OpenClaw Tip #6: Save Money with Smart Model Routing

OpenClaw model routing for cost optimization

Running OpenClaw 24/7 with a frontier model for every task gets expensive. OpenClaw supports multi-model routing — assign different models to different tasks based on complexity.

The Strategy

Task Model Why
Cron jobs Haiku Simple, repetitive
Conversations Sonnet 4.6 Best balance
Complex reasoning Opus / GPT-5 When truly needed
Local tasks Ollama (Qwen) Free

Configuration

agents:
  default:
    primaryModel: anthropic/claude-sonnet-4-6
  cron:
    primaryModel: anthropic/claude-haiku-4-5

More Cost-Saving Tips

  • Enable prompt caching for repeated system prompts.
  • Reduce maxTokens (8192 instead of 16384).
  • Use event-driven triggers over fixed polling.
  • Batch notifications into summaries.
  • Run Ollama locally for simple queries at zero cost.

Smart routing can cut costs 50-70% without sacrificing quality. Start by moving cron jobs to Haiku.

More at AiX Society.

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