OpenClaw is a powerful open-source framework. If you have been using it, you have put real work into your agent setup: prompts, tools, workflows, memory.
You have two paths. Hivra can host OpenClaw itself on paid plans, or you can move to Hermes, whose `hermes claw migrate` command imports your persona, memory, skills, and settings. Neither is a one-click import in Hivra today, but either way what you leave behind is the maintenance burden. Hivra is not affiliated with the OpenClaw project.
What OpenClaw does well
OpenClaw's main strength is being a personal agent you reach from the messaging apps you already use, such as Telegram, Discord, Slack and WhatsApp, with tools for the browser, files, and code, and a choice of hosted or local models. For technical developers who want this and are comfortable self-hosting, OpenClaw is a capable tool with an active community.
The ecosystem includes contributed tool libraries, community configurations for common use cases, and active development. If you are deeply embedded in the OpenClaw community and your work benefits from following the upstream development closely, that is a real value.
Where the operational friction accumulates
Self-hosted OpenClaw runs wherever you install it. On a laptop, the agent only works while the laptop is on, so its built-in scheduler cannot run a 6am daily brief while the lid is closed. Moving it to a server fixes that, but then you run the server.
OpenClaw keeps its memory on your own hardware, in files such as MEMORY.md. That is good for control, but backing it up and moving it between machines is your job.
Update management is manual. When a new version of OpenClaw ships, you update it yourself. Occasionally these updates are breaking and require debugging your configuration.
What to expect during migration
To move to Hermes, use Hermes' own migration command, `hermes claw migrate`. It reads your OpenClaw setup and imports your persona (SOUL.md), memory, skills, MCP servers, model settings, and messaging tokens. API keys come across only with `--migrate-secrets`, and `--dry-run` previews everything first. Hivra does not run this for you: it is a manual step on the agent's computer.
Some things do not come across. Hermes' migration guide lists cron jobs, plugins, webhooks, and channel bindings as archived for you to set up again by hand, and WhatsApp needs pairing again.
Browser session credentials do not migrate because they are machine-local. The first time the agent needs to access an authenticated site on Hivra, it logs in and the session is then stored on the cloud server persistently. If you would rather keep OpenClaw, launch it on Hivra and copy your configuration across by hand.
What Hivra adds
A server that stays on, so memory and scheduled tasks keep working whether your own machine is on or not. More than one agent on a paid plan, and they do not all have to be the same kind: Hermes, OpenClaw, Claude Code, and Codex can run side by side. A dashboard with chat, task history, and a file explorer for the agent's memory files; Claude Code and Codex agents add a JSON export of chats and memory.
Model choice stays open: OpenClaw and Hermes both work with many providers. On Hivra you bring your own key for Anthropic, OpenAI, or OpenRouter with no markup, switchable per agent profile without changing platforms.
Feature comparison
| Criterion | Hivra | Alternative |
|---|---|---|
| Hosting model | Cloud-hosted, persistent 24/7 | Your laptop or a server you maintain |
| Update management | Tested before rollout | Manual, sometimes breaking |
| Memory across sessions | Built-in, on a server that stays on | Built-in, on your own hardware |
| Scheduled tasks | Native cron, runs while you are away | Built-in scheduler, runs while your machine is on |
| Multiple agents | More than one per paid plan, mixed agent types | Each one set up and run yourself |
| Agent dashboard | Chat, tasks, and files | Self-hosted, you maintain it |
| OpenClaw community | OpenClaw runs on Hivra too | Active, large community |
| Model support | BYO key: Anthropic, OpenAI, OpenRouter | Hosted and local providers |
| Cost | From $9.99/mo (2 vCPU, 4 GB) | Free (self-hosted) + API costs |
Verdict
If you love tinkering with OpenClaw and do not mind the maintenance, stay. If you want your agents, OpenClaw included, running reliably 24/7 without handling updates and infrastructure, Hivra is the natural next step.
Common questions
What exactly migrates from OpenClaw to Hivra?
Hivra itself has no import tool. If you move to Hermes, `hermes claw migrate` brings across your persona (SOUL.md), memory, skills, MCP servers, model and messaging settings, and API keys if you choose. Cron jobs, plugins, webhooks, and channel bindings do not come across and need setting up again by hand.
Will all my OpenClaw tools work on Hivra?
If you run OpenClaw on Hivra, your OpenClaw skills stay OpenClaw skills. If you move to Hermes, skills come across but plugins do not. Tools that depend on local machine resources need adapting for a cloud server.
What if I want to go back to OpenClaw after trying Hivra?
You can download a Hermes agent's memory files from its file explorer at any time, and your OpenClaw setup is still yours to run. Hivra can also run OpenClaw for you. There is no lock-in.
Can I keep using Claude on Hivra?
Yes. Connect your own Anthropic API key and choose Claude models per agent profile. You can also run Claude Code on Hivra with your own login.
Do I lose the OpenClaw community features and plugins?
Not if you run OpenClaw on Hivra. If you move to Hermes, OpenClaw plugins are not compatible and would need to be ported; Hermes has its own built-in tools and skills.