How to Reduce OpenClaw API Costs by 40-60%
If you're spending $100-600+/month on OpenClaw API calls, you're probably paying Opus prices for tasks that Haiku can handle just fine. Here's how to fix that in 60 seconds.
The Problem: Every Call Uses Your Most Expensive Model
OpenClaw sends every request to whatever model you have configured — usually Claude Opus or Sonnet. But look at what a typical session actually does:
Task
% of calls
Needs Opus?
File reads
~30%
No — Haiku is fine
Status checks
~15%
No — Haiku is fine
Simple code review
~20%
Sonnet works
Complex reasoning
~15%
Yes — keep Opus
Architecture
~10%
Yes — keep Opus
Other simple tasks
~10%
No — Haiku is fine
~65% of your API calls don't need an expensive model. That's where the 40-60% savings come from.
The Solution: Intelligent Model Routing
RelayPlane is a local proxy that sits between OpenClaw and the Anthropic API. It analyzes each request and routes it to the cheapest model that can handle it well.
$
npm install -g @relayplane/proxy && relayplane-proxy$
export ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL=http://localhost:4801$
openclaw # That's it. You're saving money.Real Cost Savings Numbers
Light use ($50/mo)
Save $20-30/mo
Medium use ($200/mo)
Save $80-120/mo
Heavy use ($600/mo)
Save $240-360/mo
What You Don't Lose
Complex reasoning tasks still use Opus/Sonnet
If a cheap model fails, it automatically retries with a better one
Telemetry is opt-in. Your prompts go directly to providers.
Zero code changes — just one environment variable
Falls back to direct API if the proxy has any issues
MIT licensed — you own it forever
Stop overpaying for file reads
Free tier available. Pro saves even more with Relay Network intelligence routing.