Robotic pool cleaner comparison

Dolphin Active 10 vs Dolphin Nautilus Pool Up

A side-by-side comparison of pool fit, cleaning coverage, filtration, controls and the better Pool Express option.

By Brian Williamson, Pool Express product specialist
Updated November 9, 2026

Better alternative

A stronger Pool Express option

Dolphin Active 10 and Dolphin Nautilus Pool Up are compared feature by feature below. For a stronger Pool Express option, consider Dolphin Cayman. Inground and above-ground pools up to 40 ft that need floor and wall cleaning.

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Active

Dolphin Active 10

Above-ground pools up to 30 ft that need floor cleaning.

Listed price $649

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Nautilus

Dolphin Nautilus Pool Up

Inground and above-ground pools up to 30 ft that need floor and wall cleaning, with heavy leaves.

Listed price $499

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A better alternative

What we recommend instead

Pool Express pick

Dolphin Cayman

Inground and above-ground pools up to 40 ft that need floor and wall cleaning.

$1,079

Buy Dolphin Cayman

Buying guidance

Dolphin Active 10 or Dolphin Nautilus Pool Up: our take

Dolphin Active 10 and Dolphin Nautilus Pool Up are compared on pool fit, cleaning reach, debris handling, controls and ownership details. The recommendation is based on the job the robot must do—not a simple feature count.

Pool fit and cleaning reach

Dolphin Active 10 is intended for above-ground pools, while Dolphin Nautilus Pool Up is intended for inground and above-ground pools. Both are rated for pools up to 30 ft. Dolphin Active 10 cleans floor; Dolphin Nautilus Pool Up cleans floor and walls. Dolphin Active 10's documented cleaning system includes 1 active brush.

Filtration and debris

Dolphin Active 10 includes Basket; Dolphin Nautilus Pool Up includes Oversized leaf bag.

Controls and day-to-day ownership

Both models provide one-touch starts and power-supply controls. Both use a 40 ft corded cable. Dolphin Active 10 is listed at 14 lb versus 18 lb for Dolphin Nautilus Pool Up; that 4 lb difference matters when lifting the robot from the pool.

Price, warranty and the decision

Dolphin Active 10 is listed at $649 and Dolphin Nautilus Pool Up at $499; Dolphin Nautilus Pool Up is $150 less. Each lists a 2-year manufacturer warranty. Dolphin Active 10 and Dolphin Nautilus Pool Up each have a specific fit, but neither is the Pool Express pick for this job. Our better alternative is Dolphin Cayman. Inground and above-ground pools up to 40 ft that need floor and wall cleaning.

Feature check: what each robot actually has

A green check means the feature is documented as included. A red X means it is documented as absent. A dash means the source does not make the feature clear.

Feature	Dolphin Active 10	Dolphin Nautilus Pool Up
Cleans the pool floor	Yes	Yes
Climbs and cleans walls	No	YesEdge
Scrubs the waterline	No	No
Fine-debris filter included	No	No
Large-debris filter	Yes	Yes
Automatic scheduling	No	No
Smartphone app	No	No
Anti-tangle swivel	Not listed	Not listed
3-year warranty	No	No
No recharging between cycles	Yes	Yes
Built-in UV-C water treatment	No	No

Unknown is not treated as “no.” Specifications come from the product pages, current catalog records and manufacturer material collected for this site.

Where Dolphin Active 10 stands out

Dolphin Active 10 is the better fit for above-ground pools up to 30 ft that need floor cleaning.

Weighs 14 lb versus 18 lb
Cleans the pool floor

Where Dolphin Nautilus Pool Up stands out

Dolphin Nautilus Pool Up is the better fit for shoppers prioritizing the lower $499 starting price.

Adds wall climbing and scrubbing
Includes an oversized leaf bag for bulky seasonal debris
Is listed $150 lower

Dolphin Active 10 vs Dolphin Nautilus Pool Up specifications

Use pool fit first. Price and app control do not make up for a robot that cannot cover the length or surfaces you need cleaned.

Specification	Dolphin Active 10	Dolphin Nautilus Pool Up
Best fit	Above-ground pools up to 30 ft that need floor cleaning.	Inground and above-ground pools up to 30 ft that need floor and wall cleaning, with heavy leaves.
Starting price	$649	$499
Pool type	Above-ground	Inground, Above-ground
Maximum pool length	Up to 30 ft	Up to 30 ft
Cleaning coverage	Floor	Floor, Walls
Power	Corded	Corded
Filtration	Basket	Oversized leaf bag
Scheduling	One-touch start	One-touch start
App and remote	Power-supply controls	Power-supply controls
Cable	40 ft	40 ft
Robot weight	14 lb	18 lb
Warranty	2 years	2 years

Final call

Consider the stronger Pool Express option