Microsoft Copilot 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.
| Microsoft Copilot | OpenClaw | |
|---|---|---|
| Maker | Microsoft | OpenClaw Foundation |
| Cheapest paid plan | $19.99/month (Microsoft 365 Premium, US) | Free |
| Free tier | Yes: free Copilot chat within usage limits; agents and multi step tasks need a Microsoft 365 subscription | 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 | WebWindowsmacOSiOSAndroid | macOSWindowsLinuxiOSAndroidSelf hostedWhatsAppTelegramSlackDiscordiMessageSignalMicrosoft TeamsMatrix |
| Can act on | BrowserEmailFilesCloud storageWindows settings and apps (announced for Copilot+ PCs) | EmailCalendarBrowserMessagesFilesCode |
| Approval model | Microsoft says Copilot asks for approval or hands control back before sensitive actions, and users can stop, pause, take control of or delete a task. On Windows, local context and actions are described as working with the user's permission. | 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 | Sep 25, 2026 | Nov 2025 |
| Last update | Oct 7, 2026: Copilot gets Windows hybrid intelligence | Oct 15, 2026: openclaw 2026.10.4 |
See sources on the Microsoft Copilot and OpenClaw pages.
Track both every week