Buying guide
Figure 03 vs Tesla Optimus in 2026
Comparing 2 humanoid robots across availability, pricing, capabilities, and verified deployments. Current as of 2026.
Key differences
- Figure 03 is at the commercial stage; Tesla Optimus at the pilot stage.
| Attribute | ||
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Figure AI | Tesla |
| Form factor | humanoid | humanoid |
| Maturity | commercial | pilot |
| Autonomy | ◐ not independently verified | ◐ not independently verified |
| Availability | internal-onlyenterprise | announced-no-dateannounced |
| Price | Not announced | $20,000-$30,000 (manufacturer target) |
| Capability claims |
|
|
| Brain |
|
|
| Verified deployments | 2Catalyst Brands, BMW Group | 2Tesla, Tesla |
| Privacy practices | — | — |
| Sources on file | 27 | 25 |
Editorial summaries
Figure 03
Figure 03 is the current-generation Figure humanoid, positioned by Figure for both home and commercial-integration use cases; the verified deployment record is currently single-operator at Catalyst Brands' Reno distribution facility, with no shipped home units on record. The BMW Spartanburg pilot, frequently cited as Figure's enterprise proof point, was Figure 02. That deployment concluded in November 2025 and does not transfer to Figure 03's verification record. Figure describes the platform as fully autonomous in the demonstrated tasks, a framing that DEPLOY tracks as a claim rather than an audit until third-party reproduction lands.
Tesla Optimus
Tesla Optimus is the canonical example of the verified-vs-claimed gap in commercial humanoid robotics. Tesla has shown Optimus in choreographed demos, internal-facility deployment, and consumer-marketing contexts, but no verified third-party customer deployments and no shipped consumer units exist as of 2026. The price ($20,000 to $30,000) is a manufacturer target contingent on high-volume production that has not yet begun. Optimus units inside Tesla facilities count as manufacturer pilot, not commercial deployment under DEPLOY's maker-facility rule.
Common questions
- What is the difference between Figure 03 and Tesla Optimus?
- Figure 03 and Tesla Optimus are both humanoid robots on the DEPLOY registry. They differ in maker, maturity, price, verified deployments, and how much of their autonomy is independently verified. See the table above for the full head-to-head; each figure is sourced.
- Is Figure 03 or Tesla Optimus more autonomous?
- On the DEPLOY registry, neither Figure 03 nor Tesla Optimus has capabilities independently verified as fully autonomous yet; their recorded capabilities are teleoperated-assisted, demonstrated, or vendor-claimed. See the table for each capability's verification status.
- Which has more verified deployments, Figure 03 or Tesla Optimus?
- Figure 03 and Tesla Optimus each have 2 verified deployments on the DEPLOY registry (confirmed at named sites with primary sources).
Recent coverage
- Tesla leases 683,000 sq ft Austin building in Musk’s Texas sweepTesla Optimus · Electrek · 2026-07-08
- Tesla launches ‘Tesla Home’ with Opticaster AI to cut power billsTesla Optimus · Electrek · 2026-07-08
- Are Humanoid Robots Ready to Be Deployed?Figure 03 · AgentRecon · 2026-07-06
- Automate 2026 show recapFigure 03 · Robotics Business Review · 2026-07-02
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