Comma vs OpenClaw: an OpenClaw alternative you don't have to host

OpenClaw is a free, MIT-licensed gateway that connects your chat apps to an AI agent on hardware you provide, and it works while that machine stays on. Comma is open source too, under AGPL-3.0, and runs where you choose: on a cloud computer of its own in Comma's cloud, or on your own server with Docker Compose. Each request becomes a Task, and your decisions wait in Needs Review.

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Free to start
Open source (AGPL-3.0)
Self-host with Docker Compose

By the Comma team · Updated October 10, 2026

At a glance

Feature	Comma	OpenClaw
What it is	An open source personal AI agent that works 24/7	An open source gateway between your chat apps and an AI agent on your machine
License	AGPL-3.0	MIT
Who runs it	Comma, in its cloud; or you, on your server with Docker Compose	You, on your own computer or server. There is no official hosted version
Works while you are away	Yes. The hosted agent has its own cloud computer, so your Mac can be off	While the machine that runs it stays on
Watching in the background	Loops wait without calling a large model, and wake the agent only when needed	A heartbeat every 30 or 60 minutes by default, and each one is a full agent turn
How work is tracked	Tasks on a board; your decisions wait in Needs Review	Chat sessions and scheduled jobs
Where you talk to it	Mac app, web app, Signal and Telegram. iOS and Android are coming soon	More than 30 chat apps, including WhatsApp, Signal, iMessage, Discord and Slack, and desktop and phone apps
Your computer	Read-only until you turn on Allow operations	Shell and file tools run on the host, with the sandbox off by default
Models	Comma's models, your own API key, or your ChatGPT or Claude plan	Your own keys for many providers, local models, or a ChatGPT sign-in
Price	Free plan US$0; Pro adds credits; free to self-host	Free software; you pay for the machine and the model calls
Setup	Sign in on the web or in the Mac app; self-hosting uses Docker Compose	An install script or npm, on Node 24 or later
For teams	Self-hosted Comma has an Admin console for accounts and the models people can use	One trust boundary per gateway; not built for several untrusted users

Quick verdict

Choose Comma if you…

Want the agent to keep working while your own computer is off, without running a server
Want each request tracked as a Task, with your decisions waiting in Needs Review
Want the agent's access to your computer to start read-only
Want to serve one instance to a team, with accounts managed in an Admin console

Choose OpenClaw if you…

Want to reach your agent from WhatsApp, iMessage, Discord, Slack or many other chat apps
Want a desktop app on Windows or Linux, or phone apps today
Want to run local models, or tune every part of the setup yourself
Prefer the MIT license, a large community and the ClawHub skill library

Comma vs OpenClaw: Where it runs

OpenClaw runs on a machine you provide. Comma runs in its own cloud, or on a server you manage.

OpenClaw's gateway runs on your Mac, Windows or Linux computer, a server, or a Raspberry Pi, and its documentation asks for at least 1 vCPU and 1 GB of memory. It works while that machine is on, and there is no official hosted version.

Hosted Comma gives each Workspace a cloud computer that starts when a Task needs it and stops a few minutes after the work ends, so your Mac can be closed. To keep your data on your own machine, self-host Comma: Docker Compose starts its web app, Admin console, API and agent runtime beside PostgreSQL, Redis, ClickHouse and object storage.

Comma: Hosted with its own cloud computer, or self-hosted with Docker Compose.
OpenClaw: On a computer or server you run, while it stays on.

Comma vs OpenClaw: Always-on work and its cost

Both work without being asked. They differ in what a quiet hour costs.

OpenClaw checks in on a heartbeat, every 30 minutes by default, or every hour when it signs in to the model with OAuth, and each check is a full agent turn that uses model tokens. It also has a scheduler for cron jobs that send their results to a chat or a webhook.

Comma's agent writes small programs called Loops that watch your inbox, a repository or a feed. A waiting Loop calls no large model: it asks a fast decision model whether something needs you, and wakes the agent only when it does, so a quiet hour uses no large-model tokens. Routines adds a briefing at the time you set.

Comma: Loops that wake the agent only when something needs it.
OpenClaw: A heartbeat turn every 30 or 60 minutes by default, plus cron jobs.

Comma vs OpenClaw: Safety on your computer

OpenClaw trusts the machine it runs on. Comma starts read-only and asks before decisions that are yours.

OpenClaw's shell and file tools run on the host, and its documentation says the sandbox is off by default and that prompt injection is not solved. One gateway is one trust boundary, so it is not built for several people who do not trust each other.

Comma can read files on a connected computer, and changes them or runs commands only after you turn on Allow operations for that computer. Apps connect with scoped permissions that you can revoke, and agents never see your raw credentials. Inside a Task, a decision that is yours waits in Needs Review, and an email or an event that a Loop reads cannot change the Loop's code.

Comma: Read-only by default, scoped app access, and your decisions in Needs Review.
OpenClaw: Tools on the host, with the sandbox off by default.

Comma vs OpenClaw: Chat apps and devices

OpenClaw reaches more chat apps. Comma puts all the work on one Task board.

OpenClaw connects to more than 30 chat apps, including WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal, iMessage, Discord, Slack and Microsoft Teams. It has desktop apps for macOS, Windows and Linux, phone apps for iOS and Android, and a browser control panel.

Comma has a Mac app and a web app, and takes requests from Signal and Telegram; its iOS and Android apps are coming soon. Whichever way you ask, the work lands on the same Task board, with the same memory and context on every device.

Comma: Mac and web apps, plus Signal and Telegram.
OpenClaw: More than 30 chat apps, and apps on five platforms.

Comma vs OpenClaw: Models

Both let you bring your own model. OpenClaw also runs local models.

OpenClaw works with Anthropic, OpenAI, Gemini, OpenRouter, xAI and other providers through your own keys, with local models through Ollama, LM Studio or vLLM, and with a ChatGPT or Codex sign-in.

Comma uses its own models by default. You can bring your own API key, use your ChatGPT or Claude plan, choose a model for each role, or let Codex or Claude Code do the work on a computer you connect. On a self-hosted Comma, you set one model for the whole instance, or each person adds a private model.

Comma: Comma's models, your own key, or your ChatGPT or Claude plan.
OpenClaw: Your keys for many providers, or local models.

Pricing side by side

Comma

FreeUS$0 / monthUnlimited chat. Bring your own key (BYOK) for advanced models.
ProSee pricingAbout 300–600 agentic tasks a month.
EnterpriseCustomCredits and billing set with you.
Self-hostedUS$0No plan or card. You pay for your machine and your model provider.

OpenClaw

SoftwareUS$0MIT licensed, with no paid edition.
Your machineVariesA computer you own, or a server you rent.
Model callsVariesBilled by your model provider, heartbeat turns included.

Prices as each product lists them on October 10, 2026. OpenClaw has no official hosted plan. See Comma's current Pro price on the pricing page.

Try Comma beside OpenClaw

Start on the Free plan in your browser or the Mac app, with no server to keep running. If you would rather host it yourself, the self-host guide starts Comma with one Docker Compose command.

Get started Self-host guide

FAQs

Is Comma a good OpenClaw alternative?

If you want an open source agent that you do not have to host, yes. Comma runs in its own cloud with a cloud computer for your Workspace, and you can still self-host it with Docker Compose. Every request becomes a Task you can follow, and your decisions wait in Needs Review.

Is Comma open source like OpenClaw?

Yes. Comma is open source under AGPL-3.0, and OpenClaw under MIT. Both let you read and change the code. If you serve a changed version of Comma to other people, the AGPL asks you to keep its source available to them.

Do I need my own server to run Comma?

No. Use Comma in the web app or the Mac app, and its agent works on Comma's cloud. To keep your data on your own machine, self-host it with Docker Compose.

Does Comma work in WhatsApp or iMessage?

Not today. You can hand work to Comma from Signal and Telegram, and use the Mac app and the web app. OpenClaw reaches more chat apps, WhatsApp and iMessage among them.

What does a quiet hour cost?

In Comma, a waiting Loop calls no large model: it asks a fast decision model whether something needs you, so a quiet hour uses no large-model tokens. OpenClaw's heartbeat runs a full agent turn every 30 or 60 minutes by default, and each turn uses tokens from your model provider.

Which models can Comma use?

Comma uses its own models by default. You can also bring your own API key, or your ChatGPT or Claude plan, and choose a model for each role. On a self-hosted Comma, you set one model for the whole instance, or each person adds a private model.