One of OpenClaw's biggest advantages is model flexibility: you're not locked into a single AI provider. You can use Claude, GPT-4, Gemini, and others, switching between them based on the task at hand.
But with that flexibility comes a question: which model should you use for what? This guide gives you a practical framework.
The Major AI Models in 2026
Anthropic Claude (Claude 4 Opus / Sonnet / Haiku)
Claude is built by Anthropic and has become the go-to choice for many business users. Its strengths:
- Exceptional writing quality: produces natural, professional prose that rarely sounds robotic
- Strong analytical thinking: excellent at breaking down complex problems
- Long context window: can process very large documents in a single conversation
- Reliable instruction following: consistently follows detailed prompts
- Safety-conscious: less likely to generate problematic content
Best for: Business writing, client communications, strategic analysis, content creation, document review, coaching responses.
OpenAI GPT-4 / GPT-4o
The most well-known AI model, GPT-4 is a strong all-rounder:
- Versatile: handles a wide range of tasks competently
- Creative: strong at brainstorming, ideation, and creative writing
- Multimodal: can analyse images, charts, and screenshots
- Large ecosystem: extensive documentation and community support
Best for: Creative brainstorming, image analysis, general-purpose tasks, coding assistance.
Google Gemini (Pro / Ultra)
Google's AI model has improved dramatically and offers unique strengths:
- Real-time information: better access to current data through Google's infrastructure
- Research capabilities: strong at finding and synthesising information
- Competitive pricing: often the most cost-effective option for high-volume use
- Google ecosystem integration: works well with Google Workspace tools
Best for: Research tasks, market analysis, data-heavy work, cost-conscious high-volume usage.
Model Selection by Task Type
| Task | Recommended Model | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Client emails | Claude Sonnet | Best natural writing tone |
| Blog content | Claude Opus | Highest quality long-form |
| Quick questions | Claude Haiku or GPT-4o mini | Fast and cheap |
| Brainstorming | GPT-4o | Strong creative output |
| Market research | Gemini Pro | Better current data access |
| Document analysis | Claude Opus | Best at processing long docs |
| Image analysis | GPT-4o | Strongest vision capabilities |
| Financial analysis | Claude Sonnet | Reliable with numbers |
| Social media posts | Claude Haiku | Fast, cost-effective for short content |
| Competitor analysis | Gemini Pro | Good research integration |
The Cost Factor
Different models have different pricing, and this matters when you're paying per use:
- Budget tier (Claude Haiku, GPT-4o mini): Fractions of a cent per message. Great for quick tasks, high-volume use.
- Standard tier (Claude Sonnet, GPT-4o, Gemini Pro): A few cents per complex message. The sweet spot for most business use.
- Premium tier (Claude Opus, GPT-4): Most expensive but highest quality. Worth it for important documents, proposals, and strategic analysis.
A smart configuration routes simple tasks to cheaper models and complex tasks to premium ones. This keeps your monthly costs low while ensuring quality where it matters.
Setting Up Model Routing in OpenClaw
OpenClaw lets you configure which model to use in several ways:
- Default model: what the assistant uses for everyday conversations
- Per-agent models: different agents can use different models
- Task-specific routing: certain types of requests automatically use a specific model
- Fallback routing: if one provider is down, requests automatically go to another
A typical setup might use Claude Sonnet as the default, Claude Opus for long-form content and important documents, and Gemini for research-heavy tasks.
How to Test Which Model Works Best for You
The best approach is experimentation:
- Start with Claude Sonnet as your default, as it handles most business tasks well
- Try GPT-4o for creative tasks and see if you prefer the output
- Test Gemini for research tasks to compare quality and cost
- Use premium models (Opus) only when you need the absolute best quality
Over a few weeks, you'll develop an intuition for which model works best for your specific needs.
Our Recommendation
For most Brisbane and Gold Coast businesses, we recommend:
- Primary: Claude Sonnet, the best overall quality for business use
- Quick tasks: Claude Haiku, fast and affordable
- Heavy lifting: Claude Opus, for important documents and complex analysis
- Backup: GPT-4o, in case Anthropic has an outage
This setup typically costs $10-30/month for moderate daily use and provides excellent quality across all task types.
Book a free discovery call and we'll set up the optimal model configuration for your business.