Show HN: Klaus – OpenClaw on a VM, batteries included 4 months ago
The actual cost depends almost entirely on context window size and task frequency, not the hosting tier.
Light usage (a few conversations a day, no cron jobs) typically lands $5-20/month in API tokens. The trap is scheduled tasks or
heartbeat loops running against Opus — that compound fast. Switching the default model to Sonnet cuts costs ~5x for most workloads with
no real quality difference for non-coding tasks.
A few things that actually move the needle:
- Run openclaw models list to see what's configured, then set a cheaper default for routine tasks
- Set a token budget in any cron job skill config before running it overnight
- Keep MEMORY.md trimmed — long memory files add to every request
I put together a cost calculator at openclawcheatsheet.com that lets you model different usage patterns (message frequency, cron jobs,
context size) and get a realistic monthly estimate. Helped me stop being surprised by my Anthropic bill.