Our take
Vectis is one of the easiest cobot welding vendors to evaluate. It publishes a price range of $95,000 to $140,000 all-in for most systems, offers a 30-day return policy and a two-year warranty, and rents systems with an option to buy. That openness earns it one of the highest pricing transparency scores we have given.2
It is also a self-funded business. Its founders, former colleagues from Wolf Robotics, started it in a garage in Fort Collins, Colorado, without venture capital, and Chairman Doug Rhoda says it was profitable by its second year. It now has about 35 people and more than 800 deployments across North America.3,1
Scores by criterion
Each criterion is defined on our methodology page.
Who uses Vectis and what it's for
Vectis sells to fabrication shops of every size, from small job shops to Fortune 50 manufacturers, and lists contract manufacturing, equipment manufacturing, aluminum fabrication, shipyards, data center fabrication, and education among its markets.1,3
It suits shops buying their first robot. Vectis offers free application evaluations, says operators with no experience can run their first welds in minutes, and charges no subscription fees.1
Welding and cutting tools on UR arms
Vectis builds its systems on Universal Robots arms and its own software, and offers compact, mobile configurations so a shop can bring the part to the cobot or the cobot to the part. It holds several US design and utility patents.1
The company says customers see a three to four times productivity gain on average, and most report payback in two years or less. Typical lead time is a few weeks.1,2
Ways to buy
Most fully integrated systems cost $95,000 to $140,000. A barebones Super DIY package, where the buyer supplies the welder, torch, and cable management, can be as low as $75,000, though Vectis does not recommend it for first-time users.2
Buyers can also rent with a purchase option, or finance and lease through Anthem Capital. Vice President Josh Pawley told Manufacturing In Focus that the 30-day money-back guarantee is practically unheard of in capital equipment.2,4
Competitive landscape
| Company | Product | Pricing model | Deployment footprint | Where Vectis wins or loses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vectis Automation | Cobot welding and plasma cutting tools on Universal Robots arms1 | Published: most systems $95,000 to $140,000 all-in, rental with purchase option2 | More than 800 deployments across North America1 | Published prices and a 30-day return policy; small team |
| Path Robotics | AI welding cells and Rove mobile welding6 | Offered as a service with no upfront capital cost, priced by quote6,11 | More than $100 million in bookings in 2025; Navy shipbuilding agreements with HII5,7 | Vectis wins on deployment count and price clarity. Path wins on autonomy and large structures. |
| Novarc Technologies | Spool Welding Robot and NovAI vision for pipe and roll welding8 | Not published8 | Pipe spool fabrication shops8 | Vectis wins on published prices and lower entry cost. Novarc wins on pipe welding specialization. |
| Hirebotics | App-controlled welding, cutting, and painting cobots9 | Published: cobot welder from $105,000, owned outright, no required subscription9 | Job shops buying single cells9 | Vectis wins on more deployments and a rental option. Hirebotics wins on painting cobots and app programming. |
| Abagy | AI welding software that plans robot paths without programming10 | Not published; financing through partners10 | High-mix makers of beams, joists, frames, and trusses10 | Vectis wins on a complete cobot tool at a known price. Abagy wins for shops that want software for robots they own. |
Limits
Vectis is a small company of about 35 people, so support capacity is limited compared with large integrators.3
Its systems are built around cobot arms, which suit high-mix work better than very high-volume lines that need caged industrial robots.4
Revenue is not disclosed. We estimate it at $10 million to $15 million, based on about 35 employees, more than 800 deployments since 2019, and typical system prices of $95,000 to $140,000. This is an estimate, not a reported figure.3,1,2
What customers say
Where it helps
The common thread in what Vectis and its customers describe is accessibility: shops with no robot experience get running quickly, with a return policy and rental option that lower the risk of a first purchase.1,2,4
Where it falls short
We found no independent negative reviews of Vectis. The main trade-off is the cobot format itself, which is slower than caged robots on long production runs.4
Where customer reviews couldn't be found, our analysts attempted to give a voice to buyer sentiment, drawing on real information from review sites, forums and product documentation. Based on: Vectis homepage and pricing page, the Loveland Economic Development success story, and Manufacturing In Focus.
Leadership
Doug Rhoda
Chairman and co-founderRhoda says Vectis was profitable by its second year because of its disciplined, organic growth.3
Josh Pawley
Vice president of business development and co-founderPawley says the founders wanted to make automation more accessible, approachable, and flexible.4
Sources
- Vectis Automation, Homepage, accessed November 1, 2026
- Vectis Automation, Pricing, accessed November 1, 2026
- Loveland Economic Development, Vectis Automation: Building a great American company, accessed November 1, 2026
- Manufacturing In Focus, Making automation easier, accessed November 1, 2026
- Path Robotics, 2025 year in review, accessed November 1, 2026
- Path Robotics, Newsroom and company facts, accessed October 31, 2026
- Path Robotics, HII signs production agreements with Path Robotics and GrayMatter Robotics, accessed November 1, 2026
- Novarc Technologies, Home page, accessed November 1, 2026
- Hirebotics, Pricing, accessed November 1, 2026
- Abagy, Home page, accessed November 1, 2026
- Path Robotics, Homepage, accessed October 31, 2026
