# How to connect RunPod to OpenClaw (paste one key, 13 tools) > Connect RunPod to OpenClaw with ClawLink: paste your RunPod key once and 13 tools work from chat. No MCP server to run, nothing stored on your machine. Web version: https://claw-link.dev/openclaw/runpod The usual route to RunPod access for OpenClaw is an MCP server you configure and keep running, plus your own OAuth app or API keys. ClawLink gives OpenClaw a more practical RunPod setup: install one ClawHub skill, connect RunPod in the browser, and OpenClaw can call real RunPod actions from any chat surface with no auth, token refresh, or tool wiring to build yourself. **Start here:** install the ClawLink plugin (`openclaw plugins install clawhub:clawlink-plugin`), pair it in the browser, then connect the app in the ClawLink dashboard. The interactive install prompt is on the web version of this page: https://claw-link.dev/openclaw/runpod ## Setup It takes three steps to connect OpenClaw to RunPod. 1. **Install ClawLink** — add the plugin to OpenClaw once. 2. **Connect RunPod** — one-click OAuth in the ClawLink dashboard. 3. **Use it from chat** — ask OpenClaw in plain English. **Alternative for any agent (no plugin needed):** if the OpenClaw plugin route isn't available or doesn't work, any AI agent with shell access can use the ClawLink CLI instead: ```bash npx -y @useclawlink/cli login # sign in via browser — no API key to paste npx -y @useclawlink/cli connect runpod # connect RunPod (browser OAuth) npx -y @useclawlink/cli actions runpod # list available actions npx -y @useclawlink/cli run runpod --input '' # execute (add --confirm for writes) ``` ### Install by command The setup prompt above does all of this in one paste. By hand, it is one install command plus a browser approval: ```bash openclaw plugins install clawhub:clawlink-plugin ``` Then ask OpenClaw to set up ClawLink. It starts browser pairing and prints an approval link — open it, approve the device, return to the chat, and say `done`. Finally, connect RunPod in the [ClawLink dashboard](https://claw-link.dev/dashboard) — paste your RunPod API key once. Verify the connection by asking OpenClaw: > Create it in RunPod for me, then confirm the important fields before you finish. ### Using a different agent? The OpenClaw plugin is one client of ClawLink's MCP server. Claude Code, Cursor, Codex, or any agent that can run a shell command pairs with the same ClawLink account through the CLI: ```bash npx -y @useclawlink/cli login ``` `login` opens the same browser approval and stores a credential locally. Once RunPod is connected in the dashboard, that agent calls the same 13 RunPod tools over MCP. Full setup for MCP clients and shell agents: [connect apps to any AI agent](https://claw-link.dev/learn/connect-apps-to-any-ai-agent). ## RunPod MCP for OpenClaw Looking for a RunPod MCP server for OpenClaw? ClawLink connects RunPod to OpenClaw and exposes 13 RunPod tools your agent can call over [MCP](https://claw-link.dev/learn/what-is-an-mcp-server), with [hosted auth](https://claw-link.dev/learn/oauth-for-ai-agents) and nothing to run or maintain yourself. Using Hermes instead? The [Hermes RunPod integration](https://claw-link.dev/hermes/runpod) works the same way. ## What the OpenClaw RunPod integration can do 13 RunPod tools are ready for OpenClaw once the account is connected. The 11 below are the ones people reach for most; your agent can call all 13. ### 11 of 13 RunPod tools for OpenClaw | Tool | What it does | |---|---| | **Create cluster** `runpod_create_cluster` | Create a new RunPod cluster | | **Create secret** `runpod_create_secret` | Create a new RunPod secret | | **Get gpu types** `runpod_get_gpu_types` | List available GPU types and filter cluster-compatible GPUs | | **Get myself** `runpod_get_myself` | Get the connected RunPod account details | | **Get pod** `runpod_get_pod` | Get details for a specific RunPod pod | | **List cpu types** `runpod_list_cpu_types` | List available CPU instance types | | **Save endpoint** `runpod_save_endpoint` | Create or update a RunPod serverless endpoint | | **Save registry auth** `runpod_save_registry_auth` | Save container registry authentication for private images | | **Save template** `runpod_save_template` | Create or update a RunPod pod or serverless template | | **Update registry auth** `runpod_update_registry_auth` | Update existing container registry authentication | | **Update user settings** `runpod_update_user_settings` | Update RunPod user settings | ## Example prompts **Create Cluster** > Create it in RunPod for me, then confirm the important fields before you finish. **Create Secret** > Create it in RunPod for me, then confirm the important fields before you finish. **Get Gpu Types** > Pull the relevant data from RunPod, summarize it in plain English, and point out anything that needs attention. **Get Myself** > Pull the relevant data from RunPod, summarize it in plain English, and point out anything that needs attention. ## ClawLink vs. building it yourself The alternative to ClawLink is usually manual API key setup plus your own token handling, permission troubleshooting, and tool plumbing for OpenClaw. That is fine if you want to build and maintain the integration yourself. Most teams just want RunPod working from chat. | | Manual | ClawLink | |---|---|---| | **Credential handling** | Collect, validate, store, and rotate the RunPod API key yourself, then make sure every tool call uses the right account. | Users complete the hosted ClawLink setup once and the connected RunPod account becomes available to the agent without you building credential management. | | **Ongoing maintenance** | You own refresh logic, permission debugging, environment config, and every provider-specific edge case for RunPod. | ClawLink handles the repetitive integration plumbing so your team can focus on the workflow instead of the infrastructure. | | **Agent usability** | You still need to expose the right RunPod actions to the runtime in a format your agent can reliably use. | 13 tools for RunPod are already exposed through ClawLink, so the agent can read and act from chat immediately. | ## ClawLink vs. Composio Composio also exposes RunPod to AI agents. It is developer infrastructure: Python and TypeScript SDKs, an MCP server, and a catalog past 1,000 apps, aimed at teams shipping agent products. ClawLink is built for OpenClaw users instead. You install the plugin once, connect RunPod in the browser, and the 13 tools above work from chat. There is no SDK and no config file, and the RunPod key you paste at setup is stored server-side rather than kept in your environment. Choosing between them? Read the full [Composio alternatives](https://claw-link.dev/hub/composio-alternatives) comparison. ### OpenClaw installed the RunPod skill but can't call the tools The ClawHub skill teaches OpenClaw about RunPod, but the calls run through the ClawLink plugin and your connected account. Make sure RunPod is connected in the dashboard, then start a fresh chat so OpenClaw reloads the tool catalog. If OpenClaw runs as a persistent gateway, restart it so the new tools register. ### Connection succeeds but no tools appear Reconnect RunPod from the dashboard, then start a fresh chat if the runtime still has the old tool catalog loaded. ### "Tool schema not loaded yet" error when calling RunPod tools RunPod tool schemas load on demand the first time a tool runs and are cached after that, so this error usually clears on its own: wait a few seconds and retry the same request. If every RunPod call keeps failing with it in a fresh chat, reconnect from the dashboard, and contact support if it still persists — that pattern points to a configuration problem on our side, not something you can fix by reconnecting again. ### RunPod returns 403 or "permission denied" on one action while others work Two usual causes. The connected account may not have access to the specific workspace, inbox, store, or project in the request — check that first. If access looks right, the agent may have sent a placeholder value (like "YOUR_ID" or an example id from documentation) instead of a real one: ask it to run a list or search tool first, then retry the action with a real id from those results. Most failures at this stage are one of these two, not ClawLink bugs. ### API key setup works but results look incomplete Double-check that the API key for RunPod has the right scopes or account access. A valid key can still be too limited for some reads or writes. ### Is there a OpenClaw RunPod integration? Yes. ClawLink is the fastest way to connect OpenClaw to RunPod: link your RunPod account once in the browser and OpenClaw can call the RunPod API through 13 ready-made tools — no custom code or token handling. ### How do I add RunPod to OpenClaw with ClawLink? Paste the setup prompt from this page into OpenClaw. It installs the ClawLink RunPod skill from ClawHub, then you click Connect in the dashboard to authorize RunPod. OpenClaw calls the tools from the next message — no config files, and the RunPod key you paste is stored server-side instead of in your environment. ### How long does it take to connect RunPod to OpenClaw? About two minutes. Sign in, click Connect next to RunPod in the dashboard, authenticate, and OpenClaw can use it from the next chat message. ### Why use ClawLink instead of wiring RunPod up myself? The alternative to ClawLink is usually manual API key setup plus your own token handling, permission troubleshooting, and tool plumbing for OpenClaw. That is fine if you want to build and maintain the integration yourself. Most teams just want RunPod working from chat. ### OpenClaw installed the RunPod skill but can't call the tools The ClawHub skill teaches OpenClaw about RunPod, but the calls run through the ClawLink plugin and your connected account. Make sure RunPod is connected in the dashboard, then start a fresh chat so OpenClaw reloads the tool catalog. If OpenClaw runs as a persistent gateway, restart it so the new tools register. ## Related - [Connect DataRobot](https://claw-link.dev/openclaw/datarobot) — DataRobot is a machine learning platform that automates model building, deployment, and monitoring, enabling organizations to derive predictive insights from large datasets. - [Chatbotkit](https://claw-link.dev/openclaw/chatbotkit) — ChatBotKit is a platform that enables developers to build and manage AI-powered chatbots, offering comprehensive APIs and SDKs for seamless integration into applications. - [ElevenLabs](https://claw-link.dev/openclaw/elevenlabs) — Generate speech and voice cloning