Butterfly Amicus Review: Prime, Expert and Start Compared (2026)

Butterfly Amicus Review: The Short Answer

The Butterfly Amicus Prime is one of the most programmable table tennis robots you can buy: a three-wheel head produces any of nine spin types without rotating, and the app lets you set speed, spin, height, placement and timing for up to 10 balls per drill. The cheaper Expert and Start share the same head and net but trade away programming depth.

If you search for a "Butterfly robot," this is the family you will find. Butterfly sells the line in three tiers, and choosing between them comes down to how much drill control you want and how often you will train. This review covers the current lineup, verified specs, what each tier suits, setup, the strengths and trade-offs, and how the range compares with Newgy and iPong.

The Current Amicus Lineup

The Amicus line first launched in 2011 with the Basic, Advance and Professional. Butterfly later refreshed the range as the Start, Expert and Prime, moving the power electronics into the base of the robot near the feed mechanism rather than in a control box at the player's end. Each new model is an upgrade on the one it replaced.

The Basic, Advance and Professional are no longer part of the lineup. You may still see them second-hand, but the Start, Expert and Prime are the models to compare today. Butterfly's US shop currently lists the Prime and Expert new, alongside refurbished Grade A and Grade B units, so availability of each tier varies by retailer.

What Every Amicus Shares

• Three-wheel head. Three 4 in foam wheels in a triangle create topspin, backspin, left and right sidespin, combinations and no spin, purely by changing the relative wheel speeds.
• Deflector plate. Instead of moving the whole head, a small plate redirects the ball for quick left/right and up/down changes.
• Recycling net. A catch net and side nets return balls to the feeder for continuous play.
• Silent mode. No fans, and the motors stop when ball delivery stops.
• Adjustable fit. Four projection heights (8, 9.5, 11 and 12.5 in) and a clamp for tabletops from 9 to 25 mm thick.
• Same frame. About 62 in wide unfolded and roughly 20 lb, folding into a padded carry bag.

Amicus Models Compared

The table below uses Butterfly's own comparison chart and retailer MegaSpin's published three-model chart. Butterfly does not publish ball speed in meters per second, so the chart shows speed steps instead.

Amicus Prime: The Flagship in Detail

The Prime is what most buyers mean when they search for an Amicus review, and it is where the range earns its reputation.

Spin and Speed

The Prime's key mechanical difference is that its wheels can run backward as well as forward. Reversing a wheel adds spin while reducing ball speed, which widens the speed/spin range to 10/90, compared with 50/50 on the Start and Expert. In practice that means slower, heavier chops and serves become possible, and Butterfly adds slow loop, heavy chop and heavy serve to the list of shot types the Prime can imitate. It also offers more spin amount steps: 7 for topspin, 5 for backspin and 6 for each sidespin.

App, Tablet and Drills

The Prime ships with an 8 in Android tablet with the Amicus app preinstalled, and the app also runs on your own iOS or Android device, connecting to the robot by Bluetooth. It includes 21 pre-programmed drills created by German National Team coach Richard Prause, each with top-view and side-view diagrams and demonstration videos, and you can build and save an essentially unlimited number of your own. Drills can be named, searched, reordered, backed up and shared.

Useful extras include:

• Service detection. The robot waits for your serve before feeding the return, so you can practice third-ball attacks.
• Individual Frequency Control. Set the gap between any two consecutive balls, not just one overall rate.
• Mirror. Flip a drill left to right for left-handers or quick variation.
• Random modes. Eight options that randomize placement, landing-spot size and ball type.
• Cycle and sequence. Interval training with play and pause periods, and up to 10 drills chained in order or at random.

Remote and Controls

A key-fob style RF remote starts and stops delivery and changes frequency from your end of the table, and up to four remotes are supported. A sampling button lets you fire a single ball from a drill to check it before running the whole sequence.

Amicus Expert and Start: Who They Suit

The Expert keeps most of the drill logic in a wired digital control box. You get the same 21 factory drills, up to 99 saved drills of up to 7 balls each, per-ball speed, spin type, spin amount, height and position, interval training and an included remote. It lacks the Prime's reverse wheels, service detection, mirror and app. It is a good fit for players who want programmed drills and prefer physical buttons to a tablet, and Butterfly lists it as upgradeable to the Prime.

The Start is the simplest Amicus. Knobs set frequency, spin and placement, it can alternate up to six ball positions, and it has three random placement modes, but it has no preset drills or drill memory and the remote is optional. It suits players who mainly want consistent, spin-accurate feeding for footwork and stroke repetition, and it can be upgraded to the Expert or Prime later.

Setup and First Use

1. Clamp it to the table. The robot mounts at the center of the end line; adjust the rubber tips to your tabletop thickness (9–25 mm).
2. Attach the nets. Unfold the recycling net and fix the side nets with the supplied rubber bands over the brackets.
3. Set the projection height. Choose one of the four heights to suit your table and the shot you want to simulate.
4. Connect the controller. Plug in the wired box on the Start or Expert, or pair the tablet or your phone by Bluetooth on the Prime.
5. Calibrate and load balls. Run calibration (the Prime has an onscreen left/right balancing routine), load the 120 included training balls and start slowly.

Pros and Cons of the Amicus Range

Amicus vs Newgy Robo-Pong vs iPong

The two names most often compared with a Butterfly robot are Newgy and iPong. They sit in different price tiers and solve different problems.

The Newgy Robo-Pong 2055 is the value pick: more preset drills and a faster top frequency for less money, but a two-wheel head and a shorter warranty. The iPong V300 is a compact table-top trainer for beginners and families, with no net and only topspin or backspin. The Amicus is the choice when spin variety and drill realism matter most. For the full field, see our guide to the best table tennis robots.

Getting the Most From an Amicus

A robot is only as useful as the session plan behind it. Start with the factory drills, then build sequences that copy the patterns you see in matches: a short serve return followed by a long topspin, or alternating forehand and backhand blocks. Our ping pong practice guide has drill structures that translate well to robot sessions. Use consistent training balls, and pair the robot with a racket that suits your level; our roundup of the best Butterfly ping pong paddles covers options from beginner to advanced, and our best table tennis balls guide covers bulk training packs.

Verdict: Which Amicus Should You Buy?

The Amicus Prime is the most complete robot in Butterfly's range and one of the most capable you can put on a home table. Reversing wheels, per-ball timing, service detection and an open-ended drill library make it a real training partner for club and tournament players. The Expert is a sensible middle step for anyone who wants stored drills without a tablet, and the Start delivers the same three-wheel feeding for simpler sessions, with room to upgrade.

If your budget sits in the mid-range or you mostly want steady feeding, the Newgy 2055 covers a lot of ground for less. If you want mixed spin on every ball and plan to train often, the Prime is the one to get.

Frequently Asked Questions