Clawdbot/Moltbot (clawd.bot)
Clawdbot/Moltbot (clawd.bot): ** - A self-hosted AI agent that connects to messaging apps (e.g., Telegram/Discord) and can be extended with skills to automate personal workflows like notes, reminders, and task triage.
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Visit Clawdbot/Moltbot (clawd.bot)
What is Clawdbot/Moltbot (clawd.bot)?
Clawdbot/Moltbot (clawd.bot) is OpenClaw (formerly Clawdbot and Moltbot) is a self-hosted, open-source personal AI assistant that runs locally on your machine and connects to your favorite chat apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, Discord, Slack, Signal, and iMessage. It acts as a gateway between messaging platforms and AI coding agents, allowing you to control your computer, execute commands, search files, run scripts, and automate workflows entirely from chat. The assistant has persistent memory, remembers your preferences, and can even write its own skills to extend functionality.
Key features include full system access (read/write files, run shell commands), browser control for web browsing and form filling, 50+ integrations with services like Gmail, Calendar, GitHub, Philips Hue, and Tesla, proactive monitoring via heartbeats and cron jobs for daily briefings and reminders, multi-agent routing with isolated sessions, and support for both cloud AI models (Claude, GPT-4, Gemini) and local LLMs via Ollama or LM Studio. The web Control UI provides a browser dashboard for chat, configuration, and session management.
OpenClaw is designed for developers, power users, freelancers, small businesses, and anyone who wants a personal AI assistant they can message from anywhere without giving up control of their data. It's particularly valuable for those automating lead generation workflows, managing company operations, building custom extensions, or creating a personal operating system with daily briefings. The MIT-licensed project has 247,000+ GitHub stars and 10K+ users.
The assistant runs on macOS, Linux, and Windows (via WSL2), installs in about 5 minutes with a single curl command, and stays private by default—your data remains on your machine unless you explicitly send it elsewhere. It supports voice workflows with iOS/Android mobile nodes for camera and Canvas features, handles media (images, audio, documents), and can even clone itself to run multiple concurrent instan
Clawdbot/Moltbot (clawd.bot) pricing
Pricing model: Freemium
OpenClaw is free and open source under the MIT license with no subscription fees. You only pay for AI model API costs when using cloud models like Claude ($3 per million input tokens, $15 per million output tokens for Sonnet), GPT-4, or Gemini. Light usage costs $10-30/month, moderate usage $30-70/month, and heavy usage $70-150/month. If you have a Claude Pro or Max subscription, you can generate a setup token via Claude Code CLI and use your subscription instead of paying per token. Local models via Ollama or LM Studio are completely free.
Clawdbot/Moltbot (clawd.bot) pros
- 100% open source with MIT license
- Runs locally on your machine—data stays private by default
- Works on WhatsApp, Telegram, Discord, Slack, Signal, iMessage
- Installs in 5 minutes with one curl command
- Supports 50+ integrations out of the box
- Persistent memory remembers your preferences across sessions
- Can write its own skills and extensions
- Supports cloud models (Claude, GPT-4, Gemini) and local LLMs
- Full system access: files, shell commands, scripts
- Browser control for web browsing and form filling
- Proactive heartbeats and cron jobs for automated check-ins
- Multi-agent routing with isolated sessions per workspace
- Works on macOS, Linux, and Windows (WSL2)
- Mobile nodes for iOS/Android with camera and voice support
- Community has built 565+ skills in awesome-openclaw-skills
- Can run on dedicated hardware like Mac Mini or Raspberry Pi
- Sandboxing via Docker for security-limited sessions
- Web Control UI for browser-based chat and configuration
- Media support: send/receive images, audio, documents
- Self-hackable and on-prem hostable unlike SaaS alternatives
Clawdbot/Moltbot (clawd.bot) cons
- Requires paying for AI model API costs (Claude, GPT, etc.)
- Complex setup for non-technical users
- Security risks if misconfigured or exposed publicly
- Vulnerable to prompt injection attacks
- Sandboxing adds latency from container spin-up
- Windows requires WSL2 which adds setup complexity
- Only one Gateway can own a WhatsApp session
- iMessage only works on macOS
- Third-party skills lack adequate vetting for malicious submissions
- Full Disk Access permission required on macOS for remote use
Frequently asked questions about Clawdbot/Moltbot (clawd.bot)
What is OpenClaw?
OpenClaw (formerly Clawdbot and Moltbot) is a self-hosted, open-source personal AI assistant that runs locally on your machine. It connects messaging apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, Discord, Slack, Signal, and iMessage to AI coding agents, allowing you to control your computer, execute commands, search files, and automate workflows entirely from chat. Your data stays on your machine by default, and it supports both cloud AI models and local LLMs.
Why did the name change from Clawdbot to Moltbot to OpenClaw?
The project began as Clawdbot in November 2025, but Anthropic issued a trademark complaint because 'Clawd' sounded too similar to 'Claude.' It was renamed Moltbot on January 27, 2026 (keeping the lobster theme), but creator Peter Steinberger found 'Moltbot' difficult to pronounce. Three days later, on January 29, 2026, it became OpenClaw—a trademark-cleared name reflecting the open-source foundation and lobster heritage.
Is OpenClaw free to use?
Yes, OpenClaw itself is completely free and open source under the MIT license. The only cost is for AI model API tokens when using cloud models like Claude, GPT-4, or Gemini. If you use local LLMs via Ollama or LM Studio, it's 100% free. You can also leverage existing Claude Pro/Max subscriptions by generating setup tokens via the Claude Code CLI.
What tasks can OpenClaw handle?
OpenClaw can search files, run shell commands, execute Python scripts, generate reports with charts, control smart home devices (Philips Hue, Sonos, Tesla), manage calendars and email via Gmail integration, browse the web, fill forms, extract data from websites, create custom skills, automate lead generation, review code, submit health reimbursements, find doctor appointments, order groceries via Picnic, and virtually anything you could do on your desktop through natural language chat.
Is it safe to give an AI shell access to my computer?
There are genuine security risks. OpenClaw requires broad permissions to function and is vulnerable to prompt injection attacks. Security researchers found a third-party skill performing data exfiltration without user awareness. For best security, run OpenClaw on dedicated hardware like a Mac Mini or VPS rather than your main machine. Use Docker sandboxing with 'non-main' mode to isolate group chats and external channels, and carefully audit what you allow with tools.elevated settings.
Does OpenClaw work on Windows?
OpenClaw runs natively on macOS and Linux. Windows users need WSL2 (Windows Subsystem for Linux), which works fine but adds setup complexity. The one-liner installer handles Node.js and dependencies automatically on all platforms, but Windows users must configure WSL2 first.
How do I install OpenClaw?
Run the one-liner installer: curl -fsSL https://openclaw.ai/install.sh | bash (or https://molt.bot/install.sh | bash). This installs Node.js and everything else automatically in about 5 minutes. The onboarding wizard launches automatically with QuickStart (sensible defaults) or Advanced (full control) options. After installation, pair your chat channel by scanning a QR code for WhatsApp/Telegram or entering your phone number, then the Gateway service installs automatically as a system service.
What AI models does OpenClaw support?
OpenClaw supports Claude, GPT-4, GPT-3.5, Gemini, Llama, Mistral, and most other popular models. You can also run local LLMs completely free using Ollama or LM Studio. For best quality and security, use the strongest latest-generation model available. If you have Claude Pro/Max, you can use your subscription via setup tokens instead of paying per token.