head to head · open source
OpenClaw vs row-bot
OpenClaw has 390,029 GitHub stars, 81,995 forks, 6,671 open issues and last shipped today. row-bot has 1,495 stars, 172 forks, 31 open issues and last shipped yesterday. OpenClaw leads on adoption by 25,989% (390,029 vs 1,495 stars). OpenClaw is written in TypeScript under a custom or non-standard licence; row-bot is written in Python under Apache-2.0. OpenClaw has attracted 21% as many forks as stars, row-bot 12%. 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 | row-bot | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 390K | ★ 1.5K |
| License | Custom / other | Apache-2.0 |
| Written in | TypeScript | Python |
| Last push | 2026-09-18 | 2026-09-17 |
| Forks | ⑂ 82K | ⑂ 172 |
| 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 row-bot if
- You want the row-bot feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the Apache-2.0 license terms
- Your stack matches Python
- You evaluated both and row-bot 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 row-bot
Row Bot (formerly Thoth) Row Bot is a local first desktop AI assistant for doing real work with models, memory, and tools. Its name is the operating model: Reason through messy context, Orchestrate tools and model providers, and Work inside the files, repos, workflows, and channels you choose. It combines chat, durable memory, tool use, Agent Profiles, Goal Mode, automatic parent led agent orchestration, profile first workflows, Developer Studio, Designer Studio, Smart Skills, Skills Hub, Custom Tools, Plugin System v2, progressive external tool and skill discovery, context metering and rolling compaction, provid…
read the full row-bot overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is OpenClaw or row-bot more popular?
OpenClaw has 390,029 GitHub stars and row-bot has 1,495. OpenClaw has the larger community by that measure.
Are OpenClaw and row-bot free?
Both are open source. OpenClaw has no licence declared in this registry, and row-bot is licensed under Apache-2.0. Both are free to self-host.
What is the difference between OpenClaw and row-bot?
OpenClaw is written in TypeScript and row-bot in Python. 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 row-bot?
Choose OpenClaw if you want the larger community (390,029 stars) or its Custom / other licence terms. Choose row-bot if its feature set, stack or Apache-2.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.