---
title: "OpenClaw Supported Models List: Providers, Costs, Context Windows"
description: "A practical list of OpenClaw-supported models across Haimaker, Anthropic, OpenAI, Gemini, Grok, DeepSeek, and Ollama, with setup notes and which models to start with."
date: 2026-04-27
location: San Francisco, CA – Apr 27th, 2026
image: /images/openclaw-supported-models-list-hero.jpg
keywords: "openclaw supported models, openclaw models list, openclaw ai models, openclaw model providers, openclaw openai models"
faq:
  - question: "What models does OpenClaw support?"
    answer: "OpenClaw supports first-party providers like Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, and xAI, plus any OpenAI-compatible API such as Haimaker, Ollama, OpenRouter, Together, or a private vLLM server."
  - question: "Can OpenClaw use local models?"
    answer: "Yes. Add Ollama as an OpenAI-compatible provider at http://localhost:11434/v1, then allowlist models such as gemma4:latest, qwen3.5:27b, or llama3.3:70b."
  - question: "What is the best OpenClaw model to start with?"
    answer: "For most people, start with a cheap default like MiniMax M2.5, Gemini 3 Flash, or Grok 4.1 Fast. Keep Claude Sonnet or Gemini 3.1 Pro as a backup for harder coding and debugging."
---

OpenClaw does not have a tiny fixed model list. That is the point. It can talk to first-party model providers, local runtimes, and any OpenAI-compatible endpoint you can put behind a URL.

That flexibility is useful, but it also makes the first setup confusing. Here is the practical list.

## Best starting models

| Model | Provider | Why Start Here |
|---|---|---|
| MiniMax M2.5 | Haimaker | Cheap default for everyday agent work |
| Gemini 3 Flash | Google or Haimaker | Long context, strong enough for most coding |
| Grok 4.1 Fast | xAI or Haimaker | Huge context at a low price |
| DeepSeek V3.2 | DeepSeek or Haimaker | Cheap output tokens and decent coding |
| Claude Sonnet 4.6 | Anthropic | Reliable tool use and coding quality |
| Gemma 4 | Ollama | Local, private, no token bill |

If you are new, do not start by configuring ten models. Pick one cheap default and one stronger fallback. That is enough.

## Provider support

#### Haimaker

Haimaker is the easiest first option if you want one API key across many models. It exposes an OpenAI-compatible API, so OpenClaw configuration is straightforward.

Use it for MiniMax, Qwen, Llama, DeepSeek, Grok, Gemini, and other models without juggling separate provider accounts.

#### Anthropic

Claude models are still the premium coding-agent choice. Use Claude Sonnet as a serious default if cost is not your main constraint. Use Opus for hard debugging, not every prompt.

#### OpenAI

OpenAI models are good general-purpose choices with reliable API behavior. GPT-5.4 Mini is a reasonable value pick. GPT-5.4 Pro is too expensive to leave as your default unless someone else is paying.

#### Google Gemini

Gemini is the long-context family. Use Flash for most work, Pro when you need better reasoning, and 2.0 Flash when the free tier matters.

#### xAI Grok

Grok 4.1 Fast is the value pick. Grok Code Fast is better for code-heavy sessions. Grok 4.20 is the reasoning fallback.

#### DeepSeek

DeepSeek V3.2 is a strong low-cost option, especially when output volume matters. Keep a fallback because DeepSeek availability can be uneven.

#### Ollama

Ollama gives OpenClaw local models. Good picks include Gemma 4, Qwen3.5, and Llama 3.3. The price is zero per token, but the cost moves to your hardware and patience.

## OpenAI-compatible providers

This is where OpenClaw gets flexible. If a provider supports the OpenAI chat completions format, you can usually add it.

Common examples:

- Haimaker
- Ollama
- OpenRouter
- Together
- Fireworks
- LM Studio
- vLLM
- Internal company gateways

The setup pattern is always the same:

```json5
{
  models: {
    providers: {
      haimaker: {
        baseUrl: "https://api.haimaker.ai/v1",
        apiKey: "your-api-key",
        api: "openai-completions",
        models: [
          { id: "minimax/minimax-m2.5", name: "MiniMax M2.5" }
        ]
      }
    }
  }
}
```

Then allowlist the fully qualified model name:

```json5
{
  agents: {
    defaults: {
      models: {
        "haimaker/minimax/minimax-m2.5": {}
      }
    }
  }
}
```

That second step is where most setup errors happen.

Going through Haimaker sidesteps that: `npx -y @haimaker/connect --openclaw` writes both the provider and the allowlist entry, so there's no second step to forget. See [/connect](/connect) for the flags.

## Model list by job

#### Cheapest daily work

Use MiniMax M2.5, DeepSeek V3.2, Gemini Flash, or Grok 4.1 Fast.

#### Best coding quality

Use Claude Sonnet, Claude Opus, Gemini 3.1 Pro, or GPT-5.4.

#### Long context

Use Gemini, Grok 4.1 Fast, Grok 4.20, or Qwen models through Haimaker.

#### Local and private

Use Gemma 4, Qwen3.5, or Llama through Ollama.

## The setup I would use

For a balanced OpenClaw config:

1. Haimaker as the main provider
2. MiniMax M2.5 as the default
3. Gemini 3 Flash for long-context work
4. Claude Sonnet or Gemini 3.1 Pro as the hard-task fallback
5. Ollama + Gemma 4 if local privacy matters

That gives you a cheap baseline, a long-context option, and a stronger model when the cheap one stalls.

<a href="https://app.haimaker.ai/sign-up?utm_source=openclaw_blog&utm_medium=cta&utm_campaign=openclaw_supported_models" class="cta-button">GET ONE API KEY FOR MANY MODELS</a>