Remote Control Snow Plow vs Robot Snow Blower: Which Clears Your Driveway?
A remote control snow plow pushes snow while you steer it. A robot snow blower lifts and throws snow on its own schedule. Here is how they compare on depth, slopes and effort.
Last updated: November 2026
A remote control snow plow pushes snow to the side with a blade while you steer it from the porch or the window. A robot snow blower drives itself, lifts the snow into an auger and throws it clear of the driveway. Pick the plow if you get light to moderate snow and want a lower-cost machine you also mow with. Pick the robot blower if you get deep snow, have little room to pile it, or want the driveway cleared without you.
Searches for "remote control snow plow" jumped this month, and "robot snow plow" is close behind. They sound alike, but they are very different machines. Below we compare the two we carry: the Mowrator Snow Plow Kit on the S1 4WD, and the Yarbo Snow Blower.
What is a remote control snow plow?
It is a small battery machine with a plow blade on the front, driven by a handheld remote. You stand somewhere dry and steer it up and down the driveway, pushing snow to the edge in passes.
The Mowrator Snow Plow Kit fits the Mowrator S1 4WD remote control mower. Per Mowrator, the shovel is 31.5 inches wide, angles from -20° to 20°, and adjusts from 0 to 5.5 inches high. Mowrator rates it for powder, packed snow, slush and light ice, and puts snow chains in the box. It fits the 4WD only, not the 2WD.
The same S1 mows in summer and vacuums leaves in fall, so the plow turns a mower you already own into a winter tool.
What is a robot snow blower?
A robot snow blower is an autonomous machine. You map the driveway and paths once in an app, set a schedule or start a run, and it clears the area by itself, then returns to its dock to charge.
The Yarbo Snow Blower is a module that clips onto the Yarbo Core. Per Yarbo, it is a 2-stage blower with a 24-inch path and a 12-inch intake. It throws snow 6 to 40 feet, the chute turns from -10° to 190°, and it handles dry, wet or packed snow on paved, concrete and gravel surfaces. It clears up to 6,000 square feet per charge on the Y40 Core and 7,000 on the Y40P Core, at 1 inch of snow.
How do they compare side by side?
Remote control snow plow (Mowrator)
Robot snow blower (Yarbo)
Who drives
You, with a remote
The robot, on a map
How it moves snow
Pushes it to the side
Lifts and throws 6 to 40 ft
Width per pass
31.5 in blade
24 in path
Snow types, per maker
Powder, packed, slush, light ice
Dry, wet, packed
Where snow ends up
Piles at the edge
Thrown clear, chute aimed
Slope, per maker
4WD rated 75% (37°) for mowing
Snow module rated 36% (20°)
Other seasons
Mows, mulches, vacuums leaves
Mows, blows leaves with other modules
Your time
Whole run, at the remote
Setup once, then checks
Which handles deeper snow?
A plow pushes. As the pile in front of the blade grows, it gets harder to push and the edges of the driveway fill up. That is fine for a few inches several times a winter. After a big storm, the banks at the edge can grow until there is nowhere left to push.
A blower lifts and throws. It does not build banks along the driveway, because it throws the snow over them. That matters on long, narrow driveways, near fences and next to walls. Yarbo's coverage figures are given at 1 inch of snow; deeper snow takes more passes and more battery, so a robot is best run during a storm rather than once at the end. See how much snow a robot snow blower can handle.
Which is better on a slope?
Check the right number. Mowrator rates the S1 4WD for slopes up to 75% (37°) when mowing; it does not publish a separate plowing slope, and snow and ice reduce grip on any machine. Yarbo rates the Snow Blower module for 36% (20°), lower than the Core's 70% (35°) rating with the mower.
With the plow, you are part of the machine. You still save the shoveling and the cold hands, but someone has to drive it every time it snows. It suits people who are home when it snows and do not mind steering for half an hour.
With the robot, your time goes into setup: mapping, placing the dock and checking the first runs. After that it clears on a schedule or when you tap start, including when you are at work or away. It suits people who leave early, travel, or cannot safely be out on ice.
What does each one cost to own?
We keep prices off the blog because they change; see the product pages for today's price. What drives the cost:
The plow is an add-on. If you already own or want an S1 4WD for mowing and leaves, the plow kit is the only winter cost.
The robot is a full machine: the Core, the Snow Blower module, and optional mower or leaf modules for other seasons.
Both run on electricity, need no fuel, and avoid paying a plow service per visit.
Choose the remote control plow if: you get light to moderate snow, have room at the edges to push it, want one machine for mowing, leaves and snow, and do not mind steering it.
Choose the robot snow blower if: you get deep or frequent snow, have walls, fences or a long narrow drive where piles cause trouble, or want the job done while you are away.
Tell us about your driveway, the snow you usually get and how hands-on you want to be and a Yard Automation Pro will reply by email with a recommendation, or tell you honestly if none of our machines fits. Book a free consultation, or call +1 423-927-3776, 9am to 5pm EST. You can also try the Find Your Robot quiz and cost calculator.
Frequently asked questions
Is a remote control snow plow the same as a robot snow plow?
No. A remote control plow is driven by you with a handheld remote. A robot works from a map on its own. The Mowrator Snow Plow Kit is remote controlled; the Yarbo Snow Blower is autonomous.
Can the Mowrator snow plow clear ice?
Mowrator rates the Snow Plow Kit for powder, packed snow, slush and light ice, and includes snow chains. Thick ice needs melting or scraping first with any machine.
Does the Mowrator Snow Plow Kit fit the 2WD S1?
No. Mowrator says the plow kit fits the S1 4WD only, because it relies on all-wheel drive.
How far does the Yarbo snow blower throw snow?
Yarbo rates the throw at 6 to 40 feet, with a chute that turns from -10 to 190 degrees, so you can aim the snow away from paths and doors.
Which one is better for a long driveway?
A robot snow blower usually suits long and narrow driveways better, because it throws snow clear instead of building banks. Yarbo rates up to 6,000 or 7,000 square feet per charge at 1 inch of snow, then it recharges and continues.
Can I mow with either machine in summer?
Yes. The Mowrator S1 4WD is a mower first. The Yarbo Core takes the Lawn Mower Pro module in summer and the Leaf Blower module in fall.
