Last updated: 2026-01-30

Best AI Model for OpenClaw

Claude, GPT-4, or something else? Choose the right brain for your assistant

OpenClaw works with multiple AI providers. The model you choose affects how smart your assistant is, how much it costs, and what it can do. Here's our breakdown of the best options.

🏆 Our Top Pick

Claude (Anthropic)

$3-15/million tokens — Best Overall

Detailed Comparison

Claude (Anthropic)

Best Overall

★★★★★4.9

$3-15/million tokens

Varies by model (Haiku → Opus)

Specs: 200K context, tool use, vision

Pros

✓Best at following complex instructions
✓Excellent at writing and analysis
✓Less likely to refuse reasonable requests
✓Great coding ability
✓Huge context window (200K tokens)

Cons

✗No image generation
✗Can be verbose

Our verdict: Our default recommendation. Claude 3.5 Sonnet offers the best balance of capability and cost. Opus for complex tasks, Haiku for simple/fast responses.

GPT-4 (OpenAI)

Pros

✓Strong general capability
✓Built-in image generation (DALL-E)
✓Wide ecosystem
✓Good at many tasks

Cons

✗More expensive for same capability
✗Can be overly cautious
✗Smaller context than Claude

Our verdict: Great all-rounder, especially if you want built-in image generation. GPT-4o offers good value.

Gemini (Google)

Best Free Tier

★★★★★4.4

Free tier available

Pro: $0/limited, then paid

Specs: 1M+ context, multimodal

Pros

✓Generous free tier
✓Huge context window
✓Good multimodal abilities
✓Improving rapidly

Cons

✗Can be inconsistent
✗Less reliable tool use
✗Availability varies by region

Our verdict: Good option if you want to minimize costs. The free tier is generous for personal use.

Llama 3 (Local)

Best for Privacy

★★★★★4

Free (self-hosted)

Requires GPU

Specs: 8K-128K context, open weights

Pros

✓Completely free
✓Total privacy (runs locally)
✓No API rate limits
✓Open source

Cons

✗Requires powerful hardware
✗Less capable than cloud models
✗More setup complexity

Our verdict: Best for privacy-focused users with good hardware. Llama 3 70B is impressively capable for a local model.

Quick Recommendations

Best for budget

Gemini (free tier) or Claude Haiku ($0.25/million input tokens)

Best for balanced

Claude 3.5 Sonnet — best capability per dollar

Best for maximum

Claude Opus or GPT-4 — for complex reasoning tasks

Best for privacy

Llama 3 70B locally if you have the hardware

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I switch AI models without losing my conversations?

Yes! OpenClaw stores your conversation history locally, so you can switch models anytime. Your memories and context persist regardless of which AI you use.

How much does it cost to run OpenClaw with Claude?

For typical personal use (20-50 messages/day), expect $5-20/month in API costs with Claude Sonnet. Heavy users or complex tasks cost more.

Can I use multiple models?

Yes! OpenClaw supports model routing — you can use a cheaper model for simple tasks and a more capable model for complex ones.

The Bottom Line

For most users, Claude 3.5 Sonnet is the sweet spot — excellent capability at reasonable cost. Start there and adjust based on your needs.

Start Setting Up OpenClaw →