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Free AI agents: what is really free and what you pay for

The only free part of an AI agent is the software: OpenClaw and Hermes Agent are open source. The server that keeps the agent running around the clock and the model that does its thinking always cost money, and you pay for installation and upkeep with your time. The free tier of ChatGPT or Claude gives you a chat assistant, and you cannot build an agent out of it.

Updated October 29, 2026·6 min read
Neko weighs free software on a scale against a server, a model and time

What can be free in an AI agent

An agent has a model, a harness, a server and a channel, and if you set it up yourself, your time joins the list. Two parts out of five can be free.

  • Harness: free

    The program that turns a model into an agent. OpenClaw and Hermes Agent are open-source projects: you can download and install them at no cost.

  • Channel: free

    A Telegram bot costs nothing to create. You write to the agent in text or voice, and it answers there.

  • Server: paid

    The agent needs a computer that never switches off. A rented Ubuntu server (VPS) with 2 GB of RAM costs about 1,500 RUB a month.

  • Model: paid

    Claude or GPT does the agent's thinking. They are paid by subscription or via the API, per request.

  • Your time

    Installation, updates, backups and repairs, if you set up and run the agent yourself.

The free tier of ChatGPT or Claude: what it can do

ChatGPT and Claude both have free tiers. They make a handy AI assistant: they answer questions, write texts and go through files you give them. They work while the chat is open. Close the tab and the work stops.

An agent works differently. It lives on a server and works while you sleep: reminds you of tasks, sorts email, keeps a knowledge base and messages you in Telegram on its own. If you need to ask and get an answer, a free assistant is enough. If you need a helper that runs things itself, you need an agent, and an agent has unavoidable costs.

OpenClaw and Hermes Agent: free software, the rest is on you

OpenClaw and Hermes Agent are strong open-source projects with large communities. They are the closest you can get to creating an AI agent for free: the software itself costs nothing. But the software is only part of the agent.

  • Server. The agent goes on a VPS, otherwise it works only while your computer is on. That is about 1,500 RUB a month.
  • Installation in the terminal. OpenClaw has the openclaw onboard wizard: gateway port and token, autostart, channel access lists. Hermes has an install script, then hermes setup, model choice and the messenger gateway setup.
  • Security. The OpenClaw gateway port 18789 must not be exposed to the internet. The project docs say it plainly: when you self-host, updates, network exposure, backups and access are on the owner.
  • Updates. Sometimes they break things: the OpenClaw 2026.8.1 release of August 31, 2026 removed a built-in plugin, and third-party plugins had to be rewritten.
An iceberg of costs: free software above the water; server, model, time, maintenance and backups below
The free software is the tip of the iceberg. The main costs are below the waterline.

If you are comfortable in a Linux terminal and like figuring things out, this path works. Allow from an evening to several days to launch, plus regular time for upkeep.

The model: subscription or per-token billing

The model is the most visible cost, and its rules changed during 2026. As of October 28, 2026, the Anthropic help article says that third-party apps signed in with a Claude plan draw from the subscription limits. In spring, from April 4, third-party harnesses required extra payment or an API key, and OpenClaw was cut off first. Hermes has its own terms: according to its docs, signing in via Anthropic works only on the Max plan and is billed as extra usage.

The other way is an API key billed per token, that is, for the amount of text the model read and wrote. The monthly bill depends on how many tasks you give the agent. The subscription rules change, so check what the help article says before you set things up.

A Claude Pro or Max subscription covers Anthropic's own products, including Claude Code, within the plan's limits. So an agent on Claude Code runs on a regular subscription. NekoAgent is built on this: the agent runs on Claude Code or Codex, and a Claude or ChatGPT subscription covers it.

What a “free” agent costs per month

DIY: OpenClaw, HermesTurnkey: NekoAgent
Software0 RUB, open sourceOne-off install, from 24,900 RUB for 3 installs
Server≈1,500 RUB a month≈1,500 RUB a month
ModelWith Claude, an API billed per token or extra payment on top of the subscriptionA Claude or ChatGPT subscription
LaunchAn evening to several days≈2 hours on a call with a curator
Updates and repairsYouRepairs: the Iris service; updates: you, with one button
BackupsYou set them upNightly encrypted backups
SupportThe project community30 days free, then 750 RUB a month per 5 agents

So even a free agent costs a server and a model every month, plus your time. The difference between the paths is who installs, fixes and updates it.

Who the free path suits

  • You need to ask and get answers, no scheduled work

    The free tier of ChatGPT or Claude

  • You are comfortable in a Linux terminal and will look after the server yourself

    OpenClaw or Hermes Agent

  • You need an everyday assistant and have no time to fix it

    A turnkey agent

All three paths with timelines and a detailed comparison are in How to create your own AI agent: DIY or turnkey.

Let's set up your agent together

Plans from 24,900 RUB for three installs. The first one is on a call with a curator, with training.

Plans and prices Ask a question

Key questions

Are there completely free AI agents?

The software can be free: OpenClaw and Hermes Agent are open source. The server, about 1,500 RUB a month, and the model (a subscription or per-token billing) always cost money.

Can I create an AI agent for free?

Without paying for the software, yes, if you install OpenClaw or Hermes Agent yourself. But the agent still needs a server and a model to work, and installation and upkeep will take your time.

How is a free AI assistant different from an agent?

The free tier of ChatGPT or Claude answers in a chat while you talk to it. An agent lives on a server, remembers people and tasks, works on a schedule and messages you in Telegram on its own.

Does a Claude subscription work in OpenClaw?

As of October 28, 2026, the Anthropic help article says that third-party apps signed in with a Claude plan draw from the subscription limits. In spring, from April 4, third-party harnesses required extra payment or an API key, so check the Anthropic help article before setting up. In Claude Code the subscription works within the plan's limits.

How much does it cost to run an agent?

The server is about 1,500 RUB a month, plus the model. If we install the agent, support is free for the first 30 days, then 750 RUB a month for every 5 agents.

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