Roborock launches subscription service in Korea to take on Samsung, LG

Chinese robot vacuum maker Roborock has entered the subscription service market in South Korea, taking direct aim at Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics.

According to Roborock Korea, customers have been able to subscribe to Roborock products through its official domestic distributor, Thinkware Mobile, since Monday. The subscription service is operated in partnership with Hyundai Rental Service.

The service covers two versions of Roborock's 2026 flagship robot vacuum, the Roborock S10 MaxV Ultra — a standard model and a direct-drain model. Customers can choose a subscription term of three, four or five years.

Subscribers to the direct-drain model receive additional benefits: a 20 percent discount on drain outlet renovation costs, one free reinstallation when moving during the subscription period, and one free replacement of the water supply and drain hose in the third year of the subscription.

Three tiers of subscription care service are also available: warranty repair only, warranty repair with self-care, and warranty repair with in-home care.

The self-care option involves regular delivery of key consumables for customers to replace themselves. The in-home care option sends a technician to visit periodically for internal cleaning, consumable replacement and operational checks. Free after-sales service is provided throughout the subscription term, and ownership of the product transfers to the customer once the contract ends.

To mark the launch, Roborock is offering customers who sign up by Nov. 30 a total of five years of free after-sales service, including the standard one-year warranty. A "pet accident protection service" — covering one professional cleaning of the robot vacuum in the event of contamination from pet waste — is also included.

"This subscription service is meaningful in that it lowers the upfront cost of ownership and broadens the options available to consumers, allowing them to use Roborock's premium robot vacuums in a way that suits their own living environment and needs," a Roborock official said. "Going forward, we will continue to provide customers with a better product experience by considering not only performance but also convenience and maintenance throughout the entire period of use."