head to head · open source
OpenClaw vs Ptero
OpenClaw has 389,982 GitHub stars, 81,978 forks, 6,671 open issues and last shipped yesterday. Ptero has 1,256 stars, 14 forks, 0 open issues and last shipped 3 days ago. OpenClaw leads on adoption by 30,950% (389,982 vs 1,256 stars). OpenClaw is written in TypeScript under a custom or non-standard licence; Ptero is written in PHP under Apache-2.0. OpenClaw has attracted 21% as many forks as stars, Ptero 1%. OpenClaw was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee. The two share 1 topic tag (ai), so they are genuine substitutes rather than adjacent tools.
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 | Ptero | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 390K | ★ 1.3K |
| License | Custom / other | Apache-2.0 |
| Written in | TypeScript | PHP |
| Last push | 2026-09-17 | 2026-09-15 |
| Forks | ⑂ 82K | ⑂ 14 |
| 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 Ptero if
- You want the Ptero feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the Apache-2.0 license terms
- Your stack matches PHP
- You evaluated both and Ptero 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 Ptero
Ptero is a free, open source AI chat platform that provides access to multiple large language models through a single, clean interface. It is designed for developers, students, and creators who value privacy and simplicity, and it requires no signup to use. The project lives in the PHP and JavaScript ecosystem: the frontend is built with JavaScript, HTML, and CSS, while the backend uses PHP and a REST API, primarily for its WordPress integration. It sits in the AI and Machine Learning category, specifically under AI Interaction and Interfaces.
read the full Ptero overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is OpenClaw or Ptero more popular?
OpenClaw has 389,982 GitHub stars and Ptero has 1,256. OpenClaw has the larger community by that measure.
Are OpenClaw and Ptero free?
Both are open source. OpenClaw has no licence declared in this registry, and Ptero is licensed under Apache-2.0. Both are free to self-host.
What is the difference between OpenClaw and Ptero?
OpenClaw is written in TypeScript and Ptero in PHP. 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 Ptero?
Choose OpenClaw if you want the larger community (389,982 stars) or its Custom / other licence terms. Choose Ptero if its feature set, stack or Apache-2.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.