Calculator · pool
Pool robot vs. pool service: when does the robot pay for itself?
A robot replaces the brushing and vacuuming part of a weekly service. It doesn't test water, add chemicals or check the pump. So this calculator asks for your actual quote and how much of it you'd keep paying, and tells you the month the robot breaks even. There are no built-in averages; every number is yours.
Break-even receipt
Worked example above: $1,000 robot, 3-year life, $40/week quote of which $15 still gets paid. Saving = (quote − kept part) × 52 ÷ 12 − upkeep ÷ 12.
What this leaves out
- Chemicals. Excluded on both sides. You buy them either way; if your service includes them, put that part in "still pay."
- Your time. Someone still lifts the robot out, empties the filter basket and charges it (or minds the cable).
- Robot life. Makers don't publish expected lifespans, so the years are your call. Shorter life, later break-even.
- Whether you can buy the model. Check the robot's FCC ID on the US availability check before you count on a new model reaching a US store.
Comparing a big-ticket robot that's offered as a subscription? Use the buy or subscribe calculator.