Pudu vs Keenon vs Gausium — which to pick
Three largest Chinese OEMs in service robotics. Technologically close, differences in details. What to know before choosing.
Pudu, Keenon and Gausium are the three largest Chinese service-robot manufacturers. Pudu and Keenon dominate HoReCa (delivery and host robots), Gausium leads commercial cleaning. The technology gap between them is small, but in actual procurement and operation the differences become visible.
This breakdown is for those who already know they need a robot and now choose between specific models.
TL;DR
- Pudu — HoReCa leader by deployment count and brand recognition. BellaBot and KettyBot are near-standard in the industry.
- Keenon — strong alternative with a more “technical” design and higher payload. Stronger in Asian markets.
- Gausium — almost exclusively professional cleaning. Doesn't play in HoReCa.
- Differences are less in hardware than in localisation, POS integrations and service availability in the client's country.
Pudu — the most recognisable
Pudu Robotics (Shenzhen, founded 2016) — global leader in HoReCa delivery and host robots. BellaBot is the world's best-selling restaurant robot (over 80 000 deployments per company data). KettyBot — compact entrance host. SwiftBot and FlashBot — for chains and large rooms.
Strengths: emotional design (BellaBot's “face”-display is a recognisable marketing asset), good localisation (Russian, Arabic interfaces), polished integrations with iiko and R-Keeper.
Where Pudu loses: lower payload than Keenon. Restaurants with heavy dishes (e.g. Asian hot-pot vessels) may need higher payload.
Keenon — technical alternative
Keenon Robotics (Shanghai, 2010) — historical presence in China and Southeast Asia. Dinerbot T8/T9/T10 lineup is the main format, with a more “industrial” design without emotional elements.
Strengths: higher payload (up to 40 kg vs 25 kg on Pudu BellaBot), stronger in Japan and Korea, marginally more reliable in operation by service-ticket statistics (industry reviews).
Where Keenon loses: less known in CIS and MENA, Russian and Arabic localisation is weaker than Pudu's. Marketing effect is weaker (no “viral” BellaBot-style design).
Gausium — different niche
Gausium (Shanghai, 2013) — focus on professional cleaning: Phantas, Vacuum 40, Scrubber 50/75. No delivery or host robots.
Strengths: leader in hard-floor cleaning (malls, airports, metro). Phantas — the standard for office buildings 5—50K m². Scrubber 50/75 — for large surfaces with scrubbing tasks. BMS integrations and ESG logging of water/detergent consumption — better than competitors.
Where Gausium isn't a fit: don't try to use it in HoReCa or for delivery — different category. Also, for carpets there's a separate equipment class (Roborock and similar), not Gausium.
How to choose in practice
If you're picking a delivery or host robot for a restaurant — Pudu (BellaBot/KettyBot) is almost always the right answer. Brand recognition and localisation outweigh the technical nuances.
If you have an Asian cuisine with heavy dishes or a chain in Southeast Asia — look at Keenon T9/T10. Higher payload and historical install base.
If the task is cleaning an office, mall or industrial site — Gausium. There are almost no direct Chinese competitors in this niche.
For any choice — a pilot unit before the main order. Real behaviour of the robot in your dining room or on your floors is the only reliable test.
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