OpenClaw, if you
- Want a gateway on your own hardware that you reach from chat apps.
- Need the MIT licence and a public repository.
- Want to start today: the official page lists no paid tier.
In short
OpenClaw is open source under the MIT licence and self-hosted; the official page lists no paid tier. Zidos is in a free beta: its own agent on its own core, commands in a sandbox, steps in the log, Apache-2.0 planned for launch.
Zidos, if you
- Need a log with signed checkpoints and an independent verifier.
- Want to work with your own Claude, ChatGPT or Gemini subscription.
- Can wait: the beta is free, pricing comes after.
- Want to move from OpenClaw without losing history, rules, MCP servers or skills.
Compared
Five rows, one per trait, each with a source.
| Trait | Zidos | OpenClaw |
|---|---|---|
| Agent | Its own agent on its own core | Self-hosted gateway: an open-source AI assistant on your own hardware, reached from chat apps |
| Price | Free beta, pricing after the beta | No paid tier (official page) |
| Telemetry | Off by default; only an admin can turn it on | None by default beyond a version check you can turn off |
| Licence | Apache-2.0 at launch (planned) | MIT; public repository |
| Platforms | Linux, macOS, Windows; some features are Linux-only for now | Listed: macOS, Windows, iOS, Android, nodes and web; installer for macOS, Linux, WSL2 and Windows |
How the agents run
Zidos
Zidos runs its own agent on its own core. The core listens on this computer only; remote access goes through a separate listener with its own keys.
OpenClaw
OpenClaw is a self-hosted gateway: an open-source AI assistant on your own hardware, driven from chat apps; it has an openclaw command line.
Telemetry and data
Zidos
Provider requests are scrubbed for secrets before sending. Telemetry is off by default; only an admin can turn it on, and every byte is visible before it is sent. There is no update check.
OpenClaw
According to the docs, no telemetry by default beyond a version check you can turn off.
Licence
Zidos
We plan to open the core and the apps under Apache-2.0 at launch. The licence grants no rights to the Zidos name or logo.
OpenClaw
MIT per GitHub. The repository is public and the source is open.
Questions
- Can I download Zidos today?
- The free beta is running now. Email [email protected] with the subject "Zidos beta" and we will add you to the first wave.
- Is OpenClaw free?
- The official page says there is no paid tier. The licence is MIT.
- Which models does Zidos work with?
- Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini and GLM. Claude, ChatGPT and Gemini work with your subscription.
- Why is there no verdict?
- We make Zidos, so our verdict would not be neutral. This page keeps to facts, sources and the date they were checked.
Sources
Checked 25.10.2026. Zidos facts: this site and the core repository.
- OpenClaw docs
- OpenClaw repository
- OpenClaw README
- OpenClaw licence
- OpenClaw releases
- OpenClaw MCP page
- Zidos security
- Zidos open core
Other comparisons: OpenBot, Kilo Code, Cline, OpenCode, Goose, Aider
Join the first beta wave
The beta is free, pricing comes after. Email [email protected] with the subject "Zidos beta".