Claude (with Claude Cowork) vs OpenClaw
How the two compare on price, platforms, what they can act on and how they ask before acting. Facts come from each agent's sources page.
| Claude (with Claude Cowork) | OpenClaw | |
|---|---|---|
| Maker | Anthropic | OpenClaw Foundation |
| Cheapest paid plan | $20/month billed monthly for Pro ($17/month with annual billing) | Free |
| Free tier | Yes: chat on web, desktop and mobile, web search, file creation, memory, connectors and artifacts; task handoff, scheduling and Claude in Chrome require Pro or higher | Yes: the software is free and open source under the MIT license; the site states there is no subscription, hosted tier or paid version, and model provider usage is billed by the provider |
| Platforms | WebmacOSWindowsiOSAndroidChrome extension | macOSWindowsLinuxiOSAndroidSelf hostedWhatsAppTelegramSlackDiscordiMessageSignalMicrosoft TeamsMatrix |
| Can act on | BrowserFilesEmailCalendarCodeApps via connectors | EmailCalendarBrowserMessagesFilesCode |
| Approval model | By default Claude asks before taking an action; users can let it keep working and check in only when something needs a closer look. In Claude in Chrome, actions a classifier judges safe are approved automatically and actions that do not match the request are blocked; this can be switched off. Claude still asks before certain irreversible or costly actions such as purchases or sharing personal data. | Configurable. Host commands run only when tool policy, the allowlist and optional user approval agree; modes are deny, allowlist, ask, auto and full. The docs state the default is security full with ask off on gateway and node hosts, and deny on sandbox hosts, so prompting depends on configuration. Approval prompts can be answered in the companion apps, the Control UI or supported chat channels. |
| Launched | Jan 12, 2026 | Nov 2025 |
| Last update | Sep 16, 2026: Claude Cowork and chat are now one Claude | Oct 15, 2026: openclaw 2026.10.4 |
See sources on the Claude (with Claude Cowork) and OpenClaw pages.
Track both every week