Best models for OpenClaw

OpenClaw lives in your messaging apps and acts on your behalf, so it rewards models with reliable skill use, long sessions, and sane costs. These picks balance capability against the always-on token bill.

The ranking
  • 1Claude
    Claude Sonnet 4.6AnthropicThe reliability pick for an always-on agent: strong skill use without Opus pricing.
    Context1M
    Input$3/M
    CursorBench49%
  • 2MoonshotAI
    Kimi K2.6Moonshot AIExcellent agentic ability at open-weight prices, popular with OpenClaw self-hosters.
    Context262K
    Input$0.68/M
    CursorBench47.6%
  • 3Gemini
    Gemini 3 FlashGoogle DeepMindFast and cheap for high-volume messaging traffic and routine automations.
    Context1.049M
    Input$0.5/M
    CursorBench—
  • 4DeepSeek
    DeepSeek V4DeepSeekBest open-weight option if you want the whole stack self-hosted.
    Context1.049M
    Input$0.435/M
    CursorBench—
  • 5Minimax
    MiniMax-M3MiniMaxA budget all-rounder that holds up well in long agent sessions.
    Context205K
    Input$0.3/M
    CursorBench—
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