ClawdBot/Moltbot Explained: What It Is and How to Get the Same Features Without Self-Hosting

What is ClawdBot?

ClawdBot (now renamed to Moltbot) is an open-source, self-hosted personal AI assistant created by Peter Steinberger, the founder of PSPDFKit. It's been described as "Claude with hands"—an AI that doesn't just chat but actually does things on your computer.

Unlike traditional AI assistants that live in a browser tab, ClawdBot runs on your own hardware and integrates with messaging apps you already use: Telegram, WhatsApp, Discord, Slack, Signal, and iMessage.

The project hit 9,000 GitHub stars in its first 24 hours. As of today, it's crossed 60,000+ stars—making it one of the fastest-growing open-source projects in GitHub history.

Why is ClawdBot/Moltbot Going Viral?

Several factors are driving the hype:

• Persistent Memory: Unlike ChatGPT or Claude.ai, ClawdBot remembers everything. Your preferences, past conversations, and ongoing tasks are stored locally as real files.
• Real-World Actions: It can draft emails, manage calendars, book flights, control smart home devices, run shell commands, and automate browser tasks.
• Multi-Platform: Works across Telegram, WhatsApp, Discord, Slack, Signal, and iMessage from a single setup.
• Fully Local: Everything runs on your hardware. Settings, memories, and instructions are just folders and Markdown files on your hard drive.
• Open Source: 100% open source and free to use (you just pay for your own Claude API usage).

The Silicon Valley Effect

ClawdBot has single-handedly driven a surge in Mac Mini sales. Many users are buying dedicated computers just to run it 24/7. Logan Kilpatrick, a product manager at Google DeepMind, even posted about ordering one.

The appeal is clear: a personal AI assistant that's always on, always learning, and completely under your control.

The Challenges with ClawdBot/Moltbot

Despite the hype, ClawdBot isn't for everyone. Here's what you need to know:

1. You Need Dedicated Hardware

To run ClawdBot 24/7, you need a computer that's always on. Most users are buying Mac Minis ($599+) specifically for this. That's a significant upfront investment before you even start.

2. Complex Self-Hosting Setup

Setting up ClawdBot requires:

• Installing and configuring the software on your machine
• Managing 50+ potential integrations
• Setting up each messaging platform (Telegram, WhatsApp, etc.)
• Configuring permissions and security settings
• Keeping everything updated

3. Security Concerns

This is the big one. ClawdBot has almost no guardrails by design. It can run shell commands, access your files, and control your browser. There are currently 500+ security issues on GitHub.

Most experienced users recommend not installing ClawdBot on your main computer. It's powerful, but that power comes with risk.

The Real Question: Do You Need to Self-Host?

ClawdBot's features are impressive. But the self-hosting requirement—buying a Mac Mini, managing security, keeping it running 24/7—is a significant barrier for most people.

What if you could get the same AI capabilities without the infrastructure headache?

Same Features, Zero Self-Hosting: Managed Alternatives

Here's what most people don't realize: you can get ClawdBot-level AI capabilities on Telegram without buying dedicated hardware or managing servers yourself.

How Managed Hosting Works

Services like Clawdhost run your AI assistant on managed infrastructure. You interact with it through Telegram, and it can do everything ClawdBot does—just by asking:

• "Connect to Gmail" — Access and manage your email
• "Do a web search" — Search the internet and get results
• "Connect to Slack" — Integrate with your workspace
• "Check my calendar" — View and manage appointments
• "Send a message to..." — Communicate across platforms

Same integrations. Same AI power. The only difference? You set it up in 5 minutes instead of buying a $599 computer and configuring everything yourself.

ClawdBot vs. Managed Hosting: Quick Comparison

The Bottom Line

ClawdBot/Moltbot is genuinely impressive and the hype is warranted—it's a glimpse into the future of personal AI assistants.

But the question isn't whether ClawdBot's features are good—they are. The question is whether you need to self-host to get them. For most people, the answer is no.

If you primarily use Telegram and want the same AI capabilities—Gmail integration, web search, Slack, calendar, and more—you can get all of that with managed hosting. No $599 Mac Mini. No 500+ security issues. No maintenance burden.

Same power. Different delivery model. You choose what matters more: multi-platform access with full local control, or zero-setup convenience on Telegram.