Choosing the Right AI Model for OpenClaw

Model Selection in OpenClaw

One of OpenClaw's biggest advantages is model flexibility. You're not locked into a single AI provider — choose the model that best fits your needs and budget.

Using OpenRouter

OpenRouter is the recommended way to access AI models with OpenClaw. It provides a single API key that works with 100+ models from all major providers.

Setting up OpenRouter:

1. Create an account at openrouter.ai
2. Generate an API key
3. Add it to your OpenClaw configuration
4. Select any available model

Popular Models for OpenClaw

Claude (Anthropic)

• Claude Sonnet 4.5 — Best balance of speed and quality
• Claude Opus 4 — Maximum reasoning capability
• Best for: Coding, analysis, nuanced writing, following complex instructions

GPT (OpenAI)

• GPT-5.2 — Latest and most capable
• GPT-4.1 — Reliable workhorse
• Best for: General tasks, creative writing, broad knowledge

Gemini (Google)

• Gemini 3 Flash — Fast and cost-effective
• Gemini 3 Pro — Higher quality, more expensive
• Best for: Quick responses, factual queries, multilingual tasks

Factors to Consider

Speed

Flash/mini models respond faster — great for chat where latency matters. Larger models take longer but produce higher quality output.

Cost

Pricing varies dramatically. Gemini Flash can be 10-50x cheaper than Claude Opus for the same conversation. Match the model to the task importance.

Capabilities

Not all models are equal at every task:

• Coding — Claude Sonnet/Opus excels
• Creative writing — GPT tends to be more expressive
• Multilingual — Gemini has strong multilingual support
• Reasoning — Claude Opus and GPT-5 lead in complex reasoning

Context Window

Larger context windows mean the model can consider more conversation history and longer documents. Check each model's context limit for your use case.

Changing Models

In Claw for All, switch models from your dashboard settings. For self-hosted, update your openclaw.json or use the config command:

openclaw config set model anthropic/claude-sonnet-4-5

Pro Tip: Model Routing

Advanced users can set up model routing — different models for different tasks. Use a fast model for quick chats and a powerful model for complex analysis.