AutoClaw vs OpenClaw: What's the Difference?
OpenClaw is the open-source agent engine. AutoClaw is Z.ai's one-click desktop app built on that engine. If that sentence answers your question, you can stop reading — but the details are worth two minutes.
OpenClaw: the engine
OpenClaw is an open-source AI assistant that runs on your own devices and works from the chat apps you already use. It became one of the fastest-growing open-source projects on GitHub, and it is genuinely DIY: you choose where it runs, how it is configured, and which AI provider powers it. Z.ai's own developer documentation describes how OpenClaw can be configured to use GLM models.
AutoClaw: the packaged desktop app
AutoClaw is what Z.ai (Zhipu AI) launched on March 10, 2026. Press coverage at the time described it as a local, one-click version of OpenClaw: instead of assembling an install yourself, you download a desktop app for Windows 10+ or macOS (Apple Silicon and Intel) that comes with the agent ready to go — plus more than 50 built-in skills for documents, data analysis, browser automation, and messaging workflows. It is wired to GLM models, with the official site currently highlighting GLM-5.3-Flash.
| OpenClaw | AutoClaw | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Open-source agent engine | Z.ai's official desktop app built on it |
| Setup | Self-assembled, DIY configuration | One-click installer, 50+ skills pre-integrated |
| Models | Bring your own provider (GLM supported) | GLM models built in, GLM Coding Plans supported |
| Extras | Community, source code, full control | Official updates, AutoClaw Web team workspace |
| Price | Free, open source | Free to download; free daily credits; paid plans for heavy use |
Which one is for you?
If you enjoy configuring tools and want full control, OpenClaw is the open-source route. If you want the agent working today — installed in one click, with skills and GLM models already wired, and an official app to update it — AutoClaw is the packaged path. Both keep the work on your own machine, and both are the same idea at heart: an agent that plans, acts, and shows its work.
Try AutoClaw
The download is free and works on Windows 10+ and macOS. Start with one small task and watch each step.
Get AutoClaw — free★This blog is an independent, unofficial guide. Links marked ★ are referral links that may earn the author a commission at no extra cost to you. Facts were checked against official sources on September 2, 2026. Not affiliated with or endorsed by Z.ai or Zhipu AI.