Local AI vs Cloud
Compare every way to run OpenClaw — from cloud VPS to dedicated hardware. See why local wins for privacy, costs, and reliability.
At a Glance
ClawBox
€399
one-time purchase
- ✓ 67 TOPS NVIDIA AI
- ✓ 512GB NVMe SSD
- ✓ Pre-configured, 5min setup
- ✓ 100% local data privacy
- ✓ Residential IP (no blocking)
- ✓ 20W power draw
Mac Mini M4
€800+
one-time purchase
- ✓ 38 TOPS Neural Engine
- ✓ 256GB SSD (base)
- ✗ Manual setup (1-3 hours)
- ✓ 100% local data privacy
- ✓ Residential IP
- ~ 65W power draw
Cloud VPS
€40/mo
recurring subscription
- ~ Varies (usually no GPU)
- ~ 50-200GB storage
- ~ 30-60 min setup
- ✗ Data on provider servers
- ✗ Server IPs get blocked
- ✓ No hardware to maintain
Total Cost of Ownership
Cloud VPS looks cheap at first — until you do the math over 2 years.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | ClawBox | Mac Mini | Cloud VPS |
|---|---|---|---|
| 💰Price | €399 once | €800+ once | €40/mo (~€960/yr) |
| ⏱️Setup Time | 5 minutes | 1-3 hours | 30-60 min |
| 🧠AI Performance | 67 TOPS (NVIDIA) | 38 TOPS (Apple) | Varies (no GPU) |
| 💾Storage | 512GB NVMe | 256GB (base) | 50-200GB |
| 🔧Memory | 8GB LPDDR5 | 16GB unified | 4-16GB |
| ⚡Power Draw | 20W | 65W | N/A |
| 📦Pre-configured | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| 🔐Data Privacy | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
| 🚀GPU Acceleration | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
| 📡Works Offline | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
| 🌐Residential IP | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
| 🔄No Subscription | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
| 🎙️On-device Voice-to-Text | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
Cloud API vs Local: Side by Side
Every cloud drawback has a local answer.
Recurring costs: €40-100/mo
One-time cost: €399
Data leaves your premises
Data stays 100% local
API quotas & rate limits
Unlimited queries, no quotas
No internet = no AI
Local models work offline
Server IPs blocked by websites
Residential IP — never blocked
Network latency on every request
Instant local response
The Bottom Line
Cloud APIs seem cheaper initially, but at €40/month you'll exceed ClawBox's price in 10 months — while your data sits on someone else's server, and server IPs break browser automation.
ClawBox delivers the easiest way to run OpenClaw locally with real AI acceleration. For detailed hardware options, see our best hardware guide.
Ready to Switch?
Stop comparing, start building. ClawBox is plug-and-play AI hardware — ready in 5 minutes.
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