How Much Do OpenClaw API Costs Run?

OpenClaw FAQ

Most personal users spend $5-30/month on AI API costs. Light usage is $5-10/month, moderate $10-20/month. OpenClaw itself is free.

Cost Breakdown

  • Light usage (5-10 conversations/day): $5-10/month
  • Moderate usage (10-20 conversations/day): $10-20/month
  • Heavy usage (20+ conversations/day + automation): $20-50/month

Per-Model Costs

  • Claude Haiku 3.5: ~$0.001 per conversation (cheapest)
  • Claude Sonnet 4: ~$0.01-0.02 per conversation
  • GPT-4o: ~$0.01-0.03 per conversation
  • Claude Opus 4: ~$0.03-0.10 per conversation
  • Local models (Ollama): $0 (free!)

Cost Optimization Tips

  • Use Haiku/Sonnet for simple tasks, Opus only for complex ones
  • OpenClaw memory compaction reduces token usage
  • Use local models for privacy-sensitive or high-volume tasks
  • Set API spend limits on your provider dashboard

Cost Breakdown

  • Light usage (5-10 conversations/day): $5-10/month
  • Moderate usage (10-20 conversations/day): $10-20/month
  • Heavy usage (20+ conversations/day + automation): $20-50/month

Per-Model Costs

  • Claude Haiku 3.5: ~$0.001 per conversation (cheapest)
  • Claude Sonnet 4: ~$0.01-0.02 per conversation
  • GPT-4o: ~$0.01-0.03 per conversation
  • Claude Opus 4: ~$0.03-0.10 per conversation
  • Local models (Ollama): $0 (free!)

Cost Optimization Tips

  • Use Haiku/Sonnet for simple tasks, Opus only for complex ones
  • OpenClaw's memory compaction reduces token usage
  • Use local models for privacy-sensitive or high-volume tasks
  • Set API spend limits on your provider dashboard

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