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OpenClaw has no paid software tier, but running it is not necessarily free. Budget separately for AI model usage and for the machine or cloud service that keeps its Gateway available. Your total depends on the provider, model, workload, and hosting choice; the official documentation does not establish a typical monthly bill.
What costs money when you run OpenClaw?
OpenClaw describes itself as self-hosted and MIT-licensed, with no paid tier. Its overview says setup requires an API key from the model provider you choose. That means the software subscription cost is not the same as the cost of using AI models or keeping the Gateway online. See the OpenClaw documentation.
- OpenClaw software: No paid tier, according to the project overview.
- Model access: Provider charges may apply when your OpenClaw workload uses the provider’s API.
- Hosting: You may use existing hardware, dedicate a local machine, or pay for a VPS or cloud server.
How do AI model charges affect the bill?
API costs depend on the provider’s rate schedule, selected model, and actual usage. Token-based pricing commonly distinguishes input and output tokens, and may separately price cached input or cache writes. Tool activity and the pattern of your conversations also affect usage. A per-million-token rate is a unit price, not a forecast of your monthly bill.
OpenClaw’s token-use and cost-estimation documentation says its estimates use configured USD-per-million-token costs for input, output, cache reads, and cache writes. If pricing or recorded usage is missing, the full cost display can omit cost; treat the display as an estimate based on the data available, not as a guaranteed invoice total.
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Published API rates are examples, not monthly budgets
For illustration, the OpenAI API pricing page checked on October 7, 2026 listed GPT-6 Luna Standard at $0.05 per 1 million input tokens and $0.25 per 1 million output tokens in its “All models” short-context table. In that same table, GPT-6 Astra Standard was listed at $5.00 per 1 million input tokens and $25.00 per 1 million output tokens. These are provider-published rates for the specified models and token categories, not estimates of what an OpenClaw user will spend. Rates can change; check the current OpenAI API pricing and the selected provider’s rate card before budgeting.
Where can the OpenClaw Gateway run?
The Gateway can run on a personal computer, a dedicated local device, or a Linux server or cloud VPS. The official Linux server guide covers VPS deployment and lists multiple provider options; the installation documentation also describes local and other setup paths. The docs mention Raspberry Pi ARM self-hosting, but do not specify a required Pi model.
| Hosting choice | Cost shape | When it may fit |
|---|---|---|
| Existing personal computer | No new hosting service is required; electricity and availability depend on your equipment and use. The official docs do not provide a cost figure. | You can leave the machine running and do not need a separate always-on server. |
| Dedicated local device, such as a Raspberry Pi | Potential upfront hardware purchase and ongoing power use. The official docs do not specify a required model or current hardware price. | You want a dedicated local Gateway and are willing to manage the device. |
| VPS or cloud server | Recurring service charge; current prices are not stated in the reviewed OpenClaw documentation. | You want an always-on Gateway reachable while away from your personal computer. |
There is no universally cheapest option established by the documentation: an existing computer may avoid a new purchase, while a dedicated device has an upfront cost and a VPS has a recurring charge. Compare those costs with the availability and maintenance you need rather than assuming one route is always less expensive.
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- Choose the model provider and model. Confirm that your OpenClaw setup uses the provider API and identify the exact model and its current input, output, and applicable cache rates.
- Estimate your workload. Use your expected input, output, cache, and tool activity. Without a workload assumption, token rates cannot be translated into a meaningful monthly total.
- Pick where the Gateway will run. Decide whether existing hardware is sufficient, whether you want a dedicated local device, or whether remote always-on access justifies a VPS.
- Separate one-time and recurring costs. Treat a hardware purchase as upfront spend and a VPS or cloud plan as a service charge. The official sources do not provide current prices for either.
- Check the estimate against actual use. OpenClaw’s cost display depends on configured pricing and recorded usage; verify those inputs before relying on its total.
What does an always-on VPS require beyond its price?
A VPS can keep the Gateway available for remote access, but security and maintenance are part of the operating choice. OpenClaw’s VPS guidance recommends keeping the Gateway bound to loopback and accessing it through SSH tunneling or Tailscale Serve. If you bind to a LAN or tailnet, the documentation requires a shared secret unless authentication is delegated to a trusted proxy. It also recommends regular backups of state and workspace. See the OpenClaw Linux server guidance.
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