5 questions. One recommended stack. A config you can copy in 10 seconds. The free tool the OpenClaw community actually needed.
01 — The Problem
Not because they're careless. Because the choices are genuinely confusing — and the wrong default costs real money every single day.
Pinning Opus to routine tasks burns 5× the tokens of Sonnet with identical output quality.
Using a model with weak tool-call reliability breaks automation paths in ways that are hard to debug.
OpenRouter abstracts model identity — most users have no idea which model is actually running under their config.
The community said it clearly: "Model choice is the primary challenge. Quality, quantity, and price is a constant riddle." — Discord #model-discussion. This tool exists to end that riddle.
02 — How It Works
The picker asks practical questions — not abstract ones. It translates your real workflow into a model recommendation you can act on immediately.
Coding agent, automation workflow, research assistant, multi-agent system, or something else — each has different model requirements.
For automation paths that break silently on bad tool calls, this is treated as a hard constraint — not a preference.
Tight budget, moderate, or flexible. Free and local model paths only open when your answers make them realistic.
Short tasks vs. long sessions with large codebases or documents changes the model equation significantly.
For production automation, a cheaper fallback that handles simpler subtasks is often the real cost-saver.
Then this happens →
03 — Model Reference
The picker's recommendations are drawn from verified branches — combinations that actually work together, not theoretical matchups.
Primary
Claude Opus 4.6Highest reasoning quality. Best for complex multi-step tasks, agentic loops, and anything where output quality outweighs cost.
Primary / Fallback
Claude Sonnet 4.6The default for most workflows. Reliable tool calls, strong reasoning, significantly cheaper than Opus. The picker's most common recommendation.
Fallback
Claude Haiku 4.5Best fallback for high-volume tasks, quick classifications, and simple subtasks. Keeps cost down without sacrificing reliability on low-complexity calls.
If budget = zero
Ollama / LM StudioLocal paths only open when your answers genuinely support them. Not recommended for production automation — tool-call reliability varies significantly by model.
Relative Cost Per Session
Relative to Haiku baseline. Exact costs depend on token usage — use the GuardClaw Calculator for precise spend estimates.
04 — The Config
The picker generates this for you. But here's what the recommended config structure looks like for an AI automation workflow — the most common setup I build for clients.
{
"model": {
"primary": "claude-sonnet-4-6", // Main reasoning + tool calls
"fallback": "claude-haiku-4-5-20251001", // Fast subtasks + classifications
"routing": {
"useHaikuWhen": [
"simple-lookup",
"format-conversion",
"quick-classification"
],
"useOpusWhen": [
"multi-step-reasoning",
"complex-code-generation"
]
}
},
"toolCallReliability": "strict", // Fails fast vs. silent errors
"contextWindow": "auto", // Compacts when >80% full
"maxRetries": 2 // On tool-call failure
}
This config routes simple tasks to Haiku automatically, saving ~60% on token costs for high-volume automation workflows without touching output quality on complex tasks. The picker generates the exact equivalent for your specific setup.
05 — How I Can Help
Picking the right model stops the waste. But the real leverage is in what you build with it. Here's what I set up for founders and agencies using OpenClaw:
Apollo → website research → personalised email → Instantly campaign. Fully automated.
Replace a $4K/month SDR with a $40/month agent that works 24/7 and learns from every reply.
Build and deploy skills tuned to your exact workflow — controlled from Telegram or WhatsApp.
Connect your entire stack — CRM, email, Slack, calendar — into one AI-controlled workflow.
In 40 minutes I'll review your current model config, show you exactly where you're overpaying, and map out the agent system that makes sense for your business.