AI agents
openclaw
A personal assistant that answers on the messaging apps you already use
★ 387k
August 2026
Not stated
AI agents
What we checked ourselves
Not copied from the project's own blurb. These are things we opened and verified, with the date.
- 23 Aug 2026We checked that the link to the project still resolves.
- 14 Aug 2026We read the licence text itself (LICENSE). No unusual restrictions were stated.
- 30 Aug 2026We read the project's own documentation and found no sign that development has stopped.
Where this sits among the 114 tools we list in AI agents
- Requires terminal commands21 that do not →
- Requires an API key29 that do not →
- Sends your input to the provider11 that do not →
Counted from our own checks: every tool we list is examined against the same criteria.
What it does
Runs on your own machine and reaches you where you already are — WhatsApp, Telegram, Slack, Discord, iMessage, SMS, Teams, Matrix, LINE and many more — with speech in and out on macOS, iOS and Android and a live canvas you control. Developed in the open by a non-profit foundation. Setup is a terminal job: a specific Node runtime, an install script, then onboarding; you can point it at an API key or sign in with an existing Claude Pro, ChatGPT or GitHub Copilot subscription. Worth thinking through which accounts you connect, since it holds the keys to your personal channels. MIT.
Summary based on the project's own description. The Japanese page has a fuller beginner guide: setup difficulty, what to prepare, and a step-by-step start.
Screenshots & visuals
Before you start
- Setup difficultySome setup needed
- Command lineRequired
- API keyRequired
- Sends data onlineYes
Judged automatically from the project's own metadata. Always confirm on the official page.
openclaw FAQ
- Is openclaw free?
- openclaw itself is free, but it needs an API key for an external AI service. That service charges separately, though some have a free tier.
- Do I need to install anything or write code to use openclaw?
- It needs the command line. If you are not comfortable typing commands, expect to get stuck during setup.
- Does openclaw work on a phone?
- No. It needs a computer.
- Can I use openclaw commercially?
- We could not confirm this. The publisher does not state it clearly, so we have not verified whether what you make with it may be used commercially. Ask the publisher before relying on it.
How it compares
The conditions that decide whether you can actually use it, side by side.
| Tool | Command line | API key | Sends data out | Phone | Commercial use |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| openclaw (this page) | Required | Required | Yes | No | Not verified |
| vellum-assistant | Not needed | Required | Yes | No | Yes |
| AutoGPT | Required | Required | Yes | No | Yes |
| langflow | Required | Required | Yes | No | Yes |
"Sends data out" means your input is uploaded to someone's server. Pick "No" when the material cannot leave your organisation.