Best China Robotics Reports & Databases in 2026

Comparing the top data sources for robotics market intelligence, funding data, and company tracking.

Last updated: August 18, 2026

TL;DR

Most robotics databases answer the investor's question: who raised money, at what valuation, from whom. Only one on this list answers the buyer's question: who do I call at the factory. Asiabits tracks 2,641 manufacturers across Asia, free to search, and carries a named contact plus an on-site assessment for 300 of them. IFR World Robotics is the industry standard for installation figures ($1,500+ per report). The Robot Report is free for news. CB Insights and PitchBook cover robotics inside broader VC databases ($30,000+ a year). GGII publishes China market data in Chinese. Choose by the question you are trying to answer.

Top 6 Robotics Data Sources Compared

2

IFR World Robotics

$1,500+ per report

International Federation of Robotics annual report. Industry standard for global robot installation data, market size, and forecasts. Covers industrial robots, service robots, and collaborative robots across all major markets. Widely cited by governments, consultancies, and media.

Best for: Large corporations and consultancies needing authoritative global statistics.
3

The Robot Report

Free

Free news and analysis site covering the robotics industry. Weekly newsletter with curated stories. Part of WTWH Media. Covers product launches, company news, funding announcements, and technology trends across the global robotics ecosystem.

Best for: Keeping up with robotics news and product launches for free.
4

CB Insights

$30,000+ per year

Broad VC and startup intelligence platform covering robotics as one vertical among many. Company profiles, funding data, market maps, and competitive analysis. Strong data visualization and pattern recognition across sectors.

Best for: VC firms and corporate strategy teams needing cross-sector tech intelligence.
5

PitchBook

$20,000+ per year

Comprehensive VC database with robotics coverage. Deal flow, valuations, fund performance, and limited partner data. Widely used by institutional investors for due diligence. Covers global markets with depth in North America and Europe.

Best for: Institutional investors and M&A professionals.
6

GGII (Gaogong Industrial Research Institute)

Pricing varies

China's leading domestic robotics research firm. Market reports in Chinese on industrial robots, cobots, AGVs, and related automation sectors. Extensive relationships with Chinese robot manufacturers. Proprietary production and shipment data from domestic companies.

Best for: Companies already operating in China needing local-language market data.

Side-by-Side Comparison

Source Type Price Companies Tracked Geographic Focus Update Frequency
IFR Annual Report $1,500+ N/A (market data) Global Annual
Robot Report News & Analysis Free N/A (news) Global Daily
CB Insights VC Intelligence $30,000+/yr Broad (multi-sector) Global Real-time
PitchBook VC Database $20,000+/yr Broad (multi-sector) Global (US/EU focus) Real-time
GGII Market Research Varies China domestic China Periodic

How to Choose the Right Source

  • Budget. A single IFR report costs $1,500. CB Insights and PitchBook start around $30,000 a year. Asiabits sits between them at $699 a month billed annually, and the searchable directory costs nothing. Decide what the answer is worth before comparing feature lists.
  • Geographic focus. If you need China-specific data, Asiabits and GGII are purpose-built for that market. IFR, CB Insights, and PitchBook provide global coverage with less depth on individual Asian companies.
  • Real-time tracking vs. annual snapshots. CB Insights and PitchBook update in real-time. IFR publishes annually. Asiabits provides regular updates at a fraction of the cost of enterprise platforms.
  • Funding data vs. installation statistics. If you need investment rounds and valuations, choose Asiabits, CB Insights, or PitchBook. If you need robot shipment and installation numbers, IFR is the standard.
  • Language needs. GGII publishes primarily in Chinese. All other sources on this list operate in English. Consider whether your team can work with Chinese-language data.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cheapest robotics database?
The Robot Report is free for news coverage, and the Asiabits directory is free to search across 2,641 Asian manufacturers. Paid subscriptions start well below the terminal providers: Asiabits runs at USD 699 per month billed annually, against $1,500 for a single IFR report and $30,000 a year for CB Insights or PitchBook.
What is the best source for China robotics data?
Asiabits covers 2,641 manufacturers across Asia and is the only source here with a named contact at the factory. GGII provides Chinese-language domestic market reports. IFR covers China as part of its global installation data.
How much does IFR World Robotics cost?
IFR World Robotics annual reports typically cost $1,500 or more. The data is considered the industry standard for global robot installation numbers.
Is there a free robotics database?
The Robot Report provides free news and analysis. The Asiabits directory is free to search: 2,641 manufacturers across Asia with location, category and products. The paid subscription adds the contact person, product specifications and an on-site assessment for 300 of them.
What data does the Asiabits Robotics Database include?
The free directory covers 2,641 manufacturers across Asia with location, category and products. The subscription adds, for 300 core companies, the contact person and direct email, product specifications, whether they ship to Europe, and a written assessment from visiting the plant. A monthly brief and the manufacturer catalogues in English come with it.

Sources & References

Access the Asiabits Robotics Database

2,641 manufacturers across Asia. For 300 of them: the contact person, the specifications, and our read from the factory floor. USD 699 per month, billed annually.

Get the Database