OpenClaw Pricing: Complete Cost Breakdown 2026
One of the most common questions about OpenClaw: how much does it actually cost? The answer depends on how you deploy it. Here's a transparent breakdown of every expense — self-hosted and managed.
OpenClaw Software Cost: Free
OpenClaw itself is free and open-source under the MIT license. No license fees, no subscription to use the software, no usage limits built into the code. You download it, install it, and run it at no cost.
The costs come from two things: the server that runs OpenClaw, and the AI model API calls your agent makes.
Self-Hosted OpenClaw Costs
If you deploy OpenClaw yourself, here's what you're paying for:
Server Hosting: $4–60/month
OpenClaw needs a server that's always on. The minimum viable spec is 2 vCPUs and 4 GB RAM. Prices vary by provider:
- Hetzner CX22 (2 vCPU / 4 GB): ~$4/month
- DigitalOcean Basic (2 vCPU / 4 GB): ~$12/month
- AWS Lightsail (2 vCPU / 4 GB): ~$20/month
For heavier workloads (multiple channels, high message volume), you may want 4–8 vCPUs and 8–16 GB RAM.
AI API Costs: $5–50/month (typical)
Your AI spend depends on which model you use and how much you chat with your agent. Approximate per-message costs:
- Claude Haiku 4.5 / GPT-5 Mini — Fractions of a cent per message. Great for high-volume, everyday tasks.
- Claude Sonnet 4.5 / Gemini 3 Flash — A few cents per message. Good balance of quality and cost.
- Claude Opus 4.6 / GPT-5.2 / Gemini 3 Pro — Higher cost, best for complex reasoning tasks.
A typical user sending 50–100 messages per day spends $5–30/month on API costs. Heavy users may spend more.
Total Self-Hosted: $9–110/month
Server + API costs. No other fees.
OneClickClaw Managed Hosting Plans
OneClickClaw bundles the server, OpenClaw deployment, and AI credits into simple monthly plans:
| Plan | Specs | VPS Price | With Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small | 2 vCPU / 4 GB / 40 GB SSD | $20/mo | $36/mo |
| Medium | 4 vCPU / 8 GB / 80 GB SSD | $25/mo | $41/mo |
| Large | 8 vCPU / 16 GB / 160 GB SSD | $40/mo | $56/mo |
| Extra Large | 16 vCPU / 32 GB / 320 GB SSD | $60/mo | $76/mo |
Each plan includes $16/month in AI credits that refresh every billing cycle. You can also bring your own API key to skip the credit system entirely — in that case, you only pay the VPS price.
How to Minimize OpenClaw Costs
- Use efficient models for routine tasks. Claude Haiku 4.5 and GPT-5 Mini cost a fraction of their larger siblings and handle most everyday requests well.
- Bring your own API key. If you already have API credits from Anthropic, OpenAI, or Google, use them with OneClickClaw and save $16/month.
- Start small. The Small plan (2 vCPU / 4 GB) is enough for a single-user agent. Upgrade only when you need more capacity.
- Monitor credit usage. The OneClickClaw dashboard shows real-time credit balance, daily AI spend, and total cost — so you always know where your money goes.
OpenClaw Pricing vs ChatGPT Pricing
| OpenClaw + OneClickClaw | ChatGPT Plus | |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost | From $20/mo (BYO key) | $20/mo |
| AI models | 7 models, 3 providers | GPT-5 only |
| System access | Full (email, files, calendar) | Limited |
| Dedicated server | Yes | No |
| Data privacy | Self-hosted | Cloud-only |
For the same $20/month as ChatGPT Plus, you get a dedicated VPS, choice of 7 AI models, full system access, and complete data privacy. Bring your own API key and it's a direct price match with dramatically more capability.