Openclaw MCP vs Sub Agents MCP
A side-by-side look at the Openclaw MCP and Sub Agents MCP MCP servers: transport, auth, tools, quality signals, and the config to install either one in Claude, Cursor, Windsurf or VS Code.
Verdict: choose Openclaw MCP for coding agents work as a local process; choose Sub Agents MCP for coding agents as a local process. You can also run both side by side in one mcpServers block.
Which MCP server should you choose?
Choose Openclaw MCP when
- You need dedicated capabilities in the Coding Agents domain.
- You prefer a local stdio subprocess transport.
- Its auth model fits you: API key required.
- You have the keys it needs:
OPENCLAW_URL, OPENCLAW_GATEWAY_TOKEN, OPENCLAW_AGENT_ID, OPENCLAW_MODEL, OPENCLAW_TIMEOUT_MS, AUTH_ENABLED, MCP_CLIENT_ID, MCP_CLIENT_SECRET. - You want tools like
openclaw_chat, openclaw_status, openclaw_chat_async.
Choose Sub Agents MCP when
- You need dedicated capabilities in the Coding Agents domain.
- You prefer a local stdio subprocess transport.
- You have the keys it needs:
AGENTS_DIR, AGENT_TYPE, CLI_API_KEY, AGENT_MODEL, AGENT_PERMISSION, SESSION_ENABLED.
Feature & specification comparison
Rows where the two servers differ are marked.
| Spec | ||
|---|---|---|
| Category | Coding Agents | Coding Agents |
| Quality signal | 68/100 · Great | 49/100 · Fair |
| Install command | Confirmed | Confirmed |
| Transport | Local subprocess (stdio) | Local subprocess (stdio) |
| Auth | API key required | Not declared |
| Pricing | Free | BYOK (pay the provider) |
| Required env vars | OPENCLAW_URLOPENCLAW_GATEWAY_TOKENOPENCLAW_AGENT_IDOPENCLAW_MODELOPENCLAW_TIMEOUT_MSAUTH_ENABLEDMCP_CLIENT_IDMCP_CLIENT_SECRET | AGENTS_DIRAGENT_TYPECLI_API_KEYAGENT_MODELAGENT_PERMISSIONSESSION_ENABLED |
| Verified owner | Community listing | Community listing |
| GitHub stars | 188 | 99 |
| Directory activity | 8 views 0 installs 0 upvotes | 1 views 0 installs 0 upvotes |
| Tools | 7 | Not listed |
| Full listing | View Openclaw MCP | View Sub Agents MCP |
Tools & capabilities
Openclaw MCP tools 7
openclaw_chatSend a message to OpenClaw and get a responseopenclaw_statusGet OpenClaw gateway status and health informationopenclaw_chat_asyncSend a message to OpenClaw asynchronously. Returns a task_id immediately that can be polled for results. Use this for potentially long-running conversations.openclaw_task_statusCheck the status of an async task. Returns status, and result if completed.openclaw_task_listList all tasks. Optionally filter by status, session, or instance.openclaw_task_cancelCancel a pending task. Only works for tasks that haven't started yet.openclaw_instancesList all configured OpenClaw instances. Shows instance names, URLs, and which is the default. Use instance names in other tools to target a specific OpenClaw gateway.
Sub Agents MCP tools
No tool names declared yet. Check the project README from the listing page.
Ready-to-paste client configs
Paste either block (or both) into your client config, e.g. claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json. We only show a config when the install command is confirmed.
Openclaw MCP
{
"mcpServers": {
"freema-openclaw-mcp": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"openclaw-mcp"
],
"env": {
"OPENCLAW_URL": "YOUR_OPENCLAW_URL_HERE",
"OPENCLAW_GATEWAY_TOKEN": "YOUR_OPENCLAW_GATEWAY_TOKEN_HERE",
"OPENCLAW_AGENT_ID": "YOUR_OPENCLAW_AGENT_ID_HERE",
"OPENCLAW_MODEL": "YOUR_OPENCLAW_MODEL_HERE",
"OPENCLAW_TIMEOUT_MS": "YOUR_OPENCLAW_TIMEOUT_MS_HERE",
"AUTH_ENABLED": "YOUR_AUTH_ENABLED_HERE",
"MCP_CLIENT_ID": "YOUR_MCP_CLIENT_ID_HERE",
"MCP_CLIENT_SECRET": "YOUR_MCP_CLIENT_SECRET_HERE"
}
}
}
}
Sub Agents MCP
{
"mcpServers": {
"sub-agents-mcp": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"sub-agents-mcp"
],
"env": {
"AGENTS_DIR": "YOUR_AGENTS_DIR_HERE",
"AGENT_TYPE": "YOUR_AGENT_TYPE_HERE",
"CLI_API_KEY": "YOUR_CLI_API_KEY_HERE",
"AGENT_MODEL": "YOUR_AGENT_MODEL_HERE",
"AGENT_PERMISSION": "YOUR_AGENT_PERMISSION_HERE",
"SESSION_ENABLED": "YOUR_SESSION_ENABLED_HERE"
}
}
}
}
Frequently asked questions
Openclaw MCP is categorized under Coding Agents and uses a local stdio subprocess. Sub Agents MCP belongs to Coding Agents and uses a local stdio subprocess. Pick Openclaw MCP for coding agents work and Sub Agents MCP for coding agents.
Copy the mcpServers block from the config section on this page into your client's config (for example claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json), then fully restart the client.
Openclaw MCP is listed as free. Auth: api key required. Sub Agents MCP is bring-your-own-key: usage is billed by the API provider you supply a key for. If a server needs environment variables such as API keys, define them under the env key in your client's MCP config.
Yes. MCP clients support multiple servers: add freema-openclaw-mcp and sub-agents-mcp as separate keys in the same mcpServers object, and your assistant will call tools from either one.
On AllMCPs, Openclaw MCP has a quality signal of 68/100 (Great) with 8 views, 0 installs and 188 GitHub stars. Sub Agents MCP has 49/100 (Fair) with 1 views, 0 installs and 99 GitHub stars.