How to Run OpenClaw Fully Local with Ollama

A user on r/clawdbot has shared a method for running the OpenClaw agent framework entirely on a local machine, eliminating the need for paid cloud APIs.

Setup Process

The described process involves several specific steps:

• Use LLMFit to benchmark and find the best-performing language model your local hardware can handle. The source links to the tool's GitHub repository: https://github.com/AlexsJones/llmfit.
• Install Ollama.
• Pull your selected model locally using Ollama.
• Link Ollama to OpenClaw.
• Restart the OpenClaw Gateway.

Reported Benefits

According to the source, this setup provides several advantages:

• No API keys required.
• No token limits.
• No per-request billing.
• Fully self-hosted.
• Useful for experimentation and automation.

The post suggests this method is particularly applicable for building internal agents, automation workflows, or for aggressive testing scenarios. The original author also solicits community feedback, asking what models others are running locally with Ollama and agent frameworks, what hardware they use, and how the performance is.