What Your First Robot Costs
Most new builders want to know one thing before they start: how much will this cost? This page gives realistic budgets for a first robot in the four most popular beginner classes: 150 g Fairyweight, 1 lb plastic antweight, 1 lb Antweight and 3 lb Beetleweight. It splits costs into things you buy once, things you buy for each robot, and things you keep paying for.
All prices are in US dollars, as of October 2026, taken from real store listings. Prices change often, kits sell out between batches, and costs vary a lot by country once you add shipping, import duties and local taxes. Treat these numbers as a starting point and check current listings before you buy. For where to shop, see Suppliers and Kits.
The short answer
| Class | Robot (kit or custom) | Plus one-time gear | Realistic first-robot total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 150 g fairyweight | $55–180 | $100–200 | about $155–380 |
| 1 lb plastic antweight | $75–190 | $100–200 | about $175–390 |
| 1 lb antweight | $120–370 | $100–200 | about $220–570 |
| 3 lb beetleweight | $200–600 | $100–200 | about $300–800 |
The "one-time gear" column (radio, charger, soldering iron and basic tools) is the same for every class, and you only buy it once. Your second robot costs much less than your first. A 3D printer is optional and not included.
Kit or custom build?
- A kit costs a bit more per robot but takes the guesswork out: the parts are known to fit, work together and make weight. It's the safest way to get to your first event with a working robot. Read the listing carefully – many kits don't include the radio, battery or charger.
- A custom build can be cheaper, especially if you have a 3D printer or reuse parts, but it's easy to buy the wrong motor, ESC or radio. Following a proven open design (many are free) is a good middle ground. See GettingStarted.
- Either way, buy spares with your robot – at least extra wheels or tires, and a second battery.
One-time costs
You buy these once and reuse them on every robot you build.
| Item | Low | Typical | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Radio transmitter | $37 | $60–80 | The Flysky T6A from FingerTech is about US$37 without a receiver [1]; the RadioMaster Pocket is $59.99–71.50 [2]. See Radio List. |
| LiPo balance charger | $35 | $35–45 | The ToolkitRC M4AC is $35 at Repeat Robotics [3]; the SkyRC B6 Neo is $41.50 at Just 'Cuz Robotics [4]. |
| LiPo safety bag | $7 | $7–20 | Palm Beach Bots sells an antweight-sized bag for $6.99 [5]. See LiPo Battery Safety. |
| Soldering iron and supplies | $25 | $40–70 | The Pinecil V2 is $25.99–35.99 [6] and needs a USB-C PD or barrel-jack power supply. Add solder, flux and heat-shrink. Some kits (like the Palm Beach Bots Gen2 plastic kits) are solderless. See Wiring and Soldering. |
| Hand tools | $20 | $40–80 | Hex drivers, wire strippers, flush cutters, pliers, a cheap multimeter and safety glasses. See Tools For Beginners. |
| Test box | $0 | $20–60 | You can share one with your local group, or build a small one. See Test Boxes. |
| 3D printer (optional) | $0 | $200–550 | Budget printers that handle PLA, PETG and TPU are in this range; see 3D Printing. You can also borrow one, use a makerspace, or order parts from a printing service (Fabrication Services). |
Without a printer, plan on roughly $100–200 for one-time gear.
Per-robot costs by class
The "low" column is a careful budget build, reusing what you can; "typical" is what most first robots end up costing. Kit prices are given separately below each table.
150 g fairyweight
| Part | Low | Typical | Example listings |
|---|---|---|---|
| ESC with built-in receiver | $25 | $28–35 | The Malenki Nano dual ESC and receiver is $28 at Itgresa (on backorder when checked) [7] |
| Drive motors (pair) | $10 | $11–25 | Bristol Bot Builders N10/N20 gearmotor pairs are £8.50–11 [8] |
| Battery (small 2S LiPo) | $8 | $10–15 | Buy two |
| Wheels | $3 | $5–10 | |
| Weapon (servo or small motor) | $0 | $10–25 | A pushy wedge needs no weapon at all |
| Chassis | $2 | $5–30 | Printer filament costs a few dollars; a printing service costs more |
| Switch, wire, connectors, screws | $5 | $5–10 | |
| Total | about $55 | $75–150 |
Kits: Turnabot's OverThrow lifter is $174 [9] and the Squeezy grabber is $179 [10]. Both include a Malenki Nano board, motors, servo, battery and printed plastics, with a FlySky FS-i6 radio and charger as an optional add-on. In the UK, Bristol Bot Builders' drive kit starts at £24 (you make the chassis) [11], and Nuts and Bots kits are £92.50–125 [12].
1 lb plastic antweight
Plastic ants use 3D printed plastic for the chassis and armor, so frames are cheap and easy to replace. See Plastic Antweights for the material rules.
| Part | Low | Typical | Example listings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drive motors (pair) | $10 | $20–40 | Repeat Mini Brushed Mk2 gearmotors are $19–20 each [13] |
| Drive ESC and receiver | $25 | $28–35 | Repeat's Budget Ant dual brushed ESC is $15 [14] plus a FS2A receiver at $13 [15]; or a combo board like the Malenki Nano |
| Weapon motor and ESC (or servo) | $15 | $25–45 | |
| Battery (3S 300–380 mAh) | $12 | $12–25 | The GNB 380 mAh 3S is $12 at Repeat Robotics [16]; buy two |
| Wheels and hubs | $5 | $5–15 | |
| Printed parts (filament) | $3 | $5–15 | Print several copies of the parts that break |
| Screws, switch, wire | $5 | $10–15 | |
| Total | about $75 | $105–190 |
Kits: Palm Beach Bots' Gen2 plastic kits include the robot itself (add battery, radio and charger): the Top Shelf lifter is $98.99 [17] and the Turbulence horizontal spinner is $108.99 [18]. The Repeat Open Plant Bundle gives you the motors, ESCs, weapon motor, tires and hardware for your own printed design for $100, or $147 with a battery and M4AC charger; the printed parts aren't included [19].
1 lb antweight
Full-combat ants can use metal, UHMW, titanium and other materials, so the frame and armor usually cost more than in a plastic ant.
| Part | Low | Typical | Example listings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drive motors (pair) | $15 | $35–60 | Repeat Mini Brushed Mk2, $19–20 each [20] |
| Drive ESC and receiver | $25 | $28–65 | |
| Weapon motor and ESC | $20 | $30–60 | Leave it out for a first wedge or pusher |
| Batteries (two 3S packs) | $24 | $25–40 | |
| Frame and armor | $20 | $40–100 | Printed TPU or nylon, UHMW, aluminum or a cut-part service (Fabrication Services) |
| Wheels, hubs, hardware, switch, wire | $15 | $25–45 | |
| Total | about $120 | $185–370 |
Kits: The FingerTech Viper is about US$162 (it includes the motors, tinyESC, wheels and armor, but you add a radio and battery; FingerTech sells both as options) [21]. Palm Beach Bots' Skizo modular kit runs from $204.99 (lifter, no radio or battery) to $337.99 (spinner with radio, battery and charger) [22]. BotKits' Candy Wasp ($99.99–249.99) needs your own ESC, radio and battery, and was sold out when checked [23].
3 lb beetleweight
NHRL's starter guide says a capable beetleweight can be built for around $400, though top robots cost into the thousands.[24]
| Part | Low | Typical | Example listings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drive motors (pair) | $50 | $60–100 | Repeat's Max Brushless 2006 Mk2 is $50 each [25]; Rectified Robotics' 24mm brushless drive kit is $140 for two motors with two ESCs [26] |
| Drive ESC(s) | $15 | $40–65 | The Catalyst dual brushless ESC with built-in receiver is $65 [27] |
| Receiver | $0 | $13–25 | Not needed with a combo board |
| Weapon motor | $30 | $40–80 | The RDY-Mini-5022 is $30–62 at Just 'Cuz Robotics [28] |
| Weapon ESC | $15 | $25–35 | The Vortex 80A is $35 at Repeat Robotics [29] |
| Batteries (two 3S–4S packs) | $30 | $30–45 | A 3S 550 mAh pack is $15 at Just 'Cuz Robotics [30] |
| Frame and armor | $40 | $80–200 | UHMW, aluminum, AR500 or titanium, often ordered from a cutting service |
| Wheels, hubs, hardware, switch, wire | $20 | $30–60 | |
| Total | about $200 | $320–600 |
Kits: The Just 'Cuz Robotics SSP 2.0 lifter is $450, $500 pre-soldered or $535 with brushless drive; it includes a battery and receiver, so you only add a charger and transmitter (sold out when checked) [31]. NHRL's HAVOC Academy Crash Course is $499–599 and includes a transmitter and video lessons [32]. Repeat Robotics' Peter Bar vertical spinner bundle is $490 (sold out when checked) [33], and the BotKits D2 wedge is $199.99–374.95 (also sold out) [34].
Ongoing costs
- Spares. Wheels, tires, weapon parts, printed armor and motors wear out or break. Buy spares with the robot, not the night before an event. As a rough guide, set aside enough for a second set of the parts that broke at your first event.
- Batteries. LiPos lose capacity over time and must be retired if they puff or get damaged (see LiPo Battery Safety). Small packs cost about $12–20 each.
- Entry fees. Local insect events in 2026 typically charge from free to about $25 per robot (see Running an Event). Examples from October 2026 listings on RobotCombatEvents.com:
- RCCR @ STEAMfest 2026 (Huntsville, AL) is free for competitors and spectators.[35]
- Golden Tech Tussle 2026 (Golden, CO) charges $20 per robot.[36]
- EVAC Monster Mash 2026 (Tempe, AZ) charges $15 for plastic ants and fairyweights, $20 for full-combat ants and $25 for beetleweights.[37]
- CMRC October Ants (Fitchburg, MA) charges $25.[38]
- Larger regional and national events can cost more; check each event's own listing.
- Travel. Fuel, food and sometimes a hotel are often the biggest cost of a season, more than the robot. Start with events near you (Events, Local Groups) and carpool with other builders.
Ways to save money
- Borrow a radio, charger or tools. Local builders often have spares, and many groups share a test box and tools at build nights. Some events have loaner robots, so you can try driving for just the entry fee (see GettingStarted).
- Start with the plastic antweight or 150 g class. Frames are printed and cheap to replace, and the electronics are inexpensive.
- Start with a kit. You won't waste money on parts that don't fit or don't work together.
- Reuse electronics across robots. One transmitter can control many robots, and you can move ESCs, motors and receivers from an old robot into a new one.
- Match your radio to your receivers. A cheap radio is only a bargain if it binds to the boards you plan to use. For example, the Flysky T6A uses the original AFHDS protocol and can't bind to AFHDS 2A boards like the Malenki. Check the Radio List and Radios before you buy.
- Buy used. Builders upgrading often sell radios, chargers and parts in community Discords and groups. Inspect used LiPos carefully, or just buy new batteries.
- Build a wedge or pusher first. Skipping the weapon saves a motor and ESC, and a simple robot is cheaper to repair.
- Order together. Splitting an order with friends saves on shipping, especially from overseas stores.
What not to cheap out on
- A radio and receiver with a working failsafe. Every robot must stop safely when it loses signal. Use a modern spread-spectrum radio from the Radio List, never a toy remote, and set and test the failsafe (see Failsafes).
- A proper LiPo balance charger. A real balance charger set to the right cell count is the most important safety purchase you'll make. Charge on a non-flammable surface, never unattended, and store packs in a LiPo bag (see LiPo Battery Safety).
- Safety gear. Wear safety glasses when building and testing, and test weapons only in a test box (see Safety and Test Boxes).
- Batteries from known sellers. Unknown or damaged packs can fail badly. Buy from a combat or RC supplier, and replace any pack that puffs.