OpenClaw is a personal agent; OpenCode is a coding agent: different tools for different jobs. Here is what each is for, how they differ, and when to run each (or both). Vote for your favorite.
Either way, you pay for the model calls. A median coding-agent day on our gateway is 95 requests and 8.6 million tokens. The table prices every step at one model’s rate.
Both run on Standard Compute, where each step goes to the cheapest model that can do it: routine steps go to efficient open models, hard ones to frontier models such as Claude Fable 5.1 or GPT-6 Astra.
| Model | Typical day | Busy day |
|---|---|---|
| Claude Opus 5.5 | $7.34 | $59.10 |
| Claude Sonnet 5.5 | $3.67 | $29.55 |
| GPT-6 Luna | $0.23 | $2.43 |
Fixed monthly plans from $19. Eligible new accounts can try $0.25 of compute first, no card. Trial terms
Pick a winner in each category. You can change your vote anytime. 3 votes cast so far.
OpenClawOpenCodeChoose OpenClaw if you are tinkerers who want a self-hosted JARVIS that actually does things. Choose OpenCode if you are terminal users who want a polished AI coding interface with LSP support.
In our editorial scoring, OpenCode leads in 3 of six categories (output quality, reliability and ease of use), while OpenClaw leads in 2 (autonomy and value). On price, OpenClaw runs free (mit) / models via standard compute and is open source; OpenCode runs free (mit) / free zen models / go $10/mo and is open source.
Across 3 community votes on this matchup, OpenClaw currently leads in 1 of six categories. Cast your own vote above to move the needle.
What it costs to run OpenClaw or OpenCode
Best API for OpenClaw →
5 options compared, with prices and limits
Best API for OpenCode →
7 options compared, with prices and limits
Standard Compute sends each step to the cheapest model that can do it, on providers we vet for price, uptime and speed. Plans start at $19 a month, and eligible new accounts can try $0.25 of compute with no card. Choose your agent below to connect.
See the trial and activation steps →
More on OpenClaw: How do I use DeepSeek in OpenClaw? · How do I use Gemini in OpenClaw?
More on OpenCode: OpenCode Pricing: Plans, Subscription and API Costs (2026) · How do I use Gemini in OpenCode?
OpenClaw is the open-source autonomous agent created by Peter Steinberger (it began as Clawdbot in 2025, became Moltbot, then OpenClaw in January 2026, and passed 390,000 GitHub stars by October 2026). It runs locally, uses messaging platforms (29 channels) as its main interface, and acts rather than advises: with skills from the ClawHub registry it browses the web, sends email, manages files, runs shell commands, and drives APIs. Since July 2026 the MIT-licensed project has been run by the nonprofit OpenClaw Foundation, with Steinberger, who joined OpenAI earlier in 2026, still its chief steward.
OpenCode is an open-source (MIT) AI coding agent best known for its terminal TUI, now also shipping a desktop app and IDE extensions with OpenCode 2. It connects to 75+ LLM providers through models.dev, has LSP integration for real code understanding, and runs several sessions in parallel. The tool is free; for models you bring your own key, use OpenCode's free Zen models, pay as you go on Zen, or subscribe to its Go plan ($10/month, Go Plus $40).
OpenClaw and OpenCode both run on Standard Compute
