Setting up an AI chatbot usually involves creating accounts with AI providers, generating API keys, configuring billing, and hoping you pasted the right key in the right field. We wanted to skip all of that.
What managed AI means
When you deploy an OpenClaw bot on ClawCloud, the default mode is "managed." That means ClawCloud handles the AI provider connection for you. You pick Claude, GPT, or Gemini in the deploy wizard, and your bot gets a working AI backend immediately.
No OpenAI account. No Anthropic dashboard. No Google Cloud console. You don't touch an API key at any point.
How it works under the hood
Each managed instance gets its own dedicated API key, routed through OpenRouter. OpenRouter supports all three model families (Claude, GPT, Gemini) through a single API endpoint, so your bot can switch between models without any reconfiguration.
The key has a spending limit that matches your plan's credit pool. Once deployed, ClawCloud monitors usage and shows credit tracking in the dashboard. If credits run out, the dashboard warns you and guides a manual switch to a free model (with lower quality/speed). When credits reset, your paid model works again.
What's included with each plan
Every plan comes with monthly AI credits:
| Plan | Monthly price | AI credits | Default GPT model | Default Gemini model |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lite | $29 | $8 | GPT-4.1 Mini | Gemini 2.5 Flash |
| Pro | $59 | $25 | GPT-4.1 | Gemini 2.5 Pro |
| Max | $129 | $60 | GPT-4.1 | Gemini 2.5 Pro |
Lite plans default to cost-efficient models that stretch the credit pool. A Lite user running GPT-4.1 Mini gets roughly 11,000 messages per month. Pro and Max plans default to flagship models since the larger credit pools support it.
Claude defaults to Sonnet 4 across all plans — there's no cheaper Claude variant worth switching to.
Credits reset and exhaustion flow
Credits reset at the start of each billing cycle. If your bot hits the limit mid-cycle, paid-model responses stop until you switch to a free model manually (or wait for reset). The dashboard shows a clear exhaustion warning and links to the switch guide.
The dashboard shows a color-coded credit bar so you can see where things stand at a glance.
You can still bring your own key (BYOK)
Managed mode is the default, but it's not the only option. During deployment, you can expand the "Bring your own key" section and enter an API key from OpenAI, Anthropic, or Google directly. In BYOK mode, ClawCloud doesn't track or limit your AI usage — you pay your provider separately.
BYOK is there for users who expect heavy traffic or want a model that's not available through OpenRouter. For everyone else, managed mode means one subscription, one bill, and zero API key management.
Try it
Pick a plan, connect a channel, choose a model. Your bot is live in under two minutes with AI that works out of the box. Check out the managed AI guide for a deeper look, or jump straight to deployment.
Deploy with Managed AI