Jan 12, 2026

What is Clawdbot? The Self-Hosted AI Assistant Explained

What if your AI assistant lived inside WhatsApp or Telegram instead of forcing you to open another app? What if it remembered your conversations and could message you proactively?

That’s what Clawdbot does. The catch: you build and run it yourself.

Clawdbot is an open-source project that’s gained serious traction in developer circles. It’s ambitious, genuinely different from mainstream assistants, and offers capabilities that Siri and Alexa simply don’t have. It also requires technical setup and ongoing costs to operate.

This guide explains what Clawdbot is, what it takes to run it, and whether the tradeoffs make sense for you.

What is Clawdbot?

Clawdbot is an open-source, self-hosted AI assistant that communicates through messaging apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, Discord, Slack, Signal, and iMessage.

Created by Peter Steinberger, the developer behind PSPDFKit, the project launched in late 2025. As of January 2026, it has over 3,200 GitHub stars and 132+ contributors. The project is actively developed with frequent updates.

The name comes from “Clawd,” a space lobster character—essentially “Claude with a ‘w’” referencing the AI models that power it.

What Clawdbot Does

Clawdbot differs from traditional assistants in several key ways.

Persistent Memory

Unlike Siri or Google Assistant, Clawdbot stores conversation context across sessions. Tell it something today, and it can reference that information tomorrow.

Proactive Messaging

You can configure Clawdbot to send morning briefings, reminders, or alerts without waiting for you to initiate.

Computer Access

Clawdbot can browse the web, fill out forms, read files, and execute commands on your computer. Users have reported using it for email management, flight check-ins, and code testing.

Messaging App Integration

Instead of a dedicated app, Clawdbot works through WhatsApp, Telegram, Slack, Discord, Signal, or iMessage. You text it like you’d text anyone else.

Setup and Costs

Running Clawdbot requires technical knowledge, infrastructure, and ongoing expenses.

Technical Requirements

Node.js 22+ installed and configured
2GB RAM minimum (4GB+ recommended)
macOS, Linux, or Windows via WSL2
Command-line proficiency for installation and troubleshooting

The installation process involves:

npm install -g clawdbot@latest
clawdbot onboard --install-daemon
clawdbot providers login

From there, you’ll configure messaging providers, set up allowlists, and manage skill permissions.

Costs

Infrastructure: Most users run Clawdbot on a $5-10/month VPS from Hetzner or DigitalOcean.

AI subscription: Clawdbot needs an AI backend. The recommended approach is Claude Pro ($20/month) via OAuth, which avoids per-token API charges.

Total: Expect $25-30/month for a typical setup.

Who Clawdbot Is For

Developers and hobbyists who enjoy tinkering with self-hosted software. If you run your own Plex server or self-host other services, you’ll understand the appeal.

Power users who need capabilities beyond what consumer assistants offer, like computer automation and custom integrations.

Anyone comfortable with command-line tools and basic server administration.

A Simpler Alternative

Not everyone wants to run their own AI infrastructure. If you need AI calendar and scheduling assistance without the setup, managed services offer a different tradeoff.

Carly, for example, provides AI scheduling assistance through email and text:

Factor	Clawdbot	Carly
Setup time	Hours	30 seconds
Technical skill	Command-line, servers	None
Monthly cost	$25+ variable	Fixed pricing
Maintenance	You handle it	Handled for you

Clawdbot gives you full control but requires you to build and maintain it. Carly handles the infrastructure and gives you a working assistant immediately.

For users who specifically want AI calendar assistance, a purpose-built tool often makes more sense than a general-purpose self-hosted system.

The Bottom Line

Clawdbot is a genuinely interesting project. If you’re a developer who enjoys self-hosting and wants an AI assistant that lives in your messaging apps, it offers capabilities that mainstream assistants can’t match.

If you’d rather skip the setup and get straight to a working assistant, Carly offers 30-second setup and fixed monthly pricing for calendar and scheduling help.

What is Clawdbot? The Self-Hosted AI Assistant Explained

What is Clawdbot?