OpenClaw needs an AI model to work its magic, and Claude by Anthropic is the recommended choice. In this guide, you'll learn exactly how to get your Claude API key, understand the pricing, choose the right model, and keep everything secure.
Whether you're setting up OpenClaw for the first time or switching from another AI provider, this guide has you covered.
Why Claude is Recommended for OpenClaw
OpenClaw works with multiple AI providers (OpenAI, Google, local models via Ollama), but Claude consistently delivers the best experience. Here's why:
Superior Reasoning Abilities
Claude excels at breaking down complex tasks into logical steps. When you ask OpenClaw to "organize my files, check my email, and draft responses to anything urgent," Claude methodically works through each task without getting confused or skipping steps. This multi-step reasoning is crucial for an AI assistant that actually does things rather than just chatting.
Best-in-Class Tool Use
OpenClaw's power comes from tools—browsing the web, reading files, running code, checking your calendar. Claude's tool-use capabilities are exceptionally reliable. It understands when to use which tool, how to chain them together, and rarely hallucinates tool calls that don't exist. Other models often struggle here.
Safety Without Frustration
Claude has thoughtful safety guardrails that prevent harmful outputs without being overly restrictive. You won't constantly run into "I can't help with that" responses for legitimate requests. It strikes the right balance between being helpful and being responsible—essential for an always-on assistant with access to your data.
Excellent Context Window
Claude models offer generous context windows (up to 200K tokens), meaning OpenClaw can maintain awareness of long conversations, large documents, and complex multi-file projects without forgetting what you discussed earlier.
Bottom line: You can use other models with OpenClaw, but Claude provides the most reliable, capable experience. If you're investing time in setting up a personal AI assistant, Claude is worth the cost.
Step-by-Step: Getting Your Claude API Key
Getting a Claude API key takes about 5 minutes. Here's exactly what to do:
Navigate to console.anthropic.com in your browser. This is Anthropic's developer dashboard where you'll manage your API access.
Click "Sign Up" and create an account using either your email address or Google sign-in. If you already have an account from using Claude.ai, you can use the same login—but note that the API and the chat interface are billed separately.
Check your inbox for a verification email from Anthropic. Click the link to confirm your account. This usually arrives within a minute; check spam if you don't see it.
Go to "Settings" → "Billing" in the console. You'll need to add a credit card to enable API access. Anthropic uses pay-as-you-go billing—you're only charged for what you use. There's no monthly minimum.
In the left sidebar, click "API Keys." This is where you'll create and manage your keys. You can have multiple keys for different projects or purposes.
Click the "Create Key" button. Give it a descriptive name like "OpenClaw" so you remember what it's for later. Click "Create."
Your API key will be displayed once—and only once. Copy it immediately and save it somewhere secure. A password manager is ideal. If you lose it, you'll need to create a new key.
⚠️ Important: Your API key is like a password. Anyone with this key can make API calls on your account and you'll be charged. Never share it, commit it to git, or paste it in public forums.
Your API key will look something like this:
sk-ant-api03-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxIn OpenClaw, you'll add this to your configuration file or set it as an environment variable. The setup wizard will guide you through this.
Understanding Claude Pricing
Claude uses token-based pricing. Tokens are chunks of text (roughly 4 characters or ~Âľ of a word). You pay separately for input tokens (what you send to Claude) and output tokens (what Claude generates).
Output tokens cost more because they require the model to actually generate new content, not just process existing text.
| Model | Input (per 1M tokens) | Output (per 1M tokens) | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Claude Sonnet 4 Recommended | $3 | $15 | Daily use, best balance |
| Claude Opus 4 Premium | $15 | $75 | Complex reasoning |
| Claude Haiku 4 Budget | $0.25 | $1.25 | Simple, fast tasks |
What Does Typical Usage Cost?
For most OpenClaw users, expect to spend $10–30 per month depending on how heavily you use it. Here's a rough breakdown:
- Light use (a few queries per day): $5–10/month
- Moderate use (regular daily assistant): $15–25/month
- Heavy use (constant automation, coding, long documents): $30–50/month
For context: a typical conversation with OpenClaw might use 2,000–5,000 tokens total. Complex tasks with long context (like analyzing a document or writing code) might use 10,000–50,000 tokens.
💡 Pro tip: Set a spending limit in the Anthropic console. Go to Settings → Limits and set a monthly cap. You'll get notified before hitting it, so no surprise bills.
Choosing the Right Model
OpenClaw lets you switch between models based on your needs. Here's when to use each:
🏆 Claude Sonnet 4 — The Sweet Spot (Recommended)
Sonnet is the best all-around choice for OpenClaw. It's smart enough to handle complex multi-step tasks, fast enough for real-time use, and priced reasonably enough for daily use. Unless you have specific needs, start with Sonnet and stick with it.
Use for: Email management, calendar automation, web browsing, file organization, coding assistance, research tasks, writing, and basically everything else.
🧠Claude Opus 4 — Maximum Intelligence
Opus is Anthropic's most capable model. It excels at extremely complex reasoning, nuanced analysis, and tasks that require deep thinking. However, it's 5x more expensive than Sonnet and slower.
Use for: Complex coding projects, deep analysis of documents, strategic planning, tasks where quality matters more than speed, and when Sonnet isn't quite cutting it.
⚡ Claude Haiku 4 — Speed and Savings
Haiku is the fastest and cheapest Claude model. It's great for simple, quick tasks where you don't need deep reasoning. It's also useful for high-volume automation where costs need to stay low.
Use for: Quick lookups, simple Q&A, formatting tasks, high-volume operations, and situations where speed matters more than depth.
Alternative: GPT-4o
OpenClaw also supports OpenAI's GPT-4o. It's a solid alternative if you already have OpenAI credits or prefer their ecosystem. Performance is comparable to Claude Sonnet for most tasks, though Claude typically edges ahead on tool use and following complex instructions.
Alternative: Local Models via Ollama
If you want to run AI completely free and offline, OpenClaw supports local models through Ollama. Models like Llama 3.1 and Mistral run on your own hardware with no API costs.
The tradeoff: Local models are significantly less capable than Claude. They work fine for simple tasks but struggle with complex multi-step reasoning, tool use, and long context. You'll need a decent GPU (8GB+ VRAM) for acceptable performance.
Our recommendation: Use Claude Sonnet as your primary model. If costs become a concern, mix in Haiku for simple tasks or experiment with local models for basic queries.
Security Best Practices
Your API key is the gateway to your Anthropic account. Treat it like a password—because functionally, it is one. Here's how to keep it secure:
Never Share Your API Key
Don't post it in Discord, paste it in GitHub issues, include it in screenshots, or send it to anyone. If someone asks for your API key to "help debug," they're either scamming you or don't understand how API keys work. Neither is good.
Don't Commit to Git
If you're storing your OpenClaw configuration in a git repository, make sure your API key isn't in there. Use environment variables or a separate .env file that's listed in .gitignore.
# .gitignore
.env
config.local.json
*secrets*Set Usage Limits
In the Anthropic Console (Settings → Limits), you can set:
- Monthly spending limit: Hard cap on how much you can be charged
- Per-minute rate limits: Prevents runaway automation from burning through your budget
- Email alerts: Get notified when approaching limits
Start with a conservative limit ($50/month) until you understand your typical usage patterns.
Rotate Keys Periodically
Every few months, create a new API key, update OpenClaw, then delete the old key. This limits the damage if a key was somehow compromised without your knowledge. It only takes a minute and is good security hygiene.
Monitor Usage
Check your Anthropic dashboard periodically. If you see usage spikes you don't recognize, it could indicate your key was leaked. Act fast: delete the key and create a new one.
If your key is compromised: Delete it immediately in the Anthropic Console. Create a new one. Update OpenClaw's configuration. Check your billing for unexpected charges and contact Anthropic support if needed.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
"Invalid API Key" Error
Double-check that you copied the entire key, including the sk-ant- prefix. Make sure there are no extra spaces before or after the key. If you're using environment variables, ensure they're loaded correctly (restart your terminal/session after setting them).
"Insufficient Credits" or "Payment Required"
This means your payment method hasn't been added or was declined. Go to Settings → Billing in the Anthropic Console and verify your payment method is active. Anthropic requires a valid payment method even for free trial credits.
"Rate Limited" Errors
Anthropic has usage limits to prevent abuse. New accounts start with lower limits that increase over time as you build usage history. If you're hitting rate limits, either wait a minute before retrying, use a lighter model (Haiku), or contact Anthropic to request increased limits.
"Model Not Found" Error
Make sure you're using the correct model name in OpenClaw's configuration. The current models are:
claude-sonnet-4-20250514(orclaude-sonnet-4-latest)claude-opus-4-20250514(orclaude-opus-4-latest)claude-haiku-4-20250514
Check the Anthropic docs for the latest model names if you're unsure.
Unexpectedly High Bills
Review your usage in the Anthropic Console dashboard. Look for patterns—maybe a particular automation is running more than expected, or you're using Opus when Sonnet would suffice. Set spending limits to prevent future surprises.
Connection Timeouts
This usually indicates network issues between your server and Anthropic's API. Check your server's internet connection, verify there are no firewall rules blocking api.anthropic.com, and try again. If the issue persists, check Anthropic's status page.
Need help? The OpenClaw Discord community is active and helpful for troubleshooting. For billing or account issues, contact Anthropic support directly.
What's Next?
Once you have your API key:
- Set up OpenClaw if you haven't already → Complete setup guide
- Add your key to OpenClaw's configuration (the setup wizard walks you through this)
- Start with simple tasks to get comfortable: "What's the weather?" or "Summarize this article"
- Explore integrations: Gmail, Calendar, and more
- Set up automation for tasks you do repeatedly
Having a Claude API key unlocks the full potential of OpenClaw. You're not just getting a chatbot—you're getting a capable AI assistant that can actually do things: read your email, browse the web, manage files, run code, and automate the tedious parts of your digital life.
Welcome to the future of personal AI. 🦞