DOBOT CR5A vs Elite EC66: 5–6 kg Cobot Comparison of Price, Specs and Applications
The DOBOT CR5A and the Elite Robots EC66 are mid-size collaborative robots aimed at buyers who want industrial capability below the price of the best-known Western brands. The CR5A offers a 5 kg payload, 900 mm reach and ±0.02 mm repeatability. The EC66 offers a 6 kg payload, 914 mm reach and a much lighter arm.
This comparison uses manufacturer specifications and publicly listed prices to show where each robot is stronger and which projects suit each one.
Quick verdict. The Elite EC66 is the stronger value choice when payload, arm weight, joint range and price matter, with 1 kg more payload, a 7.5 kg lighter arm and a lower listed price. The DOBOT CR5A is the stronger choice when repeatability, speed, a published PLd Category 3 safety controller and low power consumption matter more.
DOBOT CR5A and Elite EC66 at a glance
The CR5A belongs to DOBOT's CRA series. It runs from a 48 V DC supply, consumes about 150 W and is programmed with DobotStudio Pro on a phone, tablet, PC or teach pendant. DOBOT states that the series is certified to ISO 13849-1, ISO 10218-1 and ISO/TS 15066.
The EC66 belongs to Elite Robots' EC series. It carries 6 kg, reaches 914 mm, rotates ±360° on every joint and weighs 17.5 kg. It ships with a teach pendant and an AC control box with a wide set of industrial protocols.
Main specification comparison
Specification | DOBOT CR5A | Elite Robots EC66 |
Robot type | 6-axis collaborative robot | 6-axis collaborative robot |
Published price | $23,564 (RobotShop U.S.) | €16,875 excl. VAT (≈ $18,949), with control box and teach pendant |
Rated payload | 5 kg | 6 kg |
Reach | 900 mm | 914 mm |
Repeatability | ±0.02 mm | ±0.03 mm |
Maximum speed | 4 m/s linear | 2.8 m/s TCP |
Joint speed | Up to 223°/s | J1–J2 150°/s; J3 190°/s; J4–J6 260°/s |
Joint range | ±360° on five joints; ±160° on J3 | ±360° on all six joints |
Arm weight | 25 kg | 17.5 kg |
Footprint | Not specified in manufacturer data | Ø150 mm |
Protection rating | IP54 | Arm IP54, control box IP44 |
Operating temperature | 0–50 °C | 0–50 °C |
Power | 150 W; 48 V DC | 250 W typical; 100–240 V AC control box |
Safety | Standalone safety controller PLd Cat. 3; 20+ safety functions; ISO 13849-1, ISO 10218-1, ISO/TS 15066 | Real-time collision detection; certificates listed include ISO 10218, CE, NRTL, KCs |
Tool I/O | 2 DI, 2 DO, 2 AI (AI shared with RS485) | 2 DI, 2 DO, 1 AI, 1 AO, RS485; 24 V, 2 A |
Controller I/O | 16 DI, 16 configurable DI/DO, 2 AI/AO, ABZ encoder input | 16 DI, 20 DO, 2 AI, 4 AO |
Industrial protocols | Modbus TCP/RTU, EtherNet/IP, PROFINET, TCP/IP, Wi-Fi | TCP/IP, UDP, Modbus TCP/RTU, EtherNet/IP, PROFINET, CC-Link |
Programming | DobotStudio Pro (blocks and Lua) on phone, tablet, PC or 10.1-inch pendant; hand-guided teaching | Teach pendant with touch screen and physical keys; drag teaching; remote monitoring from laptop, phone or tablet |
Control box | Compact DC controller | 505 × 448 × 245 mm, 15 kg |
Arm cable | 5 m | 5.5 m |
Warranty | 1 year (reseller listing) | Confirm with the selling partner |
Best overall advantage | Repeatability, speed, safety controller, low power | Payload, light arm, joint range, price |
Price comparison
RobotShop's U.S. store lists the DOBOT CR5A at $23,564, and Top 3D Shop lists it at $24,320. Unchained Robotics, a European automation marketplace, lists the Elite EC66 at €16,875 excluding VAT, including the robot, teach pendant and control box. At an exchange rate of €1 = $1.1229 (19 October 2026), that is about $18,949.
DOBOT CR5A: $23,564
Elite Robots EC66: about $18,949 before VAT
Difference: about $4,615
The CR5A listing is about 1.24 times the EC66 price
The EC66 costs roughly 20% less
The two prices come from different markets. The CR5A figure is a U.S. retail price, while the EC66 figure is a European price before VAT and before import, shipping and local support costs. Buyers in either region should request local quotations, but on the visible listings the EC66 is the lower-cost robot.
Payload
The EC66 is rated for 6 kg and the CR5A for 5 kg, so the EC66 has a 1 kg (20%) payload advantage. That margin is useful with heavier grippers, dual grippers, small vacuum tools or a camera on the wrist.
For tasks well under 5 kg, both robots are closely matched. Projects close to the limit should be checked against each manufacturer's payload curve, because usable payload falls as the center of gravity moves away from the flange.
Reach and workspace
The EC66 reaches 914 mm and the CR5A 900 mm, a difference of only 14 mm. In practice the two cover nearly the same working envelope.
The EC66 rotates ±360° on all six joints, while the CR5A limits joint 3 to ±160°. The EC66's wider joint range gives more freedom in posture and cable routing, which helps in tight cells and when the arm must reach around obstacles.
Repeatability and precision
The CR5A publishes ±0.02 mm repeatability and the EC66 ±0.03 mm. The CR5A is the tighter specification on paper, which can matter in small-part assembly, dispensing and inspection.
Both values exceed what most pick-and-place, packaging and machine-tending work needs. Real accuracy also depends on fixtures, tool stiffness, calibration and temperature, so precision-critical work should be validated with the actual tool.
Speed and cycle time
DOBOT publishes a maximum linear speed of 4 m/s for the CR5A. Elite publishes a maximum TCP speed of 2.8 m/s for the EC66, with wrist joints rotating at up to 260°/s. On paper the CR5A has the higher speed ceiling.
In collaborative operation the risk assessment usually limits speed near people, which narrows the practical difference. In guarded cells, cycle-time trials with the real payload are the best way to compare.
Weight and power
The EC66 arm weighs 17.5 kg, 7.5 kg less than the CR5A's 25 kg. A lighter arm is easier to mount on carts, mobile platforms and overhead structures, and places less load on the supporting frame.
The CR5A is rated at 150 W and runs from a 48 V DC supply, which suits battery-powered and mobile platforms. The EC66 lists 250 W typical consumption and uses an AC control box that weighs 15 kg.
Safety
The CR5A uses a standalone safety controller rated PLd Category 3 with more than 20 safety functions, five adjustable collision-detection levels and a fast-acting brake. DOBOT states certification to ISO 13849-1, ISO 10218-1 and ISO/TS 15066 for the CRA series, and offers optional SafeSkin pre-collision sensing.
The EC66 provides real-time collision detection and a sensitive drag-teaching mode. Listed certificates include ISO 10218, CE and NRTL. Buyers who need a documented performance level for the safety controller should request the declarations for the exact EC66 configuration.
Neither robot is automatically safe in every application. The complete cell, including tooling and parts, still needs a risk assessment.
Controller, programming and connectivity
DOBOT CR5A
The CR5A is programmed with DobotStudio Pro, which combines graphical blocks with Lua scripting and runs on a phone, tablet or PC, with a 10.1-inch teach pendant available. Hand-guided teaching makes point recording quick. Modbus TCP/RTU, EtherNet/IP and PROFINET are supported, along with TCP/IP and Wi-Fi.
Elite Robots EC66
The EC66 is programmed from a teach pendant with a touch screen and physical keys, and supports drag teaching. The control box provides 16 digital inputs, 20 digital outputs, 2 analog inputs and 4 analog outputs, with TCP/IP, UDP, Modbus TCP/RTU, EtherNet/IP, PROFINET and CC-Link. The robot can also be monitored remotely from a laptop, phone or tablet.
Best applications for the DOBOT CR5A
Precision assembly and dispensing
Electronics and small-part inspection
Machine tending with light grippers
Mobile and DC-powered platforms
Education and training cells
Projects that require a PLd Cat. 3 safety controller
Best applications for the Elite EC66
Pick-and-place with heavier grippers
Machine tending and packaging up to 6 kg
Cart-mounted and mobile cells that benefit from a lighter arm
Cells that need full ±360° joint rotation
Factories using CC-Link, PROFINET or EtherNet/IP
Budget-sensitive deployments of several robots
DOBOT CR5A advantages
±0.02 mm published repeatability
4 m/s maximum linear speed
PLd Cat. 3 standalone safety controller
150 W consumption and 48 V DC supply
App, tablet and PC programming with hand guiding
Optional SafeSkin pre-collision sensing
DOBOT CR5A limitations
25 kg arm weight
5 kg payload
±160° range on joint 3
Higher listed price than the EC66
Elite Robots EC66 advantages
6 kg payload
914 mm reach
17.5 kg arm weight
±360° on every joint
Lower listed price
Broad protocol support, including CC-Link
Elite Robots EC66 limitations
±0.03 mm published repeatability
Lower published speed
Larger and heavier AC control box
Safety performance level not stated in the listing
Final verdict
Choose the Elite EC66 when the project needs a little more payload, a lighter arm, full joint rotation or the lowest hardware cost. It is a strong all-round option for pick-and-place, machine tending and packaging.
Choose the DOBOT CR5A when repeatability, speed, a documented PLd Category 3 safety controller and low DC power consumption are priorities. It suits precision assembly, electronics and mobile platforms.
The two robots are close in reach, so the decision mostly comes down to payload and weight on one side and precision, speed and safety documentation on the other.
Read our full DOBOT CR5 review and Elite Robots EC66 review, or compare the UR3e vs DOBOT CR3A.
Sources
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper, the DOBOT CR5A or the Elite EC66?
Unchained Robotics lists the EC66 at €16,875 excluding VAT, about $18,949. RobotShop lists the CR5A at $23,564 in the U.S.
Which robot has the higher payload?
The EC66 is rated for 6 kg and the CR5A for 5 kg.
Which robot has the longer reach?
The EC66 reaches 914 mm and the CR5A 900 mm, a difference of 14 mm.
Which robot is more repeatable?
The CR5A publishes ±0.02 mm and the EC66 ±0.03 mm.
Which robot is lighter?
The EC66 arm weighs 17.5 kg and the CR5A 25 kg.
Which robot is faster?
DOBOT publishes a 4 m/s maximum linear speed for the CR5A. Elite publishes a 2.8 m/s maximum TCP speed for the EC66.
Which robot has a documented safety performance level?
The CR5A uses a standalone safety controller rated PLd Category 3. For the EC66, request the safety declarations for the specific configuration.
Which robot uses less power?
The CR5A is rated at 150 W on a 48 V DC supply. The EC66 lists 250 W typical consumption.
Do both robots support PROFINET and EtherNet/IP?
Yes. The EC66 also supports CC-Link, and the CR5A supports Wi-Fi.
Which robot should I buy?
Choose the EC66 for payload, lighter weight, full joint rotation and lower cost. Choose the CR5A for repeatability, speed, a documented safety controller and DC power.
