$6 – $13About $6 for a basic single and $8 for a Flash nano single on hexbug.com, $12.99 for a nano Nitro single on Amazon, with 5-packs and habitat playsets costing more (October 2026 check). Launched September 2009.
AvailablePalm-sizedVibration botBatteries includedAges 3+
≤ 1 weekShipping: 1–3 days. Widely stocked at US toy retailers and on Amazon, often with Prime shipping. Amazon ↗
Overview
A finger-sized bristlebot whose single vibration motor and 12 angled rubber legs make it skitter like a real bug, flipping itself upright and wandering around habitat tracks. It launched in 2009 from Innovation First, the company behind VEX, and became the best-known HEXBUG product, spawning Nitro, Flash and glow-in-the-dark versions plus large playsets. Spin Master bought the HEXBUG brand in 2023. Other HEXBUG lines such as the remote-controlled Spider and BattleBots are bigger toys. The nano is not programmable and has no sensors, so it counts as a robot only in the loosest sense.
A cheap, fun physics toy for young kids, not a robot to learn coding with.
Specifications
| Category | Multi-legged robots · Hobby hexapod kits |
|---|---|
| Released | 2009 |
| Country | USA |
| Availability | Available |
| Programmability | No programmability |
| Built-in autonomy | None / scripted · Moves only when controlled, or plays preset motions |
| LLM support | None · No electronics beyond a motor and switch, so no LLM or programming. |
| Best for | Ages 3+ (maker rating) |
| Vision sensors | No vision sensors |
| Actuators | Other |
| Audio | No audio |
| Compute type | No on-board computer |
| Compute | None (one vibration motor and an on/off switch) |
| Weight | Not published |
| Speed | Not published (the Flash nano is sold as 2× faster than the standard nano) |
| Legs / DOF | None (12 flexible rubber legs, single vibration motor) |
| Sensors | None |
| SDK | None |
Ratings & reviews
Ratings and reviews load on the live site.
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