AI · AI agents and automation
OpenClaw
Free, open-source AI agent you run on your own machine or server
At a glance
OpenClaw is an open-source, self-hosted AI agent. It runs continuously, connects to the AI model of your choice, and works through channels like Slack, WhatsApp and Telegram to carry out tasks.
- Category
- AI agents and automation
- Best fit
- SME · Mid-market
- Pricing
- See pricing below
- In Adam’s stack
- Yes
Who OpenClaw is best for
Technically confident founders and small teams who want an always-on assistant handling inbox, calendar, documents and CRM admin, and who are comfortable managing their own hosting, API keys and security. Pick it over hosted agents when you want full control of your data and model choice and no subscription.
Key features
- Always-on agent that runs on your own server
- Works through chat apps you already use
- Connects to email, documents and business tools
- Choose your own AI model
Why it’s worth it
It can take recurring admin off your plate entirely, such as emailing, document work and CRM clean-up. The software is free, but costs scale with how much it does, so set spending limits from day one.
Things to consider
- Security needs real care: the agent can be given broad access to email, files and shell commands, third-party skills have been found to contain malicious code, and the sandbox is not on by default
- Setup and maintenance assume command-line skills, and project maintainers have warned it is not safe for people who cannot run a terminal confidently
- Model usage is billed separately by your AI provider and can climb quickly if the agent runs heavy tasks around the clock
OpenClaw pricing
Cost (ex GST), verified by Adam
Software is free (MIT licence). The real cost is AI model usage plus hosting, and it scales with how hard the agent works. Light personal use ≈A$7–29/mo (US$5–20). Small-business workflows on budget models ≈A$36–72 (US$25–50). Heavy automation like daily emailing, document work and CRM hygiene ≈A$143–715 (US$100–500). Always-on setups running top-tier models like Claude Opus can pass ≈A$715–2,145 (US$500–1,500).
Source: Hostinger; Findstack; Stack Junkie (49-day real bill); CometAPI. Checked 1 October 2026. Prices change often, so confirm on the vendor’s site before you buy.
Alternatives to OpenClaw
Other tools listed under AI agents and automation. Tools from Adam’s stack are marked.
Claude working through tasks across your files and apps
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AustralianBuild teams of AI agents without code
SMEMid-marketEnterpriseAI agents connected to Zapier’s app library
SMEMid-marketOpen-source automation you can self-host
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Mid-marketEnterpriseAI agents inside Salesforce
Enterprise
FAQ
OpenClaw: common questions
Is OpenClaw free?
The software itself is free and MIT licensed, with no paid tier or enterprise edition. You still pay for the AI model it uses and for any server you host it on.
Was OpenClaw previously called Clawdbot?
Yes. The project started in late 2025 as Warelay, became Clawdbot and then briefly Moltbot in January 2026 after trademark concerns, before settling on OpenClaw. It is now stewarded by the non-profit OpenClaw Foundation.
Is OpenClaw safe for a small business to use?
It can be, but only with careful setup: limit what accounts and folders it can reach, enable sandboxing, vet any third-party skills and set spending caps on your model provider. If no one on the team is comfortable with servers and the command line, a hosted agent product is the safer choice.
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