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Litter-Robot 4 vs Litter-Robot 5: which to buy

Amazon prices as of November 2, 2026

Buy the Litter-Robot 4 unless you have 5 cats or a cat over 25 lb: only the Litter-Robot 5 and 5 Pro are rated for them. Get the 5 also if you want the box to tell pee from poop. By Whisker's own specs, the Litter-Robot 5 takes up to 5 cats instead of 4, cats up to 30 lb instead of 25, and goes 10 days between emptying with one cat instead of 8, on the same 22 x 27 in footprint.

  • Whisker Litter-Robot 4

    3 to 4 cats, or a cat over 19 lb (up to 25 lb)

    Litter-Robot 4

    up to 4 cats · 3–25 lb · empty every 8 days

    $699

  • 5 cats, or a cat over 25 lb (up to 30 lb)

    Litter-Robot 5

    up to 5 cats · 3–30 lb · empty every 10 days

    $799
    Whisker only

  • You want a camera to tell cats apart

    Litter-Robot 5 Pro

    Same as the 5, plus two cameras

    $899
    Whisker only
  • Whisker Litter-Robot EVO

    One or two cats, up to 19 lb

    Litter-Robot EVO

    up to 2 cats · 3–19 lb · empty every 7 days

    $599

On November 2, 2026, Amazon sold the 4 for $699; the 5 ($799) and 5 Pro ($899) were sold only by Whisker. Each row is the lowest-priced model Whisker rates for that house, the same rule as which Litter-Robot to buy. We compare Whisker’s figures; we do not test Litter-Robots.

What changed from the 4 to the 5

Bold marks what is new or bigger on the 5. Every figure is Whisker’s own.

Whisker spec455 Pro
Price$699 Amazon$799 Whisker$899 Whisker
Cats, up to455
Cat weight3–25 lb3–30 lb3–30 lb
Empty every8 days10 days10 days
Pee vs poop—yesyes
Screenlightscolorcolor
Carpet trayadd-onbuilt inbuilt in
Cameras——2
WiFi, GHz2.42.42.4 or 5
Inside height16.5 in17.5 in17.5 in
Height29.5 in29.9 in29.9 in
Weight24 lb28.7 lb29.6 lb
3-yr warranty$129$149$149
Hopper holds13 cups17.3 cups17.3 cups

The same on both: 22 × 27 in of floor, a 15.75 in round opening, cats from 3 lb, clumping clay litter, a 1-year warranty, and the same OdorTrap packs, filters and liners.

Sources, read October 1, 2026: Whisker’s 4 vs 5 article, comparison chart, 4 page, 5 page, 5 Pro page and 5 LitterHopper page. Rows: pee vs poop, screen, carpet, cameras, WiFi, weight, 4 warranty, 5 warranty, 5 Pro warranty. The LitterHopper is a $129 add-on that refills litter.

Does your house need the 5?

Only if your cats fall in the dark band. Everywhere else, Whisker rates both, and the 4 costs $100 less.

Which houses Whisker rates the Litter-Robot 4 and 5 for, by number of cats and heaviest cat1 cat, heaviest cat 3 to 25 lb: both; 1 cat, heaviest cat 25 to 30 lb: only the 5; 2 cats, heaviest cat 3 to 25 lb: both; 2 cats, heaviest cat 25 to 30 lb: only the 5; 3 cats, heaviest cat 3 to 25 lb: both; 3 cats, heaviest cat 25 to 30 lb: only the 5; 4 cats, heaviest cat 3 to 25 lb: both; 4 cats, heaviest cat 25 to 30 lb: only the 5; 5 cats, heaviest cat 3 to 30 lb: only the 5. Under 3 lb, neither runs on its own.CatsYour heaviest cat, lb03253014 or 5524 or 5534 or 5544 or 555Only the 5too lightBoth rated: the 4 costs lessOnly the 5
Find your row by how many cats you have. Go across to your heaviest cat. Light: Whisker rates both, so the cheaper 4 does the job. Dark: only the 5 is rated for that house. Under 3 lb, Whisker says to run either one by hand.

Whisker's numbers are the most it rates each box for. A house right at a limit, such as two cats in the EVO, is rated by Whisker, but every extra cat fills the drawer sooner than the one-cat figure.

What each costs to own for 3 years

The 5 costs $100 more to buy and the same to run. Both take the same OdorTrap packs (Whisker), changed every 2–4 weeks (Whisker): $65–$130 a year at Whisker’s store price, $30 for 6. We read Whisker’s price on November 2, 2026 (Whisker).

ModelPriceOdorTrap, 3 yearsTotal, 3 years
4$699 Amazon$196–$391$895–$1,090
5$799 Whisker$196–$391$995–$1,190
5 Pro$899 Whisker$196–$391$1,095–$1,290

Not counted, and the same for both: litter, and carbon filters, about $65–$130 a year at Whisker’s $30 for 6 (they fit both). A 3-year warranty plan adds $129 for the 4 or $149 for the 5. The lineup page uses the same numbers.

Who should get the 5, and who should buy the 4

Get the Litter-Robot 5 if

  • You have 5 cats. Whisker rates the 4 for 4.
  • A cat weighs over 25 lb. The 5 is rated to 30 lb.
  • You want the app to log pee and poop apart. After pee, the 5 waits so clumps can form; after poop, it cleans right away (Whisker, Whisker). It is free in the app (Whisker) and gets more accurate after about 30 days (Whisker).
  • It will sit on carpet. The 5 has a tray built in (Whisker). On carpet 3 mm or thicker, Whisker suggests a Carpet Tray add-on for the 4 (Whisker).
  • Get the 5 Pro if two cats weigh about the same. The scale may mix them up (Whisker); the Pro’s camera tells them apart by face, with Whisker+ (Whisker).

Buy the Litter-Robot 4 if

  • Your cats fit its limits: up to 4 cats of 3–25 lb. Then the 5 does the same job for $100 more.
  • You want to buy on Amazon. Only the 4 is sold there new. Returns then go through Amazon’s seller, not Whisker’s 90-day trial (Whisker).
$699 at Amazon

Price as of November 2, 2026. Litter-Robot 4 size, refills and bundles.

What testers and owners report on the 5

We do not test Litter-Robots. Cats.com tested the 5 for three weeks with two cats (Cats.com), on a unit Whisker sent (Cats.com).

  • Tester: sturdier than the 4 (Cats.com), as Whisker also says (Whisker). It “worked just like the Litter-Robot 4” (Cats.com). Litter stuck to the globe wall did not always fall off (Cats.com). Their advice: “it may be worth sticking with the tried-and-true Litter-Robot 4” until the bugs are worked out (Cats.com).
  • Owners: common complaints are WiFi, odor and room inside (Cats.com). On Whisker’s site the 5 averages 4.7 of 5 from more than 300 reviews (Whisker), the 5 Pro 4.5 from more than 300 (Whisker), and the 4 4.5 from more than 13,000 (Whisker).

Questions buyers ask

Is the Litter-Robot 5 worth it?

Only if you need what the 4 is not rated for: a fifth cat or a cat over 25 lb. Then it is the only Litter-Robot that fits. Otherwise you pay $100 more for pee-or-poop tracking, a color screen, a built-in carpet tray, 1 in more room inside and 10 days between emptying instead of 8. Refills cost the same.

Litter-Robot 5 or 5 Pro?

The Pro adds two 1080p cameras, one facing out and one on the litter (Whisker), and costs $100 more. Size and limits are the same (Whisker). Live view for 5 minutes a day and recorded clips are free (Whisker). It is also the only one that works on 5 GHz WiFi (Whisker). Telling cats apart by face needs Whisker+, at $7.99 a month or $79.90 a year (Whisker). The Pro comes with the first year free (Whisker). Whisker also sells a PetTag for the Pro, for cats that weigh within 1 lb of each other (Whisker).

Does the 5 fit where the 4 did?

Yes. Both take 22 × 27 in of floor. The 5 is 29.9 in tall, 0.4 in taller than the 4. It weighs 28.7 lb empty, against 24. With its LitterHopper on, the 5 takes 22.2 × 29.4 in (Whisker). The 4 takes 22 × 28.8 in (Whisker).

Is the 5 bigger inside?

A little. Whisker’s chart gives 17.5 in of headroom for the 5 and 16.5 in for the 4 (Whisker). Its 4-vs-5 article says “up to 19”” on the 5, depending on the litter level (Whisker). The opening is the same 15.75 in on both.

Do the 4’s refills fit the 5?

Yes. OdorTrap packs work with any Litter-Robot (Whisker). Carbon filters fit the 4, 5 and 5 Pro (Whisker). Whisker’s drawer liners fit any model (Whisker). The LitterHopper does not carry over: each fits only its own model (4, 5).

Do I need Whisker+ for the 5?

No. The free app shows each cat’s weight and visits, and pee or poop on the 5 (Whisker). Whisker+ adds up to 2 years of history for $7.99 a month or $79.90 a year (Whisker). It works with the 4 too (Whisker). On the 5 Pro, it also turns on face matching.

Is there a LitterHopper for the 5?

Yes. It holds 17.3 cups, fits only the 5 and 5 Pro, and costs $129 (Whisker). Whisker’s own 4-vs-5 article, updated September 22, 2026, still says it is “not yet compatible” (Whisker). Its LitterHopper page sells it now. The 4’s LitterHopper holds 13 cups.

Can I buy the Litter-Robot 5 on Amazon?

We found no new Amazon listing for the 5 or 5 Pro on November 2, 2026. Whisker sells both on its own site, with its 90-day home trial. Whisker ships the 5 to the US and Canada (Whisker). It ships the 5 Pro to the US only (Whisker). Amazon sells the 4 new.

Should I get the EVO instead?

If you have one or two cats up to 19 lb, yes. Whisker rates it for them, and it costs $599 at Amazon. Whisker calls it “a more compact version of Litter-Robot 4” (Whisker). It takes 20.6 × 24.3 in of floor. EVO or 4.

Same litter? Can kittens use the 5?

Yes to both. Whisker says clumping clay is best for both models. White or see-through crystal litter can confuse the level sensor (Whisker). Kittens can use the 5 from 3 lb, the same as the 4 (Whisker). Under that, Whisker says to run it by hand. Boxes for kittens. Best litter for the Litter-Robot 4.

Sources

Whisker’s pages and the Cats.com review read October 1, 2026. Amazon prices and listings checked November 2, 2026. These are Whisker’s figures and a named tester’s findings, not our tests. How we work.

All 11 sources
  1. Whisker: Litter-Robot 4 vs 5 (blog)
  2. Whisker: compare Litter-Robot models
  3. Whisker: Litter-Robot 4 page
  4. Whisker: Litter-Robot 5 page
  5. Whisker: Litter-Robot 5 Pro page
  6. Whisker: Litter-Robot 5 LitterHopper page
  7. Whisker: LitterHopper page
  8. Whisker: OdorTrap packs
  9. Whisker: carbon filters
  10. Whisker: Whisker+ page
  11. Cats.com: Litter-Robot 5 review (three weeks, two cats)

Next: Which Litter-Robot to buy · Litter-Robot 4 · best automatic litter box, every brand · multiple cats

Whisker Litter-Robot 4Price as of November 2, 2026

$699 at Amazon