Thinking about getting OpenClaw set up? Before diving in, it helps to know exactly what you need. This guide covers everything (the hardware, the software, the accounts, and the costs) so there are no surprises.
Hardware: You Need a Mac With Apple Silicon
OpenClaw runs on macOS, and specifically requires an Apple Silicon Mac, meaning any Mac with an M1, M2, M3, M4, or M5 chip. This includes:
- Mac Mini: the most popular choice for a dedicated AI server. Small, quiet, energy-efficient, runs 24/7
- MacBook Air / MacBook Pro: great if you want portability, though it needs to stay on to be available
- iMac: works perfectly if you have one already
- Mac Pro / Mac Studio: more power than you need, but absolutely works
Which Mac Mini Should I Get?
If you're buying a Mac specifically for OpenClaw, the Mac Mini with M4 chip and 16GB RAM is the sweet spot. It's the most cost-effective option that handles everything you need.
If you want to future-proof or plan to run multiple AI tasks simultaneously, the M4 Pro with 24GB RAM gives you extra headroom. But for most small businesses, the base M4 is more than sufficient.
Can I Use a Windows PC or Linux?
OpenClaw is designed for macOS. While there are community efforts to port it to other platforms, the officially supported and tested platform is macOS with Apple Silicon. If you're serious about running a reliable AI assistant, a Mac Mini is the way to go.
Software: What Gets Installed
During setup, the following software is installed and configured on your Mac:
- OpenClaw: the core AI assistant platform
- Homebrew: a package manager for macOS (if not already installed)
- Node.js: the runtime environment OpenClaw needs
- Gateway service: connects OpenClaw to your messaging apps
- Messaging connectors: Telegram, WhatsApp, Discord, or whichever platforms you choose
All of this is free and open-source. Nothing requires a paid licence.
Accounts You'll Need
OpenClaw connects to AI model providers through API accounts. These are separate from consumer subscriptions like ChatGPT Plus. You pay only for what you use.
AI Model Provider (At Least One Required)
- Anthropic (Claude): excellent for business writing, analysis, and complex tasks. Our recommended primary model.
- OpenAI (GPT-4): strong all-rounder, good for creative tasks and coding
- Google (Gemini): competitive pricing, good for research-heavy tasks
We typically recommend setting up two providers, a primary (usually Anthropic Claude) and a fallback (usually OpenAI). This gives you redundancy if one provider has an outage, plus the ability to route different types of tasks to the model that handles them best.
Messaging Platform (At Least One Required)
You'll need an account on whichever messaging platform you want to use. Most people already have Telegram, WhatsApp, or Discord. If you don't, Telegram is the easiest to set up and the most popular choice for OpenClaw.
Setting Up Bot Accounts
For each messaging platform, you'll create a "bot" account, which is the identity your AI assistant uses. Don't worry, we handle this during the setup session. It takes about 5 minutes per platform.
What Does It Cost?
One-Time Costs
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Mac Mini M4 (if you don't have a Mac) | From $899 AUD |
| OpenClaw Setup & Training Service | $2,400 + GST ($2,640 inc.) |
| OpenClaw software | Free |
Ongoing Monthly Costs
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| AI model API usage | $5–50/month (usage-based) |
| Electricity (Mac Mini running 24/7) | ~$3–5/month |
| Internet (your existing connection) | $0 (already paying) |
| OpenClaw updates | Free |
| CE Solutions subscription | $0 (there isn't one) |
Total ongoing cost for most businesses: $10–55 per month.
What About Internet Speed?
OpenClaw needs a reliable internet connection, but it doesn't need to be fast. The data sent to AI model providers is just text, so it's tiny. Any standard Australian broadband connection (NBN, fibre, 4G/5G) works fine.
The Mac does need to stay connected to the internet for the assistant to work. If your internet drops, the assistant goes offline until it reconnects.
Do I Need Any Technical Knowledge?
Not for the setup; that's what our service covers. But it helps to be comfortable with basic computer tasks: keeping your Mac updated, restarting it if needed, and following simple instructions if something needs adjusting.
The 2–4 hour training session is specifically designed to make you confident managing your OpenClaw setup day-to-day.
Checklist: Am I Ready for OpenClaw?
- You have (or are willing to buy) a Mac with Apple Silicon
- You have a reliable internet connection
- You use at least one messaging app (Telegram, WhatsApp, Discord, etc.)
- You're willing to spend $5–50/month on AI model usage
- You have tasks that an AI assistant could help with
If you ticked all five, you're ready. Book a free discovery call and we'll walk through the specifics for your business.