NAO vs Pepper
Last reviewed: 1 September 2026
In short: choose NAO if you want a compact education and programming platform. It is a 58 cm bipedal humanoid robot with 25 degrees of freedom, 4 bidirectional microphones, two 2D cameras, 7 touch sensors and full programming via Choregraphe. It is ideal for schools, universities, labs and STEM projects. Choose Pepper if you want presence and public interaction. It is a 121 cm social humanoid robot with a chest tablet, expressive movements, that speaks 20 languages and detects the speaker's language. It is ideal for reception, retail, events and brand image. Both are humanoid robots from Aldebaran/SoftBank Robotics: NAO for learning, programming and development, Pepper for engagement and human presence.
Who each is for
NAO
- ✓STEM education, programming and robotics (schools, universities)
- ✓Research and hands-on projects, 25 degrees of freedom
- ✓Voice interaction in 20 languages, 4 microphones, two 2D cameras
- ✓Full programming via Choregraphe and code
Pepper
- ✓Reception, retail, events and brand activations
- ✓121 cm humanoid presence with a chest tablet
- ✓20 languages and speaker-language detection
- ✓Expressive movements, presence and touch sensors
The differences that matter
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| NAO | Pepper | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Programmable humanoid robot (education & research) | Social humanoid robot (reception & interaction) |
| Height | 58 cm | 121 cm |
| Weight | - | ≈ 28 kg |
| Screen / tablet | No | Yes (on chest) |
| Drive base | Bipedal (walks on legs) | Wheeled base (omnidirectional) |
Compared specifications
Form & build
| NAO | Pepper | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Programmable humanoid robot (education & research) | Social humanoid robot (reception & interaction) |
| Height | 58 cm | 121 cm |
| Weight | - | ≈ 28 kg |
| Screen / tablet | No | Yes (on chest) |
| Manufacturer | Aldebaran / SoftBank Robotics | Aldebaran / SoftBank Robotics |
Motion & sensors
| NAO | Pepper | |
|---|---|---|
| Drive base | Bipedal (walks on legs) | Wheeled base (omnidirectional) |
| Expressive arms & gestures | Yes | Yes |
| Touch & presence sensors | Yes (7 touch sensors) | Yes |
Interaction & programming
| NAO | Pepper | |
|---|---|---|
| Conversation languages | 20 | 20 |
| Voice recognition | Yes | Yes (detects the speaker's language) |
| Programmable platform (SDK) | Yes (Choregraphe) | Yes |
Both are humanoid robots from Aldebaran/SoftBank Robotics, with voice interaction in 20 languages, expressive arms and gestures and touch sensors. The main difference is that NAO is a compact education and programming platform (58 cm, bipedal), while Pepper is a 121 cm social robot with a tablet, for reception and engagement.
Frequently asked questions
What's the main difference between NAO and Pepper?
NAO is a compact humanoid robot (58 cm), bipedal, designed for education, programming and research, with 25 degrees of freedom, 4 microphones, 2 cameras and programming via Choregraphe. Pepper is a 121 cm social robot with a chest tablet and expressive movements, designed for reception, retail and public interaction. Both are from Aldebaran/SoftBank Robotics.
Which robot for a school or a lab?
NAO. It's the right platform for STEM education and robotics: pupils and students learn programming (Choregraphe and code), while the 25 degrees of freedom and the sensors enable hands-on research projects.
Which robot for reception or retail?
Pepper. Its 121 cm height, chest tablet, expressive movements and 20 languages make it suitable for greeting visitors, presentations and brand engagement.
Does NAO have a screen / tablet?
No. NAO has no screen. It interacts through voice, LEDs, movement and sensors. Pepper has a chest tablet that displays text, maps or content.
Do they have a public price?
No, both are quote-based. IRIS Robotics supplies, configures and integrates NAO and Pepper (Aldebaran/SoftBank Robotics) in Romania and provides pricing, software applications, training and support.
Sources
Not sure which robot fits you?
Tell us where you'll use it (education, research, reception, events) and we'll recommend the right robot, with software applications and training.
Request consultingBuying from IRIS Robotics: key facts
IRIS Robotics sells and maintains the robots in this comparison across the EU. We repair Pepper at our service centre in Iași, Romania, and for NAO and temi we pass the service request on to the manufacturer or to our partner Clinica Roboților.
Key facts
- Price
- On quote, by model and configuration. The quote includes shipping, the VAT treatment and the delivery lead time.
- Service
- The IRIS Robotics Pepper service centre in Iași, Romania, repairs Pepper robots from across the EU, with diagnostics at EUR 250 plus VAT. For NAO, temi and Unitree robots we pass the request on to the manufacturer or to our partner Clinica Roboților.
- Delivery
- From Iași, Romania, to every EU country. The shipping cost and the lead time are confirmed before you order, at checkout or in the quote.
- Warranty
- 24 months for consumers, or longer where the law of your country requires it, and 12 months for businesses, from delivery.
- VAT
- Consumer prices include the VAT of the delivery country. Businesses with a VAT number valid in VIES are invoiced without VAT (reverse charge) when the goods ship to another EU country.
- Contact
- +40 738 435 679, WhatsApp +40 725 489 118, contact@irisrobotics.ro