OpenClaw alternative: the always-on agent, fully hosted
OpenClaw made personal AI agents mainstream: an assistant that lives in your chat apps and actually does things. If you want that experience without installing it, securing it and keeping a machine running, todo.is gives you a hosted agent that is ready in minutes.
What is OpenClaw?
- OpenClaw (formerly Clawdbot, then Moltbot) is a viral open-source personal AI agent created by Peter Steinberger. It runs as a self-hosted service on macOS, Windows or Linux, connects to WhatsApp, Telegram, Slack, Discord and iMessage, and uses skills to run commands, manage files and automate the web.
- It is model-agnostic: you bring your own API key for a cloud model or run a local one. The software is free; you pay for the machine it runs on and the AI usage. Security guides recommend care when running it, since it can act on the machine it is installed on.
OpenClaw vs todo.is (as of October 2026)
- Setup: OpenClaw: Install on your machine or a server, then connect channels and keys. todo.is: Nothing to install: sign up and your agent is online in minutes.
- Where it runs: OpenClaw: Your computer or a VPS you manage. todo.is: Hosted and run 24/7 by todo.is.
- Price: OpenClaw: Free software; you pay hosting (e.g. from $24/month on a cloud droplet) and model usage. todo.is: $1 for the first 24 hours, then Starter $29, Pro $69 or Elite $119 a month, with AI credits included.
- Chat apps: OpenClaw: WhatsApp, Telegram, Slack, Discord, iMessage. todo.is: Web, Android app (iPhone coming), WhatsApp, Telegram, Slack, Discord and email.
- AI models: OpenClaw: Bring your own key, or local models. todo.is: 450+ AI models on included credits, or your own API key.
- Isolation: OpenClaw: Acts on the machine it is installed on; you secure it. todo.is: Each agent runs in its own sandboxed workspace.
- Safety: OpenClaw: Depends on your configuration. todo.is: Asks before sensitive actions (payments, sending, deleting); you approve with one tap.
- Updates & uptime: OpenClaw: You keep it updated and running. todo.is: Handled for you.
Choose OpenClaw if
- You want it on your own computer, with access to your local files and apps.
- You want to run local models and keep everything on your hardware.
- You are happy to manage installs, updates and security yourself.
Choose todo.is if
- You want the OpenClaw experience without a server to babysit.
- You want each agent sandboxed instead of running on your own computer.
- You want approvals before payments, messages and deletions.
- You want AI credits included, a phone app, and help when you need it.
FAQ
- What is OpenClaw? An open-source personal AI agent (previously called Clawdbot and Moltbot) that you install yourself. It connects AI models to your chat apps and your machine so it can carry out tasks.
- Is todo.is built on OpenClaw? todo.is is its own hosted platform. It gives you the same kind of always-on personal agent, with hosting, sandboxing, approvals, credits and apps taken care of.
- Can I move from OpenClaw to todo.is? Yes. Sign up, create an agent, connect the same chat apps (WhatsApp, Telegram, Slack, Discord) and pick a model or add your own API key. Most people are running in a few minutes.
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