that it learns more tasks through updates. It weighs about 30 kg and can carry 25 kg, according to 1X.
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