The Machine vs OpenClaw

OpenClaw checks in. The Machine reads everything.

OpenClaw’s proactive check is an agent turn every 30 minutes: it sees what its tool calls fetch in that turn. The Machine collects all your mail, calendar and chats into one database and reviews all of it, in batches, as it arrives.

Coverage depends on the sources you connect, their collection limits and your noise filters. Collected signals stay queued for review; large backlogs can take more than one review.

The Machine

OpenClaw

Covers all your mail, calendar and chats

✓The Machine: Every new message from your sources, in one database

–OpenClaw: Only what its agent fetches with tools during each check

Reviews new messages together

✓The Machine: Up to 120 at a time, with your open promises and past decisions

–OpenClaw: Its Gmail trigger runs once per email, and skips your sent mail

Remembers every promise

✓The Machine: Both ways, with the date, checked the morning it’s due

✕OpenClaw: Its inferred follow-ups were removed in v2026.8.1

Knows your relationships

✓The Machine: A map of everyone: who matters, who went quiet

–OpenClaw: Notes its agent chooses to write to memory files

Cards ready when you look

✓The Machine: Prepared ahead, one per matter: Do it, Change, Snooze

–OpenClaw: A chat message when a check finds something

Drafts in your voice

✓The Machine: Learns how you write from your own messages

–OpenClaw: Up to your prompts and skills

Does the work, with your OK

✓The Machine: One tap does the task. Nothing goes out until you confirm.

–OpenClaw: Approvals for commands

Hosted, nothing to install

✓The Machine: Yes, from €25 a month, excl. VAT, 7 days free

✕OpenClaw: No hosted service

You keep OpenClaw. It’s open source, runs on your hardware, works in many chat apps and with any model. The Machine installs on top of it and runs its reviews as OpenClaw agent turns, free, or we host it for you.

Based on their public information as of 22 October 2026: OpenClaw docs, Proactive check, Retired inferred commitments, Gmail triggers, Memory, Approvals. Something changed? Tell us.

And beyond reading everything

Graph

The people and companies it learned from your messages.

Read more →Work Fleet

Your team’s Machines ask each other and hand work off.

Read more →The Machine Network

Friends, family and colleagues, end-to-end encrypted.

Read more →

Try it

Tap the buttons

A card as it reaches your phone, ready for your yes. Made-up data, nothing is sent.

Get your Machine Try the demo

Hosted: €25 a month, excl. VAT. 7 days free, cancel any time. Free: try the demo or run it yourself.

More comparisons · How we keep it safe

Try it: tap Do it

The MachineDemo · nothing is sent

Follow up with Alex about pricing

Alex asked about the annual plan on Tuesday and hasn’t had a reply. Their trial ends Friday. I can draft a short answer with the numbers.

Source: email from Alex · Tue 13 Oct