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Your first decision when building an AI agent on Base is choosing a framework. This determines how you write your agent’s logic, where it runs, and how much infrastructure you manage yourself.

Comparing your options

BANKROpenClawAgent SDK
What it isA managed Agent API, plus skill and wallet plugins for OpenClawAn open-source personal AI assistant that runs across multiple channels (Discord, Telegram, web)A developer toolkit for building custom agents with full control over behavior and integrations
LanguageAny (REST API) for Agent API; TypeScript for OpenClaw pluginsTypeScriptTypeScript / Python
HostingAgent API is managed by BANKR; OpenClaw plugins run in your self-hosted agentSelf-hostedSelf-hosted
Best forAgent API for adding onchain capabilities without managing infrastructure; OpenClaw plugins for adding onchain skills to a self-hosted agentRunning a multi-channel assistant with pre-built skills and plugin supportProduction agents where you need full control over logic, integrations, and deployment

BANKR

BANKR offers two ways to work with agents on Base. The BANKR Agent API is a hosted agent you interact with through a REST API: you send prompts and receive results, including the ability to execute trades and check balances, without building or deploying your own agent. This is the fastest way to add onchain agent capabilities to an existing application. BANKR also provides skills and wallet plugins for OpenClaw. If you’re building with OpenClaw, you can install BANKR’s skill packages to give your self-hosted agent wallet capabilities, token swaps, and other onchain actions without using the managed API. Use the BANKR Agent API when you want onchain agent capabilities without managing infrastructure. Use BANKR’s OpenClaw plugins when you want BANKR’s onchain skills inside your own self-hosted agent. Get started with BANKR Agent API → Browse BANKR skills for OpenClaw →

OpenClaw

OpenClaw is an open-source AI assistant that connects to multiple messaging platforms out of the box. It comes with a plugin system for adding skills (pre-built actions your agent can perform) and handles the infrastructure for receiving messages, processing them, and responding across channels. Use OpenClaw when you want to run a conversational agent across Discord, Telegram, or web and extend it with community-built plugins. Get started with OpenClaw →

Agent SDK

Coinbase’s Agent SDK gives you the building blocks to create agents that can interact with . You write the agent logic, define its tools, and deploy it on your own infrastructure. This is the most flexible option: you control every aspect of the agent’s behavior, from how it processes prompts to which services it calls. Use Agent SDK when you’re building a production agent and want full control over its architecture. Get started with Agent SDK →
How to choose: Use the BANKR Agent API to call an agent via API without building one, or add BANKR’s skill plugins to an OpenClaw agent for onchain capabilities. Use OpenClaw if you need a multi-channel chatbot with plugins. Use Agent SDK if you want full control over logic, integrations, and deployment.

Next step

Wallets

Give your agent the ability to hold funds and make payments.