What is ClawMates and what does it do?

ClawMates is a managed hosting platform that deploys AI assistants to Telegram and WhatsApp in under 5 minutes. It wraps the open-source OpenClaw framework so you get a personal AI chatbot powered by GPT-4, Claude, or Gemini — without any coding, servers, or Docker setup.

OpenClaw is an open-source AI assistant framework that connects large language models like GPT-4, Claude, and Gemini to messaging platforms such as Telegram, WhatsApp, and Discord. ClawMates provides managed hosting for OpenClaw so you don't need to self-host.

How much does ClawMates cost?

ClawMates starts with a free 7-day trial. After the trial, plans start at $29.99 per month, which includes all AI API costs — no separate OpenAI or Anthropic bill required.

How long does it take to set up ClawMates?

Setup takes under 5 minutes. You choose an AI model, connect your messaging app (paste a Telegram bot token or scan a WhatsApp QR code), set your assistant's name and personality, and click deploy.

Which AI models does ClawMates support?

ClawMates supports three leading AI models: Claude by Anthropic, GPT-4 by OpenAI, and Gemini by Google. You can also bring your own API key if you prefer to use your own account with any of these providers.

How do I set up a Telegram bot with ClawMates?

Open Telegram, search for @BotFather, send /newbot, and follow the prompts to get a bot token. Then go to clawmates.net/setup, enable Telegram, paste your bot token, choose an AI model, and click deploy. Your bot will be live in under 5 minutes.

How do I set up WhatsApp with ClawMates?

ClawMates supports WhatsApp via two modes: self-chat mode (talk to AI in your own chat) and full bot mode. During setup, enable WhatsApp and scan a QR code — similar to linking WhatsApp Web. No business account or Meta approval needed.

Is there a free trial for ClawMates?

Yes, ClawMates offers a 7-day free trial with full access to all features. No credit card is required to start. You can cancel anytime during the trial without being charged.

Can I cancel my ClawMates subscription anytime?

Yes, you can cancel your ClawMates subscription at any time with no cancellation fees. Your bot will continue running until the end of your current billing period.

Is my data private and secure with ClawMates?

Yes. ClawMates never stores or reads your conversations. Messages go directly between you and the AI provider. Each bot runs in its own isolated container, and all connections are encrypted with TLS.

What happens if I self-host OpenClaw instead of using ClawMates?

Self-hosting OpenClaw requires a Linux server, Docker, SSL certificates, and ongoing maintenance. You'll need to handle updates, uptime monitoring, and troubleshooting yourself. ClawMates handles all of this automatically for $29.99/month.

What is the difference between ClawMates and ChatGPT?

ChatGPT runs on OpenAI's website or app. ClawMates deploys an AI assistant directly into your existing messaging apps like Telegram and WhatsApp. ClawMates also supports multiple AI models (Claude, GPT-4, Gemini), lets you customize the personality, and includes daily briefings and proactive features.

Can I use ClawMates on multiple platforms at the same time?

Yes. You can connect both Telegram and WhatsApp to the same ClawMates bot simultaneously. Your assistant will be available on all connected platforms with the same personality and capabilities.

Does ClawMates work 24/7?

Yes, your ClawMates assistant runs 24/7 on managed cloud infrastructure. If a container crashes, it automatically restarts. There is no downtime for updates or maintenance.

How do I customize my ClawMates assistant's personality?

During setup, you can write a system prompt that defines your assistant's personality, tone, areas of expertise, and behavior. For example, you can make it formal or casual, tell it to focus on specific topics, or give it a custom name and avatar.

OpenClaw vs Botpress: Which AI Bot Platform Is Right for You?

OpenClaw vs Botpress: The Short Answer

OpenClaw and Botpress are both popular bot platforms, but they serve fundamentally different purposes. OpenClaw is built for deploying conversational AI assistants on messaging platforms — Telegram, WhatsApp, Discord — using large language models like Claude, GPT-4, and Gemini. Botpress is a visual chatbot builder designed for structured conversation flows, primarily for customer-facing web chat and business automation. If you want a personal AI assistant that understands natural language, OpenClaw wins. If you need a visual flow builder for customer service chatbots, Botpress is worth a look.

What Is OpenClaw?

OpenClaw is an open-source AI assistant framework with over 250,000 GitHub stars as of 2026. It was built from the ground up to connect modern large language models to messaging platforms. The core philosophy is simple: take the best AI model available (Claude, GPT-4, or Gemini), connect it to the platforms people already use (Telegram, WhatsApp, Discord), and give users a genuinely intelligent assistant — not a scripted chatbot.

Key OpenClaw characteristics:

Model-agnostic: works with any LLM via OpenAI-compatible API
Messaging platform-first: Telegram, WhatsApp, Discord, Signal, Slack, and more
Long-term memory: remembers preferences and context across sessions
Open-source MIT license: free to self-host or use with managed services like ClawMates
No visual flow builder: conversations are free-form, powered by the LLM

What Is Botpress?

Botpress is a chatbot development platform that takes a visual, flow-based approach to building bots. You drag and drop conversation nodes, define intents, and create decision trees that guide users through predefined paths. Botpress has added LLM capabilities in recent versions, but it is fundamentally a structured chatbot builder with AI features bolted on.

Key Botpress characteristics:

Visual flow builder: design conversations as node graphs
Intent recognition: routes user messages to predefined flows
Web chat widget: primarily designed for website chat, not messaging apps
Limited messaging platform support: Telegram and WhatsApp integrations exist but are secondary to web chat
Closed-source core with an open-source community edition

Architecture: LLM-First vs Flow-First

This is the most important difference to understand.

OpenClaw is LLM-first. When a user sends a message, it goes directly to the AI model (Claude, GPT-4, etc.) with full conversation context. The LLM understands intent, generates a contextually appropriate response, and handles anything the user throws at it — even unexpected questions, complex follow-ups, or nuanced requests. There are no predefined flows to break out of.

Botpress is flow-first with LLM augmentation. User messages are analyzed for intent, matched to predefined flows, and routed through decision trees. LLM capabilities (like using GPT-4 to generate responses within a node) are available but operate within the constraints of the flow architecture. If a user asks something outside the defined flows, the bot may struggle.

For personal AI assistants and general-purpose use, the LLM-first approach wins by a wide margin. For customer service bots that need predictable, auditable conversation paths, the flow-first approach has advantages.

Messaging Platform Support

OpenClaw: Built specifically for messaging platforms. First-class support for Telegram, WhatsApp, Discord, Signal, Slack, and 15+ others. Setting up a Telegram bot with OpenClaw (via ClawMates) takes 30 seconds.

Botpress: Primarily focused on web chat widgets. Telegram and WhatsApp integrations exist but are less polished, require more configuration, and are not the primary use case the platform was designed for. WhatsApp integration requires the official Business API (expensive, requires Meta approval).

Winner for messaging platforms: OpenClaw, without question.

AI Model Support

OpenClaw: Model-agnostic. Works with any OpenAI-compatible API, which means Claude (Anthropic), GPT-4 (OpenAI), Gemini (Google), Llama (Meta), Mistral, DeepSeek, and any other model with an OpenAI-compatible endpoint. Switch models with a configuration change.

Botpress: Primarily uses OpenAI's GPT models for its AI capabilities. Other models can be integrated via API nodes, but they are not first-class citizens in the platform.

Winner for model flexibility: OpenClaw.

Ease of Use

For non-technical users: OpenClaw self-hosting requires Linux, Docker, and server knowledge — not beginner-friendly. But ClawMates (a managed OpenClaw service) reduces this to a 30-second setup with no technical knowledge required.

Botpress offers a polished visual interface that many non-technical users find accessible for simple bots. However, building a sophisticated bot still requires understanding intent recognition, entity extraction, and flow design — concepts with a real learning curve.

For technical users: OpenClaw's configuration is straightforward for developers. The entire system is controlled through environment variables and YAML/JSON config files. Botpress has a steeper learning curve due to its complex flow-based architecture.

Winner: Depends on use case. Botpress for simple web chat bots via its visual builder. ClawMates (managed OpenClaw) for any messaging platform with zero technical knowledge.

Pricing Comparison

OpenClaw (Self-Hosted):

Free open-source software
Server costs: $5-20/month
AI API costs: $10-100+/month depending on usage and model
Total: $15-120+/month, plus significant setup and maintenance time

ClawMates (Managed OpenClaw):

Free trial (7 days)
Starter: $9.99/month (500K tokens, Gemini Flash)
Pro: $29.99/month (3M tokens, all models including Claude and GPT-4)
Power: $79.99/month (10M tokens + BYOK)
AI API included in all plans

Botpress:

Community (free): Limited to 5 bots, basic features
Team: $79/month (5 seats, limited AI usage)
Enterprise: Custom pricing
AI features require additional usage credits

For personal and small team use, ClawMates (managed OpenClaw) is clearly more cost-effective than Botpress Team when you need AI capabilities on messaging platforms.

Use Case Guide: Which Should You Choose?

Choose OpenClaw (or ClawMates) if:

You want a personal AI assistant on Telegram, WhatsApp, or Discord
You need a general-purpose assistant that can handle any question
Model choice matters — you want Claude, GPT-4, and Gemini options
You are deploying for personal use or a small team
Privacy is important — OpenClaw can self-host with full data control

Choose Botpress if:

You need a customer-facing chatbot on your website with predefined flows
You need auditable, predictable conversation paths (compliance, support)
You are building customer service automation for a business at scale
You prefer a visual, no-code flow builder

The short version: For everything messaging-platform related, OpenClaw — especially via ClawMates for the managed experience. For business web chat with structured flows, Botpress. These tools are not really competing for the same use cases.

Getting Started With OpenClaw via ClawMates

If OpenClaw sounds right for your needs, the fastest way to get started is ClawMates's free 7-day trial. You will have a working AI assistant on Telegram or WhatsApp in under 5 minutes — no Docker, no servers, no configuration files.

For more context on OpenClaw's capabilities, see our OpenClaw self-hosted vs managed guide and the full cost breakdown for 2026. If you're comparing against other platforms, our ChatGPT alternatives piece covers additional options.