Comparison · OpenClaw Foundation · verified 2026-09-21

TODO for AI
vs OpenClaw

Open-source personal agent that runs on your own machine and answers in WhatsApp, Telegram, Slack and 20+ other chats, bring your own keys. Here is where each one wins, with numbers, and who should pick which.

Start free PricingOpenClaw site
InterfaceChat apps, CLI, desktopWeb, desktop, CLI, voice
ModelsAny provider (BYOK)Every provider
SourceOpenEdge + CLI public
Starts atFreeFree
Facts verified 2026-09-21. Pricing is public list price.
Every vendor
models, vs any provider (byok)
Your machines
PC, cloud VM, real Chrome
Any CLI
is an integration, not just MCP
Free
from, vs Free
Architecture at a glance
OpenClaw
Models
AnthropicOpenAIGoogleAny provider (BYOK)
Runs in
Chat apps, CLI, desktop
Where it lives
Self-hosted only
Produces
Research
Docs
Email
CRM
Code
SEO
Ads
TODO for AI
Models
AnthropicOpenAIGooglexAIDeepSeekEvery provider
CROSS-VENDOR REVIEW
Runs in
Your PC
Cloud VM
Real Chrome
Voice
Where it lives
Always-on cloud VM · vault · your logins
Produces
Code
SEO
Email
Ads
Social
CRM
Struck-through outputs are outside OpenClaw's scope. TODO for AI runs the same models plus the rest, from a machine that stays on.
The short version

Who should pick which

Choose OpenClaw if
  • You want a free MIT agent and will host and secure it yourself
  • You mainly want to talk to it from WhatsApp or Telegram
  • You already hold API keys or run local models
Choose TODO for AI if
  • You want the cloud machine, browser and vault managed for you
  • You want one flat plan across Claude, GPT, Gemini and Grok
  • You want a persistent list the agent works through, not only a chat
  • You need team roles and pooled usage
Context

What OpenClaw is, and where it stops

OpenClaw is an open-source personal agent: MIT licensed, run by a non-profit foundation, and living on your machine rather than a vendor cloud. It reads your inbox, moves your calendar, browses, runs shell commands, and you talk to it from WhatsApp, Telegram, Discord, Slack or iMessage. Any model works through your own keys, including local ones. For a developer who wants full control and nothing hosted, it is the obvious starting point.

The trade is that you become the operator. There is a gateway to run, ports to keep off the internet, a skills marketplace to vet, and a security page that publishes advisories by surface. Tokens are billed by each provider you use, and there is no cloud machine, so the agent is only as always-on as the computer under your desk.

Technical people who want a self-hosted assistant in their chats and are happy to operate it.
Why people switch

Three reasons OpenClaw users look elsewhere

01
You are the ops team

Gateway, auth, sandboxing, plugin vetting and updates are yours. The project is candid that misconfigured instances get found.

02
Nothing runs while your laptop sleeps

No hosted VM or cloud browser. Always-on means a server you provision and patch.

03
Bills per provider, per token

Every key is a separate invoice with no pooled plan or spending window.

Scores

Six dimensions that decide it

Six dimensions, 0 to 5
OpenClaw 21/30TODO for AI 28/30
Model freedom5 · 5 /5
Which vendors and models you can run
Long-running work3 · 5 /5
Persistent machine, scheduling, parallel tasks
Beyond code4 · 5 /5
Marketing, ops, browser, email, not only repos
Openness5 · 4 /5
Source available, self-host, extend
Team & permissions2 · 4 /5
Roles, pooled usage, tool approvals
Cost predictability2 · 5 /5
Flat plan vs metered tokens
Feature by feature

What each one ships

FeatureOpenClawTODO for AI
Persistent cloud VM
An always-on machine. Files, logins and sessions survive between runs.
Self-hosted only
Model choice
Any (BYOK)
Any provider
Cross-vendor review
Review GPT output with Claude, or the other way around.
Drives your real browser
Chrome extension plus cloud browsers.
Local browser tool
Business tasks, not only code
SEO, email, ads, social, CRM via CLI tools.
Any CLI as an integration
Skills + MCP
Any binary
Voice control
Via chat apps
Team roles, pooled usage
Shared gateway
Roles + pooled
Tool permissions
Exec approvals
Allow, approve, block
Open runtime
Edge + CLI public
Pricing

What it costs

OpenClaw
Free

Free, MIT, donation funded. You pay each provider for tokens and host it yourself.

TODO for AI
Free

Hobby free (Sonnet only), Starter $20, Pro $100, Ultra $200. Paid plans include every model from every vendor.

Verdict

Bottom line

Our take
OpenClaw for a free, self-hosted assistant when you enjoy running infrastructure and hold your own keys. TODO for AI when you want the same reach, your PC, your real Chrome, your inbox and repos, with a managed cloud VM, every vendor on one flat plan, a secret vault and per-tool permissions, and the hosting and patching done for you.
FAQ

Common questions

Is TODO for AI an OpenClaw alternative?
Yes. Both act in your inbox, browser, files and shell. OpenClaw is free and self-hosted with your own keys; TODO for AI is a hosted list-driven agent with a cloud VM, a Chrome extension for your real browser, and every model on one plan.
Is OpenClaw free?
The software is free and MIT licensed. You pay each model provider per token and supply the machine it runs on.
Is OpenClaw safe to run?
It can be, if you keep the gateway off the public internet, use exec approvals and vet skills. The project publishes advisories by surface; the burden is on the operator.
Can I use OpenClaw and TODO for AI together?
Yes. Keep OpenClaw as a chat front end if you like, and hand long-running or browser-heavy TODOs to TODO for AI, which runs them on its cloud VM or your PC.