head to head · open source
OpenClaw vs cindy
OpenClaw has 389,982 GitHub stars, 81,978 forks, 6,671 open issues and last shipped yesterday. cindy has 2,749 stars, 399 forks, 1,390 open issues and last shipped yesterday. OpenClaw leads on adoption by 14,086% (389,982 vs 2,749 stars). OpenClaw is written in TypeScript under a custom or non-standard licence; cindy is written in TypeScript under Apache-2.0. OpenClaw has attracted 21% as many forks as stars, cindy 15%. OpenClaw was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee.
Two open source projects, one decision. Both are free and self-hostable — the differences are community size, license terms, language stack and release pace.
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Side by side
| OpenClaw | cindy | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 390K | ★ 2.7K |
| License | Custom / other | Apache-2.0 |
| Written in | TypeScript | TypeScript |
| Last push | 2026-09-17 | 2026-09-17 |
| Forks | ⑂ 82K | ⑂ 399 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick OpenClaw if
- You weight community size — 390K stars and counting
- You want the Custom / other license terms
- Your stack matches TypeScript
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick cindy if
- You want the cindy feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the Apache-2.0 license terms
- Your stack matches TypeScript
- You evaluated both and cindy fits your workflow better
About OpenClaw
OpenClaw is an open source, self hosted AI assistant in the AI & Machine Learning / AI Interaction & Interfaces category that runs on hardware the user controls and meets them inside the messaging channels they already use, for individuals who want a personal assistant on a laptop and teams that want a shared deployment.
read the full OpenClaw overview →
About cindy
Cindy is an open source AI agent that works out of the box: a TypeScript desktop and mobile client that runs locally on your own machine, uses your real files and logged in apps, and folds multiple agent harnesses, models and tools into one agent aimed at people who want finished work rather than another chat window.
read the full cindy overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is OpenClaw or cindy more popular?
OpenClaw has 389,982 GitHub stars and cindy has 2,749. OpenClaw has the larger community by that measure.
Are OpenClaw and cindy free?
Both are open source. OpenClaw has no licence declared in this registry, and cindy is licensed under Apache-2.0. Both are free to self-host.
What is the difference between OpenClaw and cindy?
OpenClaw is written in TypeScript and cindy in TypeScript. The practical differences are community size, licence terms, language stack and release cadence — all compared in the table above.
Which should I choose, OpenClaw or cindy?
Choose OpenClaw if you want the larger community (389,982 stars) or its Custom / other licence terms. Choose cindy if its feature set, stack or Apache-2.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.