Robotic low anterior resection (R-LAR) for rectal cancer may decrease estimated blood loss compared with open low anterior resection (O-LAR). The aim of this study was to compare estimated blood loss and blood transfusion within 30 days after O-LAR and R-LAR. This was a retrospective matched cohort study based on prospectively registered data from Västmanland Hospital, Sweden. The first 52 patients operated on using R-LAR for rectal cancer at Västmanland Hospital were propensity score-matched 1:2 with patients who underwent O-LAR for age, sex, ASA (American Society of Anesthesiology physical classification system), and tumor distance from the anal verge. In total, 52 patients in the R-LAR group and 104 patients in the O-LAR group were included. Estimated blood loss was significantly higher in the O-LAR group compared with R-LAR: 582.7 ml (SD ± 489.2) vs. 86.1 ml (SD ± 67.7); p p