All Androids in DragonBall

In DragonBall, “android” doesn’t always mean a pure robot. The word is used for several creations of the Red Ribbon Army, led by Dr. Gero, who wanted to build weapons strong enough to defeat Goku. Because of that, the list includes three main types: fully mechanical androids (more “robot”), modified humans (more “cyborg”), and even bio-androids (organic lab-made beings). That variety is a big reason why the Android/Cell era stands out: each model has a different purpose, fighting style, and threat level.

The androids from the DB anime:

DB shows Android 8 (Eighter), an older, kind-hearted model very different from the later androids.

In the anime DBZ, the nightmare starts with Android 19, a clearly mechanical model tied directly to Gero’s lab. Soon after comes Android 20, who is Dr. Gero himself turned into an android, continuing the project from the inside.
Things escalate when Android 17 and Android 18 appear: they aren’t “robots” in the strict sense, but humans modified to have enormous power and near-endless energy—and in Future Trunks’ timeline, they become symbols of total ruin.
Android 16 (inspired by Gevo, Gero´s son) rounds out the main group: huge, extremely strong, and surprisingly calm, he contrasts with the chaos around him.
At the top of it all is Cell, a bio-android designed to evolve. He represents the ultimate version of Gero’s plan—absorb, adapt, transform, and reach a “perfect” form—pushing the saga to an even more dangerous level.

The androids from the movies/specials and games:

The movies expand the lineup with Androids 13, 14, and 15 (from Super Android 13), created as a continuation of the project to hunt Goku and fight the Z Fighters. In Bio-Broly, you get the bio-androids, especially Bio-Broly, a lab attempt to replicate that monstrous power artificially. And in the TV special The History of Trunks, 17 and 18 appear again in the future timeline, showing just how devastating these androids can be.

Android 2 (theory): some fans call the Pirate Robot “Android 2” to fill in the unrevealed numbers, but it isn’t official.
There’s no information about Androids 1, 3-7, and 9–12, so they’re often interpreted as scrapped/discarded versions.

In the end, the androids in DB aren’t just “villains”: they represent science turned into a weapon, ranging from machines to modified humans—and they permanently change the direction of the story.