Tau Robotics Offers Humanoid Robot Cleaner for $30/Hour in San Francisco

Residents of San Francisco can now hire a humanoid robot to vacuum, wipe surfaces, unload dishes, and take out the trash, the company Tau Robotics said. The fee is $30 an hour. The service is invite-only for now. Prospective customers must join a waitlist.

Tau Robotics, a startup focused on domestic automation, did not disclose how many robots are deployed or when the service might expand beyond the pilot. The robots handle standard household chores that have resisted automation because of the variety of surfaces and objects involved. The company's pitch is that the hourly rate competes with professional cleaning services, which typically charge $40 to $80 an hour in the Bay Area.

The waitlist model lets Tau control deployment density and gather feedback before scaling. Competitors in the humanoid space, such as Figure AI and Tesla's Optimus, have focused on warehouse and factory tasks. Tau's move into homes tests whether the technology is ready for unstructured environments like kitchens and living rooms. A single misstep in a cluttered apartment could set back the timeline for broader rollouts.

If the pilot succeeds, Tau Robotics could expand to other metro areas later in the year, the company said. For now, the waitlist is the only way in.