OpenClaw

Open source alternative to Muse, Lindy AI and Grok Bot

393K stars
MIT
Active this week
Last commit 1 day ago

Last verified Oct 20, 2026

Run your own personal AI assistant across WhatsApp, Telegram, Slack, and 20+ messaging apps. MIT-licensed, self-hosted, works with any AI model provider.

Visit website GitHub393K 1-click deploy on Hostinger

OpenClaw — your personal AI assistant, running on your own devices

Read the full breakdownWho it is for, how it works, trade-offs, self-hosting, the quick start and the FAQ

who it's for

Who OpenClaw is for#

Developers running a self-hosted AI assistant on their own infrastructure

OpenClaw installs on any macOS, Linux, or Windows machine and connects to AI model providers you already subscribe to. You can extend it with code, run it on a home server or Raspberry Pi, and wire it into Obsidian notes, GitHub webhooks, or IoT devices through the plugin system.

Skip if:

You want a zero-configuration cloud product with no setup. OpenClaw's onboarding wizard is straightforward, but it requires Node.js and a model provider subscription to start.

Individuals who want an AI assistant with full data ownership

If your conversations and memory should stay on your own machine rather than a vendor's servers, OpenClaw puts the assistant in WhatsApp, Telegram, or another app you already use. Memory persists across sessions and across AI model providers, building context without cloud dependency.

Skip if:

Your primary concern is convenience and you are comfortable with a managed product. Commercial AI assistants have the advantage in onboarding polish, mobile apps, and built-in integrations.

Small teams sharing a personal AI agent through Slack or Discord

OpenClaw supports multi-channel routing and session management through the Gateway, making it possible to run a shared assistant for a small team. Messaging through Slack or Discord keeps the assistant accessible to everyone without requiring each person to run their own instance.

Skip if:

You need enterprise access controls, audit logging, or compliance features. OpenClaw's security model is designed for a single operator or a trusted small team; multi-tenant enterprise deployment is not a documented use case.

Tinkerers connecting AI to physical or digital systems

The plugin architecture and CLI let you wire OpenClaw to IoT devices, home automation, phone numbers via Twilio, or desktop tools. Community members have connected it to air purifiers, insurance processes, and screen annotation apps, showing the range of what a hackable agent toolkit can reach.

Skip if:

You want a purpose-built tool for one specific task. Purpose-built AI tools for specific workflows (email, scheduling, coding) may be simpler to set up and maintain for a single narrow use case.

the problem

The problem it solves#

AI assistants built on managed cloud services require you to send every message to a vendor's server. Your conversation history, context, and any documents you share leave your machine the moment you type them. Pricing tiers lock advanced features behind monthly subscriptions, and the vendor can change pricing or deprecate capabilities at any time.

Building your own setup from scratch is not practical for most people. Wiring together model providers, messaging integrations, persistent memory, and tool-calling takes months of engineering work. The result is usually a fragile prototype that breaks on API changes and lacks the polish needed for daily use.

how OpenClaw solves it

How it solves it#

Multi-platform messaging integration

Connects to WhatsApp, Telegram, Slack, Discord, Google Chat, Signal, and iMessage through a local Gateway. You message your assistant in the apps you already use; OpenClaw handles channel routing, session management, and message threading without requiring a separate dedicated interface.

Local Gateway control plane

A persistent local server manages sessions, tool calls, events, and channel connections. The Control UI, CLI, and TUI all connect to the same Gateway, so you can monitor and manage your assistant from a terminal or browser without cloud roundtrips.

Any AI model provider

Works with hosted providers and local model runtimes. You choose the model for each session and can switch without migrating data. Hosted options include OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google APIs. A local model runtime enables fully offline operation with no network dependency.

Persistent memory and skills

The assistant builds memory of your preferences, context, and history over time. Skills and plugins from ClawHub extend what it can do: organize your inbox, manage your calendar, send emails, or run background tasks on a schedule through built-in cron support.

Companion apps for native device actions

macOS and Windows companion apps (currently beta) add native controls for the Gateway, chat, setup, and node features. The macOS app requires macOS 15+ as a Universal Binary; the Windows app supports Windows 10 20H2+ and Windows 11 with tray, setup, chat, and node mode.

One-command install across all major operating systems

A single shell command installs Node.js and OpenClaw and launches the onboarding wizard. The installer supports macOS, Linux, and WSL2 via curl, and Windows via PowerShell. Source installs via git clone and pnpm are available for contributors.

strengths · trade-offs

Strengths and trade-offs#

Strengths

Full data ownership with no vendor serversYour conversations, memory, and context stay on your machine. No messages are routed to OpenClaw's servers. You choose which AI provider sees what data, and you can run local models for fully offline operation with no network dependency.
MIT license under non-profit governanceOpenClaw is MIT licensed and maintained by the OpenClaw Foundation, a non-profit. MIT allows commercial use, modification, and distribution without restriction. The non-profit governance structure makes a pivot to a paid-only model less likely than with venture-backed products.
387,000+ stars and an active contributor communityOpenClaw grew to one of the most-starred software repositories on GitHub within five months of launch. Active CI, frequent releases, and thousands of contributors reduce the risk of abandonment. The Discord community and ClawHub plugin ecosystem extend the project beyond the core team.
Hackable plugin architectureSkills and plugins extend the assistant without touching core code. The plugin SDK is documented, and AI-assisted PRs are welcome. Community members have connected OpenClaw to Twilio for phone numbers, Obsidian for personal notes, IoT devices, and financial services.

Trade-offs

-5,700+ open issues at current scaleWith 387,000+ stars comes a proportionally large issue backlog. As of August 2026 there are 5,709 open GitHub issues. Early users noted periods of update instability. The project is actively developed and triages at scale, but users who need a low-churn stable tool should follow release notes carefully.
-Security requires deliberate configuration on shared systemsTools run on the host by default unless sandboxing is configured. Inbound messages from unknown senders require manual approval with a pairing code. The README instructs users to read the security and sandboxing guides before connecting other users or exposing the Gateway remotely.
-Companion apps are in betaThe native macOS and Windows companion apps are labeled beta. Core functionality through the CLI and Gateway is stable, but users who depend on native tray controls or the companion UI should expect rough edges and potentially breaking changes between releases.
-Node.js 22+ and pnpm required for source buildsOpenClaw requires Node.js 22.22.3+, 24.15+, or 25.9+. The installer handles this automatically, but teams with shared servers pinned to older Node.js versions must plan accordingly. Plain npm install at the repository root is not supported; pnpm workspaces are required for source builds.

versus alternatives

OpenClaw vs alternatives#

Self-Hosted vs Hosted Cloud Assistants

This comparison covers two distinct approaches to personal AI assistance: self-hosted agentic frameworks that run on infrastructure you control, and hosted cloud services where the vendor manages all infrastructure, memory, and data.

Data Ownership and Residency

With a hosted cloud assistant, every message, memory file, and context you share is stored on vendor servers. The vendor's privacy policy, data-retention schedule, and subprocessor relationships govern that data. For individuals or small teams with data-residency requirements, this creates a dependency that cannot be configured away.

A self-hosted assistant processes all sessions locally. Your conversation history, accumulated memory, and any files you share remain on hardware you own. You choose which model provider (such as OpenAI, Anthropic, or a local runtime) sees each prompt, and you can eliminate cloud data transfer entirely by running a local model.

Cost Model

Hosted cloud assistants typically charge a monthly subscription per seat, bundling model access, infrastructure, and storage. The price is fixed regardless of actual compute use, which favors heavy users but charges light users for capacity they do not consume.

Self-hosted frameworks carry no platform subscription fee. You pay only for the model provider API calls you make, at per-token rates. For light or intermittent use this is often cheaper; for heavy use, costs depend on provider and model selection.

Channel Reach and Integration

Hosted cloud assistants are generally accessed through a dedicated web or mobile interface. Third-party integrations are limited to what the vendor chooses to support and maintain.

Self-hosted agentic frameworks connect to messaging services you already use. A local control plane can route sessions across WhatsApp, Telegram, Slack, Discord, Google Chat, Signal, iMessage, and other channels without requiring a separate dedicated interface.

Extensibility

Hosted cloud services constrain customization to approved integrations and settings exposed by the vendor. Core behavior cannot be modified.

Self-hosted frameworks are designed to be extended. Skills, plugins, and device nodes can be added through a documented SDK. Community-built extensions cover calendar management, inbox automation, home automation, IoT device control, and development tool integrations. The plugin ecosystem and the ability to self-modify through conversation are capabilities that hosted platforms do not replicate.

install · quick start

Quick start#

bash

Install OpenClaw with the official setup script on macOS or Linux.
```bash
curl -fsSL https://openclaw.ai/install.sh | bash
```

guide · self-host

How to self-host OpenClaw#

Run OpenClaw on your own server to give yourself a personal AI assistant reachable from Telegram, WhatsApp, Slack, Discord, and over twenty other messaging apps.

A Debian or Ubuntu server with SSH access, 6 GB RAM to build from source or less with the prebuilt images (any VPS provider works, e.g. Hostinger)
An API key for whichever model provider you want the assistant to use
A channel credential ready to configure, such as a Telegram bot token

01Install the CLI
The official installer provisions a supported Node.js runtime when needed, so you do not need to manage it yourself. Run it on your server over SSH.
```
curl -fsSL https://openclaw.ai/install.sh | bash
```
02Run onboarding and install the daemon
Onboarding handles model access verification, workspace creation, and gateway configuration in one pass. The --install-daemon flag registers a systemd user service so the gateway restarts on reboot. Confirm it is listening before moving on.
```
openclaw onboard --install-daemon
openclaw gateway status
```
03Reach the dashboard over an SSH tunnel
The gateway binds to loopback only on port 18789. Do not open that port in your firewall. Forward it over SSH from your laptop instead, open the local address in your browser, and paste your Gateway token. Any non-loopback bind requires token or password authentication.
```
ssh -N -L 18789:127.0.0.1:18789 user@your-server
```
04Connect a messaging channel
Telegram ships built-in: set channels.telegram.botToken to your bot token and enabled to true in the config file. For Discord, Slack, WhatsApp, or any other supported app, install the official plugin first. Pairing codes expire after one hour, so complete the pairing in one sitting.
```
openclaw plugins install @openclaw/discord
```

tech stack · detected from GitHub

What it's built on#

Languages: JavaScriptKotlinSwiftTypeScript
Frameworks: Express
Tooling: esbuild

frequently asked

FAQ#

Is OpenClaw free to use?

Yes. OpenClaw is MIT licensed and free to self-host on your own machine. The cost is your AI model provider subscription (OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, or a local model). There is no OpenClaw subscription fee, usage tier, or managed service charge.

Which messaging apps does OpenClaw support?

OpenClaw connects to WhatsApp, Telegram, Slack, Discord, Google Chat, Signal, and iMessage through its channel system. You configure which channels to enable during onboarding. Each channel requires its own credentials or API setup per that service's requirements.

Can OpenClaw run with a local AI model instead of a cloud provider?

Yes. OpenClaw supports local model runtimes alongside hosted providers like OpenAI and Anthropic. You configure the model provider during onboarding and can switch providers or run different models per session. Fully offline operation is possible with a local model.

Can OpenClaw run background tasks and proactive reminders automatically?

Yes. The Gateway supports cron jobs, reminders, and proactive agent actions that run without you initiating a conversation. You can configure the assistant to monitor your inbox, send scheduled updates, or trigger tools at set times. Background tasks run continuously as long as the Gateway is active on your machine.

What does the minimum setup require to get started?

On macOS or Linux, run the one-line curl installer, complete the onboarding wizard, and configure at least one model provider. Node.js is installed automatically by the installer. The process takes roughly 20 minutes for a new user including model provider setup. Windows uses a PowerShell installer with the same wizard.

Looking for more

Other ways to replace Muse, Lindy AI and Grok Bot#

paperclip

Featuredfor Grok Bot

Self-hosted AI agent management with org charts and budgets

105,118Visit

Hermes Agent

#2 in the Muse guide

Persistent memory and scheduled tasks across 7 platforms

255,514

Khoj

#4 in the Muse guide

Research and personal knowledge agent you host yourself

37,768

Leon

#5 in the Muse guide

MIT-licensed personal assistant built on a skills architecture

17,595

All 10 Muse alternatives 5 open source Muse alternatives, ranked

by category

Open source tools in these categories#

404

AI & Machine Learning

freeCodeCamp, OpenClaw, REA (Reverse Engineer Anything)191

Business & Productivity

OpenClaw, Excalidraw, RustDesk

Hostinger

Run OpenClaw on your own server

Hostinger sets OpenClaw up as a one-click app on a VPS.

Deploy on Hostinger

Featured

Omnara

Alternative toClaude Managed Agents

Open-source agent deployment API. Self-host or use Omnara Cloud.

2,957 GitHub stars
Licence Apache-2.0
#AI Agents

Inbox Zero

Alternative toSuperhuman

AI email assistant that drafts replies and clears your inbox

12,712 GitHub stars
Licence AGPL-3.0
#Email

rakazo

Alternative toGrok Bot

AI teammates you own: your keys, your model, your machine.

4,904 GitHub stars
Licence Apache-2.0
#AI Agents

Feature your project

The projects we add and every new guide. Free, unsubscribe any time.

Find open source alternatives to paid software

Self-Hosted vs Hosted Cloud Assistants

Data Ownership and Residency

Cost Model

Channel Reach and Integration

Hosted cloud assistants are generally accessed through a dedicated web or mobile interface. Third-party integrations are limited to what the vendor chooses to support and maintain.

Extensibility

Hosted cloud services constrain customization to approved integrations and settings exposed by the vendor. Core behavior cannot be modified.

Who OpenClaw is for#

Developers running a self-hosted AI assistant on their own infrastructure

Skip if:

Individuals who want an AI assistant with full data ownership

Skip if:

Small teams sharing a personal AI agent through Slack or Discord

Skip if:

Tinkerers connecting AI to physical or digital systems

Skip if:

The problem it solves#

How it solves it#

Multi-platform messaging integration

Local Gateway control plane

Any AI model provider

Persistent memory and skills

Companion apps for native device actions

One-command install across all major operating systems

Strengths and trade-offs#

Strengths

Trade-offs

OpenClaw vs alternatives#

Self-Hosted vs Hosted Cloud Assistants

Data Ownership and Residency

Cost Model

Channel Reach and Integration

Extensibility

Quick start#

How to self-host OpenClaw#

01Install the CLI

02Run onboarding and install the daemon

03Reach the dashboard over an SSH tunnel

04Connect a messaging channel

What it's built on#

FAQ#

Other ways to replace Muse, Lindy AI and Grok Bot#

Open source tools in these categories#

AI & Machine Learning

Business & Productivity

Find open source alternatives to paid software

Who OpenClaw is for#

Developers running a self-hosted AI assistant on their own infrastructure

Skip if:

Individuals who want an AI assistant with full data ownership

Skip if:

Small teams sharing a personal AI agent through Slack or Discord

Skip if:

Tinkerers connecting AI to physical or digital systems

Skip if:

The problem it solves#

How it solves it#

Multi-platform messaging integration

Local Gateway control plane

Any AI model provider

Persistent memory and skills

Companion apps for native device actions

One-command install across all major operating systems

Strengths and trade-offs#

Strengths

Trade-offs

OpenClaw vs alternatives#

Self-Hosted vs Hosted Cloud Assistants

Data Ownership and Residency

Cost Model

Channel Reach and Integration

Extensibility

Quick start#

How to self-host OpenClaw#

01Install the CLI

02Run onboarding and install the daemon

03Reach the dashboard over an SSH tunnel

04Connect a messaging channel

What it's built on#

FAQ#

Other ways to replace Muse, Lindy AI and Grok Bot#

Open source tools in these categories#

AI & Machine Learning

Business & Productivity

Find open source alternatives to paid software