I Tested Clawly vs OpenClaw for Coaching Clients for 30 Days (Here's What Happened)

Coaches lose hours every week to admin work that doesn't grow their practice. Follow-ups pile up, invoices sit in drafts, and scheduling turns into endless email threads.

I ran OpenClaw and Clawly side by side for 30 days on real client work—handling follow-ups, scheduling, and invoicing—to see which AI assistant actually delivers for coaching businesses.

Why I Ran This 30-Day Test for My Coaching Practice

Open-box Mac Mini deals are everywhere right now, with M2 models going for as low as $275 and M4 units around $400-500 at Best Buy. That matters here because OpenClaw requires a Mac running continuously to function. So when I started comparing AI assistants for my coaching practice, the hardware question came up immediately.

Coaches know the admin problem well. Follow-ups stack up. Scheduling turns into email ping-pong. Invoices sit in draft folders. I wanted to know which tool actually handles this work, not just which one sounds good on paper.

So I ran both tools for 30 days, side by side, on real client work.

What is OpenClaw and How Does It Work

OpenClaw is an open-source AI agent framework that runs locally on your own computer. You download it, install it on a Mac, and everything operates on your machine. No cloud servers involved. Your data stays entirely local.

The trade-off is that you're responsible for keeping it running. Installation, configuration, updates, troubleshooting—all on you. If the Mac goes to sleep or crashes, your AI assistant goes down with it.

The Mac Mini Requirement

OpenClaw requires a Mac device running around the clock. Most people choose a Mac Mini because it's the most affordable option in Apple's lineup. You can leave it tucked under a desk, and it draws minimal power.

If you enjoy technical projects and want complete control over your setup, this works well. If you'd rather not think about hardware at all, it's a hurdle before you've automated anything.

OpenClaw Pricing and Hidden Costs

OpenClaw itself is free to download. But the actual cost of running it looks different once you add everything up:

• Hardware: A Mac Mini runs $275-500+ depending on model and condition
• API fees: You pay per use for the AI models, and heavy client volume adds up
• Your time: Updates, troubleshooting, and uptime monitoring fall on you

The "free" software isn't free when you're buying hardware and paying monthly API bills that scale with usage.

Mac Mini Open Box Options Worth Considering

If you go the OpenClaw route, buying a mac mini open box can cut your upfront cost significantly. Best Buy labels open-box units as Excellent, Good, or Fair. The Excellent-rated ones often look brand new, sometimes still with plastic wrapping. M2 models have dropped to $275 in open-box condition, and M4 units show up around $400-500.

Check for iCloud locks before you leave the store, and verify the warranty start date.

What is Clawly and How It Works for Coaches

Clawly is a Telegram-based AI assistant that connects to your existing tools. No hardware to buy. No software to install. You message it like you'd message a person, and it handles tasks across your connected apps.

The approach is different from OpenClaw in a fundamental way: Clawly runs in the cloud and works through integrations, while OpenClaw runs locally on your machine.

Telegram-Based AI Assistant Explained

You interact with Clawly through Telegram, the messaging app. Want to send a follow-up email? Message Clawly. Want to create an invoice? Message Clawly. Want to reschedule a client? Same thing.

There's no dashboard to learn, no command syntax to memorize. If you can send a text message, you can use Clawly.

Clawly Pricing for Solo Coaches and Consulting Firms

Clawly offers a free plan with no credit card required. The Pro plan runs $29/month with unlimited tasks. No per-use fees, no caps on how much you can delegate.

• Free plan: Start delegating immediately, no credit card
• Pro plan: Flat $29/month, unlimited tasks, no usage caps

Compare that to a human virtual assistant at $1,500-3,000/month, and the economics shift considerably.

Setup Time Compared Side by Side

Setup time matters when you're already stretched thin. Here's how the two compare:

Step	OpenClaw	Clawly
Account creation	Download and configure locally	Sign up with Google
Hardware required	Mac Mini or Mac device	None
Tool connections	Manual API setup	One-click integrations
Time to first task	Hours to days	Under a minute

1. Create Your Account

For Clawly, you sign up with Google and connect Telegram. Done. You're ready to delegate.

For OpenClaw, you download the software, configure local settings, and set up your Mac to run continuously. The process takes a few hours if you're comfortable with technical setup, longer if you're not.

2. Connect Your Coaching Tools

Clawly offers one-click integrations with 60+ tools: Gmail, Stripe, Calendly, Notion, HubSpot, and others. You click connect, authorize access, and the integration is live.

OpenClaw requires manual API configuration for each tool. You're copying API keys, setting up authentication, and testing connections individually.

3. Start Delegating Tasks

With Clawly, you message and go. "Send a follow-up to Sarah about her session next week." It happens.

With OpenClaw, you'll spend time learning how to structure requests and testing workflows before you're confident delegating real client work.

How Each Tool Handled Client Follow-Ups

Client follow-ups are where coaching practices live or die. Miss a check-in, and engagement drops. Send something that sounds robotic, and clients notice.

Clawly picked up my communication style within the first week. Follow-ups went out sounding like me. OpenClaw required more specific prompting to get the tone right, and even then, consistency varied from message to message.

Both tools could send follow-ups. The difference was in how much work I had to do to make them sound human.

Scheduling and Calendar Management Results

Coaches live in their calendars. I tested both tools on three specific tasks:

• New session bookings from client requests
• Rescheduling conflicts without back-and-forth emails
• Calendar sync across Calendly and Google Calendar

Clawly handled scheduling proactively. It coordinated availability, sent confirmations, and updated my calendar without me asking. OpenClaw executed commands when given but didn't anticipate what came next.

For coaches with clients in different time zones, Clawly's 24/7 availability made a noticeable difference. Booking requests that came in overnight were handled before I woke up.

Invoicing and Payment Automation Put to the Test

I tested the full invoicing cycle: creating invoices, sending reminders, tracking payments. Clawly's Stripe and QuickBooks connections handled this end-to-end. I'd message "send invoice to [client] for [amount]" and it was done.

OpenClaw could create invoices with the right configuration, but the setup took more work upfront. Payment reminders required explicit scheduling rather than automatic follow-up.

Which Integrations Actually Mattered for Coaching Workflows

Not every integration matters equally. Here's where the time savings actually showed up in my practice.

CRM and Client Management Connections

HubSpot, Pipedrive, and Notion for client notes. When your CRM stays updated automatically, your follow-ups reference the right context: last session notes, goals discussed, progress made.

Clawly's CRM connections updated after each interaction without me doing anything extra.

Calendar and Scheduling Platforms

Calendly, Cal.com, Google Calendar. Both tools connected here. Clawly's proactive coordination saved more back-and-forth than OpenClaw's reactive approach.

Payment and Invoicing Systems

Stripe, QuickBooks, Green Invoice. Getting paid faster improves cash flow. Clawly's one-click connections made invoicing seamless. OpenClaw required more manual configuration to achieve the same result.

Where OpenClaw Performed Better

OpenClaw has genuine strengths:

• Local data control: Everything stays on your machine, no cloud storage
• Customization depth: If you're technical, you can build exactly what you want
• No vendor dependency: You own the entire setup

For coaches who prioritize data sovereignty and enjoy technical projects, OpenClaw offers flexibility that cloud-based tools can't match.

Where Clawly Performed Better for Coaching Clients

For most coaching workflows, Clawly delivered more value with less friction.

Zero Hardware and Instant Setup

No Mac Mini to buy. No local server to maintain. Ready in under a minute. Your focus stays on clients, not IT infrastructure.

Proactive Client Communication That Learns Your Style

Clawly adapts to how you write. Your follow-ups sound like you, not a template. This matters when client relationships depend on personal connection.

24/7 Availability Across Client Time Zones

Coaches with international clients benefit most. Clawly handles booking requests, sends reminders, and keeps communication flowing while you sleep.

60+ Integrations Ready to Use

No API setup required. Gmail, Stripe, Calendly, Notion, HubSpot—connect with one click. The integrations that matter for coaching are already built.

Ready to try it? Start with Clawly free—no credit card required, ready in under a minute.

Which AI Assistant Fits Your Coaching Business

The choice depends on what you value:

• Choose OpenClaw if: You're technical, want local data control, and have time to maintain your setup
• Choose Clawly if: You want to delegate admin immediately, prefer broad integrations, and value zero maintenance

For most coaches, the time spent configuring and maintaining OpenClaw outweighs the benefits of local control. Clawly gets you from signup to delegated work in under a minute.

FAQs About Using AI Assistants for Coaching and Consulting

Can OpenClaw run without a Mac Mini or other Apple hardware?

No. OpenClaw requires a Mac device to run locally. Some users repurpose older Macs, but Apple hardware is a core requirement.

Does Clawly integrate with coaching-specific platforms like CoachAccountable or Practice?

Clawly connects to scheduling, CRM, and payment tools coaches commonly use. The integrations library at getclawly.com lists specific platforms, and new connections are added regularly.

What happens if Clawly sends an incorrect message to a coaching client?

You can set up approval flows for sensitive messages. Clawly also learns from corrections, so accuracy improves the more you use it.

Is coaching client data secure when using Clawly?

Clawly is encrypted and secure. Your data stays yours and is never used to train models.

Can Clawly handle group coaching programs with multiple participants?

Yes. Clawly manages scheduling, follow-ups, and communication across groups. You can coordinate cohort programs without juggling multiple threads manually.