ElliQ Robot: Price, Features and New York’s Senior Program

New York has committed another $2.1 million to putting AI companions in older adults’ homes. The ElliQ robot is a tabletop companion from Intuition Robotics for adults aged 60 and over, leased for $39 to $59 a month plus a $249 starting fee. If you’re an eligible New Yorker, you may be able to get one through your local Office for the Aging.

Why keep funding it? According to 2026 program data, 94% of users reported feeling less lonely. That gives you a reason to look closer, though the figures come from the program and company, rather than independent research.

Here are the essentials before you consider one for yourself or a parent.

Item	Detail
Maker	Intuition Robotics
What it is	A tabletop AI companion with a moving head and touchscreen
Price	$39, $49 or $59 per month, depending on your plan
Fee	$249 to start the lease
Trial	30 days on annual and 24-month plans
Who it’s for	Adults 60+ who live alone or spend much of their day alone
Needs	Electricity and Wi-Fi
NY deal	A $2.1 million agreement covering three more years
NY results	94% reported less loneliness and 97% reported better wellbeing

What the ElliQ Robot Actually Is

You might expect something that walks around your home. ElliQ stays on a table. Its lamp-like head moves beside a removable touchscreen, giving you a device you can speak to and use for video calls, messages, games and wellness activities. The important difference is how it starts those exchanges.

You see, ElliQ doesn’t always wait for you to ask a question. Unlike Alexa, it can begin a conversation or check in with you. That proactive design is central to what Intuition Robotics offers older adults who spend long stretches alone.

The company was founded in 2016 and is based in Ramat Gan, Israel, with a US office in San Francisco. ElliQ entered beta in 2019 and became commercially available in 2022.

If you’ve been reading about physical AI’s big moment, this is an example built around conversation. You can currently use it only in English and within the United States.

New York Renews Its ElliQ Program for Three More Years

New York is extending a program that began in 2022. The new agreement with Intuition Robotics runs for three years and is worth $2.1 million, according to The Robot Report’s October 13, 2026 coverage. The extension was first reported on October 10. To understand what you’re seeing now, it helps to backtrack a little.

The original rollout covered more than 800 homes. NYSOFA’s program page now lists approximately 900 units, although the renewal reports don’t specify how many devices the new agreement will cover.

Demand has been substantial. More than 3,500 older adults applied during 2025 alone. NYSOFA director Greg Olsen described loneliness and isolation as having devastating health consequences, while Intuition Robotics CEO Dor Skuler described the renewal as continuing the company’s long-term relationship with New York.

Year	Milestone
2022	New York launched ElliQ’s rollout to more than 800 homes
FY2023	The state allocated $2.9 million to NYSOFA social isolation initiatives, including ElliQ and other services
2025	More than 3,500 older adults applied
2026	New York agreed to a further three years, worth $2.1 million

Wisconsin, Florida and Washington run comparable state partnerships. Washington’s program serves Medicaid recipients.

What NYSOFA Says the Results Show

The results go beyond whether you enjoy talking to a robot. NYSOFA and Intuition Robotics report regular conversations, wellbeing check-ins and physical activity among participants. Average daily interactions rose from an earlier 29 to 48. Here’s what their 2026 figures say.

Measure	2026 figure
Found ElliQ useful	92%
Average daily interactions	48
Reported feeling less lonely	94%
Reported improved wellbeing	97%
Reported a positive difference in daily life	88%
Reported feeling more connected	79%
Had two-way conversations each month	88%
Shared wellbeing updates each month	92%
Did physical activity encouraged by ElliQ each month	81%

You should read these as program and company findings, rather than independent studies. NYSOFA’s 2023 report cited a 95% reduction in loneliness, which is worded differently from the 2026 finding that 94% felt less lonely. You can’t treat those percentages as the same measure or use them to promise a particular result for your parent.

How Older New Yorkers Can Get One

If you live in New York, your local Office for the Aging is the place to start. Access depends on your assessment, county participation and available funding. Here’s how to check whether you can join.

1. Contact your local Office for the Aging. Ask about the ElliQ initiative described on the NYSOFA ElliQ program page.
2. Complete the assessment. NYSOFA uses social isolation and technology screens to decide whether the device is a suitable match for you.
3. Check local availability. The initiative operates in participating counties and depends on funding. Applying does not guarantee a device.
4. Confirm any participant charges. The official page does not state a price for participants. Fortune reports that programs such as New York’s can provide ElliQ at no cost, so ask your local office what applies to you.

ElliQ Price and Plans for Everyone Else

Outside a funded program, you lease ElliQ through a membership. You cannot purchase it outright, and it needs an active subscription to function. You’re paying through a robotics as a service model, so compare the upfront bill as well as the monthly rate.

Plan	Monthly	Billed upfront	Trial
24-month	$39	$936 membership plus $249 fee, totalling $1,185	30 days
Annual	$49	$588 membership plus $249 fee, totalling $837	30 days
Monthly	$59	$59 membership plus $249 fee, totalling $308 initially	None

• Starting fee. Every plan includes a one-time $249 charge for account setup and installation support.
• First-year spending. Your annual plan costs $837 for year one. Twelve monthly payments plus the starting fee total $957.
• Trial refunds. Qualifying trial returns refund the starting fee and membership charges for that period.
• Included services. Your membership covers shipping, returns, a lifetime hardware warranty, support, software updates and unlimited caregiver app access.
• Return deadline. A $1,500 charge applies if you fail to return the device within 45 days of cancellation.
• Earlier prices. A 2023 review listed $30 a month annually or $40 monthly. Use the current rates when working out your budget.

Features That Matter Day to Day

ElliQ gives you activities, reminders and ways to contact family through one tabletop device. You don’t need a separate phone or computer to use it. Its value comes from what you actually use each day, so start with these three groups of features.

Health and Wellness Help

You can set medication reminders, report pain and record readings such as blood pressure or weight. ElliQ also offers exercise videos, breathing activities and sessions intended to help with sleep.

You see, its role is to encourage routines and keep records. If you report feeling unwell or in pain, it can notify your primary contact when that feature is enabled. It cannot provide emergency response.

Staying in Touch With Family

You can make video calls, exchange texts and voice messages, and share photos. Relatives can use the caregiver app to contact you and receive alerts.

That gives your family another way to stay in touch. Just keep expectations sensible. One reviewer found the app basic, while another reported video-call delays.

Games, Music and Company

You can play trivia or Bingo, take virtual tours, and listen to news, stories or music. ElliQ remembers previous conversations, which lets it refer back to things you’ve discussed.

Music comes through nine genre channels. You cannot connect Spotify or Apple Music, so check whether those channels suit your tastes.

Privacy and What ElliQ Records

A device that talks about your health needs more than a quick privacy promise. ElliQ’s FAQ and privacy policy describe data collection differently in places, including their HIPAA wording. Before you share personal information, consider these points.

• Idle listening. The FAQ says microphones wait for the word ElliQ and do not record background conversations. The policy also describes microphones helping sense surroundings and decide when to speak.
• Camera use. According to the FAQ, cameras detect nearby people much like motion sensors. Features such as selfies and video calls use the cameras fully.
• Information collected. Your data can include audio, video, conversation transcripts, health details, prescriptions, location, contacts and payment information.
• HIPAA wording. The FAQ claims HIPAA compliance. The privacy policy says ElliQ is not subject to HIPAA, while describing efforts to follow its rules.
• Sharing and retention. The company states that it doesn’t sell your personal information. It permits certain sharing and keeps data throughout your membership and for at least six years afterwards.
• Deletion requests. You can request access to or deletion of your information through help@elliq.com or by calling (855) 888-1295.

Strengths and Weak Spots

You might appreciate ElliQ starting a conversation without being asked. You might find the interruptions irritating. Both reactions matter when deciding whether it belongs in your home, and reviews report benefits alongside practical complaints. Here’s what to compare.

Pros	Cons
Starts conversations and check-ins	Can interrupt at unwanted times
Lets you use voice commands	Very quiet or unclear speech can cause difficulties
Remembers details from earlier chats	Conversations can feel too brief
Offers family calls and messages	Reviewers reported video lag and occasional freezes
Provides reminders and wellness activities	Cannot replace an emergency alert device
Works without a separate phone or computer	Requires Wi-Fi, power and a paid membership

The Senior List awarded ElliQ 2 out of 5. Reviewed also advised against it for people with dementia. Those findings give you reasons to test suitability before committing.

Is ElliQ Worth It and What Else to Consider

ElliQ may suit you if you’re over 60, spend much of the day alone and prefer speaking to a device over using phone apps. Its proactive conversations are the main attraction. If you need emergency assistance, have dementia or speak very softly, the research points to reasons to consider something else. Compare the purpose before comparing the price.

Option	Best for	Main tradeoff
ElliQ	Conversation, daily activities and family contact	Recurring cost and no emergency calling
Alexa with Emergency Assist	An alternative with an emergency assistance service	ElliQ offers more proactive companion check-ins
Medical alert system	Emergency assistance	Serves a different purpose from daily conversation
Joy for All robotic pets	A robotic pet alternative	Does not offer ElliQ’s touchscreen communication features

If you already use Alexa, the recent Alexa glitch is another topic you can read about. For ElliQ itself, use the eligible 30-day trial to judge whether its conversations, activities and controls work for you.

Our Take

New York’s renewal suggests confidence in continuing the program. It doesn’t tell you whether your parent will enjoy the device. Unlike home humanoid robots like Optimus, ElliQ is a tabletop companion built around conversation and activities. Your next step is to check the access options.

If you live in New York, contact your local Office for the Aging first. Otherwise, consider an annual or 24-month plan’s trial before choosing the monthly plan, which has none. Keep human contact in the routine too. The company says ElliQ should not replace it.

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