OpenClaw + Claude: Use Anthropic Claude with OpenClaw

What Is Claude?

Claude is Anthropic's family of large language models. Claude models are widely regarded as among the best for nuanced conversation, creative writing, detailed analysis, and complex multi-step reasoning. Anthropic focuses on building safe, steerable AI — and Claude reflects that with strong instruction-following and thoughtful, helpful responses.

Claude Model Lineup

For most OpenClaw users, Claude Sonnet 4.6 is the sweet spot — fast enough for real-time chat, capable enough for complex tasks, and reasonably priced via OpenRouter. Use Opus for demanding research and analysis, or Haiku when speed and cost matter most.

How to Use Claude with OpenClaw Launch

The fastest way to get a Claude-powered AI agent running. No API key needed — OpenRouter handles the routing automatically.

1. Go to openclawlaunch.com and open the configurator.
2. Select a Claude model from the model dropdown (e.g., Claude Sonnet 4.6).
3. Pick your chat platform (Telegram, Discord, or Web).
4. Click Deploy. Your Claude-powered agent is live in 10 seconds.

How to Use Claude Self-Hosted

If you're running OpenClaw on your own server, configure OpenRouter as a model provider in your openclaw.json and set Claude as the default model:

{
  "models": {
    "providers": {
      "openrouter": {
        "apiKey": "sk-or-..."
      }
    }
  },
  "agents": {
    "defaults": {
      "model": {
        "primary": "openrouter/anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.6"
      }
    }
  }
}

Get your OpenRouter API key from openrouter.ai/keys. You can also use the Anthropic API directly:

{
  "models": {
    "providers": {
      "anthropic": {
        "apiKey": "sk-ant-..."
      }
    }
  },
  "agents": {
    "defaults": {
      "model": {
        "primary": "anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.6"
      }
    }
  }
}

Claude vs Other Models

How does Claude compare to other popular AI models for OpenClaw?

Claude stands out for its writing quality, instruction-following, and nuanced understanding. It's the top choice for users who want an AI assistant that feels natural to talk to — thoughtful, detailed, and careful with complex requests.

When to Choose Claude

Choose Claude Sonnet if you want the best all-around AI assistant for daily use — conversation, writing, research, coding, and problem-solving. It's the most popular model among OpenClaw users for good reason.

Choose Claude Haiku if you want fast, snappy responses at a lower cost. Great for casual chat, quick Q&A, and high-volume messaging where speed matters more than depth.

Choose Claude Opus for the most demanding tasks: deep research, complex analysis, long-form writing, and multi-step problem solving. It costs more but delivers the highest quality output.

With OpenClaw, you can switch between models anytime using the /model chat command — no redeployment needed. Start with Sonnet and upgrade to Opus when you need it.

BYOK with Claude

If you have your own Anthropic API key or an OpenRouter key with credits, you can bring your own key (BYOK) to OpenClaw Launch. This lets you use your existing billing relationship instead of the included AI credits.

In the configurator, select the BYOK option and paste your API key. OpenClaw will route all requests through your key, giving you full control over costs and usage limits.

What's Next?

• Add skills to your agent — Browse 3,200+ skills for web search, coding, automation, and more
• Compare all models — See how Claude stacks up against GPT, Gemini, DeepSeek, and others
• See pricing — Deploy with AI credits included, starting at $3/month
• Set up Telegram — Connect your Claude-powered agent to Telegram