OpenClaw Pricing
OpenClaw is free and open source. Here's what it actually costs to run.
OpenClaw is Free
The software itself costs nothing. Open source, no subscriptions, no paywalls.
What You'll Actually Pay For
Running OpenClaw has two potential costs:
☁️ API Keys
If using cloud models (OpenAI, Anthropic), you pay them directly.
$0-500/mo
Depends on usage
🖥️ Hosting
If running on a VPS instead of your own computer.
$5-20/mo
VPS, Docker, or home server
Monthly Cost Scenarios
| Setup | API Costs | Hosting | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal, cloud API | $10-30/mo | $0 | $10-30/mo |
| Personal, local models | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| VPS, cloud API | $10-30/mo | $5-10/mo | $15-40/mo |
| VPS, local models | $0 | $15-20/mo | $15-20/mo |
| Production, high volume | $100-500/mo | $20-50/mo | $120-550/mo |
Self-Hosted vs Subscription Alternatives
| Service | Type | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| OpenClaw (self-hosted) | Open source | $0-40/mo |
| ChatGPT Plus | SaaS | $20/mo |
| Claude Pro | SaaS | $20/mo |
| Perplexity Pro | SaaS | $20/mo |
| OpenAI API (pay-per-use) | API | Variable |
| Anthropic API (pay-per-use) | API | Variable |
API Key Costs Explained
OpenAI
GPT-4o: ~$3-5/1M input tokens
Great for: most tasks
Anthropic
Claude 3.5: ~$3-15/1M tokens
Great for: reasoning, coding
Local (Ollama)
Free after hardware cost
Great for: privacy, dev
Gemini/DeepSeek
Often cheaper
Great for: budget use cases
Free vs Paid: When Does It Make Sense?
- ✓Free makes sense — Personal use, privacy needs, learning, development
- ✓Free makes sense — Running local models on your own hardware
- •Consider alternatives — If you want zero setup and just need an AI chat
Ready to get started?
Run OpenClaw for free on your own machine.