OpenClaw (Lobster) is an open-source AI assistant installed on your computer or server. Send commands via Telegram/WhatsApp, and it automatically operates your computer β handling emails, organizing files, monitoring prices, etc.
ChatGPT can only chat. The lobster can actually do things. Say "email Mr. Zhang" β ChatGPT writes the email for you to send; the lobster sends it directly.
Started as Clawdbot (Nov 2025), forced rename to Moltbot (Jan 2026) due to Anthropic trademark, finally settled on OpenClaw (Feb 2026). Chinese community calls it "Lobster".
The lobster software is completely free and open source (MIT license). But you need to pay for the AI brain (Claude/GPT API), about $3-60/mo depending on usage.
OpenClaw is the open-source project. YouXiaYong is an independent educational service brand. We don't develop the lobster β we help you learn to use it. Like a driving school vs car manufacturer.
Q
Setup
No! Path 1 (one-click cloud) and Path 3 (managed hosting) need zero coding. Path 2 (Mac install) only needs copy-paste. Path 4 (VIP) β we do it all for you.
Yes! Mac is easiest (one-line install), Windows needs WSL2, Linux is natively supported. Cloud servers work regardless of your OS.
The lobster runs on your computer/server, but you control it via Telegram/WhatsApp on your phone. Your phone is the remote; the computer is the lobster's home.
π₯ Claude (smartest, recommended), π₯ GPT-4o (good value), π₯ DeepSeek (cheapest), π Ollama (free but needs good hardware). Start with Claude.
Q
Cost
Light use: $3-20/mo | Daily use: $20-68/mo | Heavy use: $105+/mo. Main cost is AI API calls. Server cost is zero if you use your own computer.
Set a monthly spending limit in your AI provider console (Anthropic/OpenAI). E.g., $20/mo cap β stops automatically. This is security step one.
Email assistant: hire Β₯5000+/mo vs lobster ~Β₯200/mo (save 96%). Social media: hire Β₯8000+/mo vs lobster ~Β₯300/mo (save 96%). Plus, lobster works 24/7.
Q
Security
The lobster runs on YOUR computer/server β data stays with you. But it does have system permissions, so: 1. Only install official skills 2. Set spending limits 3. Lock network access.
About 13-20% of third-party skills have security risks. Only install: 1. Officially certified 2. High GitHub stars 3. Well-reviewed by community. Ask us if unsure.
If configured correctly (env variables, no exposed ports), risk is very low. Security trio: 1. Bind to 127.0.0.1 2. Set spending limits 3. Rotate keys regularly.
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Still have questions?
Join our community or contact our Lobster Assistant