The NanoClaw Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about NanoClaw in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
NanoClaw
The Insider’s Guide
Open-source personal AI agent that runs in containers you host
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among AI agents, read from NanoClaw’s own pages.
Made by NanoCo · checked Oct 6, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from NanoClaw’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on NanoClaw’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 6, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.6
GPA, above 27 of the 51 other AI agents we grade
NanoClaw is an open-source personal AI agent that you install on your own Mac, Linux or Windows (WSL2) computer and message from the terminal or from apps such as WhatsApp, Telegram, Slack and Discord. Every active session runs in its own Docker container, and by default credentials stay in a vault outside it. It is maintained by NanoCo, is free under the MIT license, and uses a model provider you bring, with Claude as the default.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about NanoClaw, taken from its own pages and our grades.
You host it yourself, and installing means git and a terminal.
- 1
Best for a self-hosted agent kept inside containers
NanoClaw is a personal agent you run yourself on your own computer, messaged from WhatsApp, Telegram or Slack, with every session boxed inside its own Docker container.
- 2
It is free
NanoClaw has no paid plan at all. The whole product is free and open source under the MIT license. You supply the computer it runs on and your own AI provider account, which the provider bills separately.
- 3
It runs on 3 platforms
macOS, Linux and Windows.
- 4
Messaging channels
Talk to agents in the terminal or connect WhatsApp, Telegram, Slack, Discord, Signal, iMessage, Microsoft Teams and other channels, each installed on demand with an /add- skill.
- 5
Container isolation
Every active session runs in its own unprivileged Docker container and sees only the files you mount, so shell commands run inside the container rather than on your host.
- 6
Credential vault
By default agents never hold raw API keys: outbound requests pass through OneCLI's Agent Vault, which injects credentials at request time and applies per-agent policies and rate limits.
- 7
A 2.6 GPA, above 27 of 51
That is against the other AI agents we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
NanoClaw is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
NanoClaw at a glance
- Pricing
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- macOS, Windows, Linux
- Made by
- NanoCo
- Category
- AI Agents
- Our grade
- 2.6 GPA, good
The report card
Best for a self-hosted agent kept inside containers
NanoClaw is a personal agent you run yourself on your own computer, messaged from WhatsApp, Telegram or Slack, with every session boxed inside its own Docker container. The software is free, but hosted models are billed by your provider, there's no hosted version, and your computer has to stay on for it to answer. Installing takes git and a terminal, Docker is the only runtime, Windows needs WSL2, and there's no graphical app, so look elsewhere if that's not you.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | It costs nothing: MIT licensed with no paid plan and no hosted tier at all. What you do pay for is the AI model behind it, billed by whichever provider you connect, unless you run local Ollama models. |
| Free plan and trial | A | The whole product is free with nothing held back for a paid tier. You bring the computer it runs on and your own AI provider account, and that's the only bill. |
| Features | C | The plumbing: a fresh Docker container per session and a vault that injects credentials so agents never hold raw keys, with cron jobs and templates that stamp out a ready-made agent. The rest is the basics, and the gaps are plain: no graphical app and no web browsing on record. |
| Ease of use | D | You host it yourself, and installing means git and a terminal. Docker is the only container runtime supported, Windows works only through WSL2, and your computer has to stay on for it to answer. No graphical app either, and no rating on record. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | Computers only: Mac, Linux and Windows, and Windows only through WSL2. It has no app of its own anywhere, so you reach it in the terminal or through a chat app you've connected, from WhatsApp and Telegram to iMessage and Teams. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who NanoClaw is for
- Fits if you want a personal agent on hardware you control
- Works for developers who want to give an agent shell access inside a container and read the code
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you've never opened a terminal, because installing takes git, Docker and a command line
- Not for you if you want a hosted service, as there isn't one and your computer must stay on
- Too light for people who want an app with buttons, since it's all terminal and chat channels
- Watch out: Docker is the only container runtime it supports, and Windows works only through WSL2
- Watch out: the software is free, but hosted models are billed by your provider unless you run Ollama locally
Good to know
Good for
- People who want a personal agent running on hardware they control
- Developers who want a small codebase they can read and fork
- Giving an agent shell access inside a container instead of on the host
Worth knowing
- There is no hosted version: you install it yourself with git and a terminal, and the computer must stay on for the agent to respond.
- The software is free, but hosted model usage is billed by the provider you connect, through a subscription or an API key.
- Docker is the only supported container runtime, and Windows is supported only through WSL2.
- The site lists no graphical app of its own: you talk to it in the terminal or through the messaging channels you connect.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
Free
No paid plan at all
NanoClaw is free to use.
It costs nothing: MIT licensed with no paid plan and no hosted tier at all.
NanoClaw (MIT licensed)
Free
The complete self-hosted agent, with channels, providers and tools added as skills. Model usage is billed by the provider you connect, unless you run local Ollama models.
The free plan
The whole product is free and open source under the MIT license. You supply the computer it runs on and your own AI provider account, which the provider bills separately.
Read from nanoclaw.dev on Oct 6, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
3
Places it runs: macOS, Windows and Linux
Open-source personal AI agent that runs in containers you host. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, self-hostable, chat assistant, templates, workflow automation, AI agents.
The rest is the basics, and the gaps are plain: no graphical app and no web browsing on record.
- Messaging channels
- Talk to agents in the terminal or connect WhatsApp, Telegram, Slack, Discord, Signal, iMessage, Microsoft Teams and other channels, each installed on demand with an /add- skill.
- Container isolation
- Every active session runs in its own unprivileged Docker container and sees only the files you mount, so shell commands run inside the container rather than on your host.
- Credential vault
- By default agents never hold raw API keys: outbound requests pass through OneCLI's Agent Vault, which injects credentials at request time and applies per-agent policies and rate limits.
- Scheduled tasks
- Ask an agent in chat for a reminder or a recurring job and it creates a task on a cron-style schedule. Tasks can also be listed, paused and cancelled with the ncl admin CLI.
- Choice of model provider
- Claude is the default, Codex can be chosen during setup, and OpenCode or local Ollama models can be added later. Each agent group can use a different provider.
- Templates and skills
- A template stamps out a prebuilt agent with a persona, skills, MCP servers and paused recurring tasks, while skills add channels, providers or tools to your own fork.
Where it runs
- macOS
- Windows
- Linux
What it works with
- Telegram
- Slack
- Discord
- Signal
- iMessage
- Microsoft Teams
- GitHub
NanoClaw is made by NanoCo.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
27/51
Other AI agents it is graded above
NanoClaw's GPA of 2.6 is higher than 27 of the 51 other AI agents we grade, and level with 12.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 46 of 51) and worst on ease of use (D, above 0).
NanoClaw has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 1.7 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 52 AI agents we grade, cut by the letter each got. NanoClaw’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 45 of 51
- AFree plan and trialAbove 46 of 51
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 51
- DEase of useAbove 0 of 51
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 51
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 49 AI agents. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. NanoClaw is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
NanoClaw is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces.
What you could make
- Templates: an app builder makes this well.
What you could not
- An AI agent, with the models and the safeguards behind it.
- An AI model, which you can rent by the request but not make.
- Connections to other products, each kept working as those products change.
- Apps for macOS, Windows and Linux that stay in step with each other.
What this rests on. NanoClaw’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
OpenClaw, Hermes Agent, Agent Zero and goose
The 4 tools NanoClaw is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 3.2GPA
OpenClaw
Free
Open-source personal AI agent you run yourself and message in chat.
- Only OpenClaw lists a web app.
- Only OpenClaw lists iOS and Android apps.
- NanoClaw also covers templates.
- 2.8GPA
Hermes Agent
Free plan · from $20/mo
Open-source AI agent with persistent memory and a messaging gateway.
- Only Hermes Agent lists a web app.
- NanoClaw also covers templates.
- 2.8GPA
Agent Zero
Free
Open-source agent framework that works in its own Linux computer.
- Only Agent Zero lists a web app.
- NanoClaw also covers chat assistant, templates and workflow automation.
- 2.8GPA
goose
Free
Open-source AI agent with a desktop app, CLI and API.
- NanoClaw is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- NanoClaw also covers chat assistant and templates.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
12
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is NanoClaw free?
Yes. NanoClaw is free to use.
How much does NanoClaw cost?
NanoClaw lists one plan. NanoClaw (MIT licensed): Free.
What platforms does NanoClaw work on?
NanoClaw is available on macOS, Linux and Windows.
Does NanoClaw have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 6, 2026. NanoClaw is listed for macOS, Linux and Windows.
Does NanoClaw have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 6, 2026. NanoClaw is listed for macOS, Linux and Windows.
Is NanoClaw open source?
Yes. NanoClaw is open source, according to its own site.
What does NanoClaw integrate with?
NanoClaw's listing names WhatsApp, Telegram, Slack, Discord, Signal, iMessage, Microsoft Teams and GitHub.
Who makes NanoClaw?
NanoClaw is made by NanoCo.
What are the alternatives to NanoClaw?
The closest alternatives to NanoClaw in our directory are OpenClaw, Hermes Agent, Agent Zero and goose.
How does NanoClaw compare with other AI agents?
NanoClaw's GPA of 2.6 is higher than 27 of the 51 other AI agents we grade, and level with 12.
Is NanoClaw good value for money?
ToolGPA grades NanoClaw A for value for money. NanoClaw has no paid plan.
Could I make my own version of NanoClaw?
NanoClaw is free, so making your own would save you nothing. And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from NanoClaw’s own pages on Oct 6, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from NanoClaw's own pages on 6 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-03-15.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by NanoCo. Prices change, so check nanoclaw.dev before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
3,189
Tools graded, in 94 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
3,189
tools graded
94
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- NanoClaw, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/nanoclaw
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "NanoClaw: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 6, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/nanoclaw
Know someone choosing between AI agents?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/nanoclaw/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded AI agents after NanoClaw, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- AI Agents Insider's GuideEvery one of the 52 AI agents we grade, compared
- Genspark Insider's GuideAI workspace with an agent for research, slides, sheets and docs3.2 GPA
- Manus Insider's GuideGeneral AI agent for research, slides, websites and browser tasks3.2 GPA
- OpenClaw Insider's GuideOpen-source personal AI agent you run yourself and message in chat3.2 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what NanoClaw’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. NanoClaw is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by NanoCo. Prices and plans change: check nanoclaw.dev before you buy.