If you've been on Twitter, Hacker News, or Reddit this week, it's impossible to have missed mentions of Clawdbot. This open source AI assistant has gained over 9,000 GitHub stars in a single day, sold out Mac Mini stock at multiple stores, and generated more conversation than any other open source project so far in 2026.
But beyond the hype, what exactly is Clawdbot? Does it work as well as people say? And most importantly: is it worth the effort to set up?
After installing and testing Clawdbot for a full week, I have answers. In this complete review, we'll analyze everything you need to know before deciding if Clawdbot is right for you.
What is Clawdbot and Why is it Taking Over?
Clawdbot is an open source personal AI assistant that runs on your own hardware: your Mac, Linux PC, cloud server, or even a Raspberry Pi. Unlike ChatGPT or Claude that live on the web, Clawdbot lives inside the messaging apps you already use: WhatsApp, Telegram, Discord, Slack, Signal, and even iMessage.
The fundamental difference is that Clawdbot isn't just a chatbot. It's an agent with hands that can:
- Execute commands in your terminal
- Read, write, and modify files
- Control your browser automatically
- Manage your smart home
- Send you messages proactively (without you asking first)
- Remember conversations from weeks ago thanks to persistent memory
The name combines "Claw" (as in pincer/grip) with "Claude" (the AI model it uses by default). The project's mascot is a red space lobster, representing the "claws" that allow it to execute real tasks, not just talk about them.
The Creator Behind the Phenomenon
Clawdbot was created by Peter Steinberger (@steipete), an Austrian developer with an impressive resume. Steinberger founded PSPDFKit in 2011, a company that develops PDF SDKs used by thousands of applications. The company, now called Nutrient, grew to become a global player in its niche.
According to Steinberger, Clawdbot started as his personal assistant (originally named "Clawd") and he decided to open source it in January 2026. The project is written almost entirely by AI, demonstrating just how far AI-assisted development tools have come.
Key Features of Clawdbot
After extensive testing, these are the features that truly stand out:
Real Persistent Memory
Unlike ChatGPT or Claude web that "forget" between sessions, Clawdbot remembers everything. Mention that your birthday is in March and three weeks later it automatically congratulates you. Talk about a project and months later it can pick up the conversation where you left off.
Memory is stored locally as Markdown files, following a format similar to Obsidian. This means you can review, edit, or export your history whenever you want.
Proactivity: The Bot That Speaks First
This is the feature that impresses the most. Clawdbot can send you messages without you initiating the conversation:
- Morning briefings: Summarizes your calendar, pending tasks, relevant news, and health data (if you connect Whoop or Apple Health)
- Smart reminders: Not just simple alarms, but contextual ones based on what you've discussed
- Monitoring alerts: If you set up price, stock, or any data monitoring, it notifies you when changes occur
- Cron jobs: Scheduled tasks that run automatically
Over 50 Integrations
Clawdbot connects with an impressive ecosystem of tools:
Messaging (14 platforms):
- WhatsApp, Telegram, Discord, Slack, Signal
- iMessage (macOS only), Microsoft Teams, Google Chat
- Matrix, Nostr, and more
Productivity:
- Apple Notes, Apple Reminders, Things 3
- Notion, Obsidian, Bear Notes
- GitHub, Trello
Smart Home:
- Philips Hue, Home Assistant
- 8Sleep (smart mattress)
Media and Audio:
- Spotify, Sonos, Shazam
Automation:
- Browser control (headless Chrome)
- Gmail, Webhooks, Cron jobs
- 1Password, Weather
Unified Multi-Channel
The same conversation and memory works across all platforms. You can start a task on WhatsApp, continue it on Telegram while walking, and finish it from Discord on your PC. Context is never lost.
Installation: Is It Really That Hard?
The unfiltered truth: yes, it requires technical knowledge. Clawdbot isn't an app you download from the App Store with an "install" button.
System Requirements
| Requirement | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| Node.js | v22+ | v22+ (mandatory) |
| RAM | 1GB | 4GB+ |
| Disk | 500MB | 2GB+ |
| System | macOS, Linux, Windows (WSL2) | Native macOS or Linux |
Quick Method (5-10 minutes)
If you have Node.js installed, the basic process is:
# Install Clawdbot globally
npm install -g clawdbot@latest
# Run the setup wizard
clawdbot onboard --install-daemon
# Connect your messaging channels
clawdbot channels login
The setup wizard guides you through connecting your messaging channels and choosing your preferred AI model.
The Reality of Setup
As one real user describes it: "The setup experience is rough. It assumes knowledge of terminal, familiarity with Node.js, and networking basics. It's not one-click consumer software."
If you don't know what npm is or have never used the terminal, Clawdbot probably isn't for you (yet). But if you're comfortable with basic commands, the process is manageable.
Real Costs: How Much Does Using Clawdbot Actually Cost?
Here's the part many people ignore: Clawdbot is free, but the AI isn't.
The software is open source under MIT license, but you need to pay for the AI "brain" that powers it.
Monthly Cost Breakdown
| Configuration | Estimated Cost | User Profile |
|---|---|---|
| Local + Claude Haiku | $5-15/month | Light use, simple queries |
| Local + Claude Sonnet | $15-30/month | Moderate use |
| Local + Claude Opus 4.5 | $30-60/month | Heavy use |
| VPS + Claude Pro ($20) | ~$25-30/month | Typical recommended setup |
| Power user | $100-300/month | Heavy automation |
The Warning You Need to Hear
One Hacker News user warned: "It chews through tokens fast. I've spent $300+ in the last 2 days doing what I perceived as fairly basic tasks."
The recommendation: start with economical models like Haiku, monitor your usage, and scale gradually.
Alternative: Claude Pro Subscription
Instead of paying for API, you can use your Claude Pro subscription ($20/month) or Claude Max ($100-200/month) with OAuth authentication. This gives you a predictable cost instead of usage-based billing.
Pros and Cons: The Honest Verdict
After a week of real-world use, here's my balanced assessment:
What Works Incredibly Well
Real privacy: Your data stays on your machine. The code is auditable. If you're concerned about ChatGPT or Claude web privacy, this is the alternative.
Memory that actually works: Being able to resume conversations from weeks ago without repeating context is transformative for long projects.
Useful proactivity: Morning briefings and smart reminders change the dynamic of how you interact with AI.
Total flexibility: You can switch between AI models, customize every aspect, and create your own integrations.
Active community: Discord has thousands of members, bugs get fixed in hours, and there are ~30 PRs per day at peak times.
What Needs Improvement
Steep learning curve: Not for non-technical users. Period.
Unpredictable costs: Without careful monitoring, the API bill can skyrocket.
No native mobile app: You depend on third-party apps like WhatsApp or Telegram.
Security risks: The system has deep access to your machine. A recent audit found 18 security issues, including 2 critical ones.
Requires 24/7 server: For real proactivity, you need Clawdbot running all the time.
Security: What You Need to Know
A security audit of version 2026.1.24 identified important concerns:
- Plugins execute with full system privileges (no sandboxing by default)
- Credentials are stored in plain JSON
- WhatsApp messages flow to external AI providers without explicit consent
Available Mitigations
- Docker sandboxing: Run tools in restricted containers
- Allowlists: Limit which tools are available
- Opus 4.5 model: Better prompt injection detection
- Dedicated phone number: Don't use your personal number for WhatsApp
The expert recommendation: treat Clawdbot as you would any software with deep system access. Don't give it access to sensitive files and review logs regularly.
Clawdbot vs Siri vs Google Assistant: Comparison
| Feature | Clawdbot | Siri | Google Assistant |
|---|---|---|---|
| Persistent memory | Yes | No | Limited |
| Real proactivity | Yes | No | Limited |
| Code execution | Yes | No | No |
| System control | Full | Minimal | Minimal |
| Privacy/Local | Yes | Partial | No |
| Open source | Yes | No | No |
| Price | Free + API | Included | Included |
| Setup ease | Complex | Zero | Zero |
| Unified multi-app | Yes | No | No |
The verdict: Clawdbot is the assistant that Siri promised but never delivered. But in exchange for that power, you sacrifice ease of use and commercial support.
Who is Clawdbot For?
Clawdbot IS for you if:
- You're a developer or technical user comfortable with terminal
- You value privacy and want full control of your data
- You need real automation, not just chatbot responses
- You're willing to invest time in configuration
- You can manage a server running 24/7
Clawdbot is NOT for you if:
- You're looking for a plug-and-play solution
- You have no experience with command line
- Your budget is very limited
- You need guaranteed commercial support
- You prefer native mobile apps
Project Statistics (January 2026)
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| GitHub Stars | 41,000+ |
| Forks | 4,700+ |
| Contributors | 341+ |
| Commits | 30,148+ |
| License | MIT |
| Language | TypeScript |
| Discord | Thousands of members |
Growth is explosive: from 5,000 to 41,000 stars in just a few weeks. The project has clearly struck a nerve with the tech community.
Real Use Cases That Actually Work
After testing multiple scenarios, these are the ones that work best:
Email management: "Unsubscribe me from all newsletters I haven't opened in 3 months" - Clawdbot executes it automatically.
Debugging from mobile: Send an error via Telegram, Clawdbot investigates and applies the fix in your repository.
Website migration: One user migrated their entire blog from Notion to Astro "via Telegram while watching Netflix in bed."
Health briefings: If you connect Whoop or Apple Health, you receive daily summaries of your physical state.
Conversational smart home: "Dim the living room lights and play relaxing music" works with natural language.
Final Verdict: Is It Worth It?
My score: 8/10
Clawdbot represents a genuine leap in what an AI assistant can do. The combination of persistent memory, real proactivity, and task execution puts it in a different league from Siri or Google Assistant.
But that power comes with responsibility. It's not for everyone. If you're the type of person who enjoys setting up homelabs or tinkering with new technologies, you're going to love Clawdbot. If you want something that "just works," wait for the project to mature or for a simplified commercial version to appear.
What I can say with certainty: Clawdbot shows where personal AI assistants are headed. Whether it's this specific project or something inspired by it, the future of assistants is proactive, local-first, and with real execution capability.
If you decide to try it, start with a dedicated server, use a secondary phone number for WhatsApp, and monitor your API usage from day one. With those precautions, Clawdbot can become the assistant you've always wanted.
Have you tried Clawdbot? What automations have you created? The project is evolving rapidly, and the community is a fundamental part of that development.
