The model question answered
— finally
Stop guessing which model to use. Select your use case, set your task volume, and get a cost estimate, reliability rating, and personalised recommendation in under 30 seconds. Based on LangChain's State of Agent Engineering — customer support (26.5%), research & analysis (24.4%), and coding lead the pack.
Primary use case
Average task complexity
Top priority
Open-source models acceptable?
Select a use case above to see your personalised model recommendation.
Why model choice matters for OpenClaw agents
Picking the wrong model is not just a cost problem — it is a reliability problem. A model that stalls mid-task, misses a tool call, or runs out of context window will silently fail your agents in production. The hidden cost shows up as missed responses, broken automations, and an engineer debugging at 2am.
The picker above scores every model against your specific use case, task volume, and priority. It uses real pricing data and agent-loop reliability scores — not benchmarks from a chat interface.
How the recommendation works
- → Use case filter — only models that perform well on your task type remain eligible
- → Open-source filter — remove models that require GPU infrastructure if you cannot run them
- → Priority weighting — your top priority (cost, reliability, speed, or reasoning) gets the heaviest weight in the composite score
- → Monthly cost estimate — calculated from your tasks-per-day, complexity level, and the model's real per-token pricing (35% input, 65% output)
GetClaw Hosting customers can switch between any supported model from their dashboard — no code changes, no API key rotation. If your recommended model changes over time, one click is all it takes. View all plans →
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a separate API key to use Claude with OpenClaw?
Yes. A Claude.ai subscription does not include API access. You need an Anthropic API key for agent use. GetClaw Hosting makes BYOK (bring your own key) setup straightforward — you paste your key once and it is securely stored and rotated automatically.
Why does GPT-4o stop mid-task?
GPT-4o has known reliability issues on long autonomous runs. In 2025/2026, OpenAI now offers better options: GPT-5 for maximum reasoning depth, and GPT-4.1 for 83% lower cost with a 1M token context window. Claude Sonnet 4.6 remains the community favourite — 55% of OpenClaw users choose it for its consistent long-horizon task handling.
Can I use open-source models with OpenClaw?
Yes, but they require self-hosted GPU infrastructure or API access via Together AI / Groq. Open-source models like Llama 4 Maverick and Qwen 2.5 72B can be cost-effective at scale, but tool-calling reliability is lower than Claude or GPT.
Does GetClaw Hosting support multiple models?
Yes. GetClaw Hosting managed gateways support all major model providers. You can switch models or run A/B routing from your dashboard — no code changes, no API key juggling.