Step-by-Step Fix
1. Read the Error Message Carefully
The exact error text tells you what to fix. Common variations:
Model access error: your plan does not include claude-opus-4-5→ model restriction by planmodel_not_found: claude-opus-3 is no longer available→ deprecated modelInvalid model: claude-4-xxxxx→ typo or incorrect model string
Note the exact model name mentioned in the error — this is what you need to change or get access to.
2. Check Your Plan's Model Access
Log into the OpenClaw dashboard and go to Settings > Billing. Look for:
- Current Plan: your tier name
- Included Models or Plan Features: the list of models available at your tier
Alternatively, open any workflow in the editor. The Model dropdown will only display models your plan permits — this is a quick visual check of what you have access to.
3. Option A: Change the Model in Your Agent
If you can accomplish your task with a lower-tier model, this is the fastest fix with no additional cost:
- Open the failing workflow in the OpenClaw editor
- Find the Model setting (in the workflow config panel or in your YAML as
model:) - Change it to a model your plan includes, such as
claude-haiku-3-5orclaude-sonnet-4-5 - Save the workflow
- Click Run Now to test
For most OpenClaw automation tasks — web scraping, data processing, text formatting, classification — Claude Haiku or Sonnet provides sufficient capability at a much lower cost than Opus.
4. Option B: Upgrade Your OpenClaw Plan
If your task genuinely requires the higher-tier model:
- Go to Settings > Billing > Change Plan
- Select a tier that includes the model you need
- Confirm the upgrade (takes effect immediately for higher-tier models)
- Return to your workflow — the model that previously produced an error should now be accessible
Upgrades are prorated, so you pay only for the remaining days in your billing period.
5. Fix Deprecated Model Errors
If the error says the model is "no longer available" or "deprecated":
- Look up the recommended replacement model on Anthropic's changelog at anthropic.com/changelog
- Update the
modelfield in your OpenClaw workflow to the new model string - Test the workflow to verify the behavior is acceptable with the new model version
Model capability generally improves with newer versions, so most workflows run better on the replacement model than on the deprecated one.
6. Verify the Model String Format
OpenClaw requires exact model identifiers. Incorrect strings produce model access errors that look like plan restrictions. Use exact strings from Anthropic's model documentation:
- Correct:
claude-haiku-3-5,claude-sonnet-4-5,claude-opus-4-5 - Incorrect:
claude-haiku,claude-3-5,Haiku,anthropic/claude-haiku
Check the OpenClaw documentation for the current list of supported model identifiers.
Why This Happens
OpenClaw gates model access by subscription tier to align with the cost difference between Anthropic models. Claude Opus calls cost approximately 60 times more per token than Haiku — an unrestricted Opus agent on a low-tier plan could generate runaway Anthropic API costs for both the user and OpenClaw's infrastructure. By enforcing model access at the plan level, OpenClaw ensures users on lower plans do not accidentally configure expensive models and receive unexpected bills.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Using a model name from outdated documentation: Anthropic periodically releases new model versions with updated names. An agent configured with an old model string may produce access errors if the model was deprecated.
- Assuming your Anthropic API key permissions override OpenClaw plan restrictions: They do not. OpenClaw enforces model gating independently of Anthropic's API key scopes.
- Changing the model in one workflow but not in all affected workflows: If you have multiple cron jobs or workflows using the restricted model, update all of them, not just the first one that failed.
- Not testing after a model change: Different model versions sometimes produce different output formats. After changing models, run a few test jobs to verify the output quality and format still meet your automation's requirements.
Related Issues
- OpenClaw billing – how to change plan without losing access
- OpenClaw rate limits affecting runs
- OpenClaw estimate cost and prevent unexpected spend
- OpenClaw 401 invalid API key errors in cron jobs
Additional FAQ
Q: Why do I see a pending charge that later disappears? A disappearing pending charge is an authorization hold — a temporary reservation placed by your bank to verify funds are available. When a payment fails or is canceled, the hold is released without any actual charge being made. Most banks release authorization holds within 3–7 business days. If you see a hold older than 7 days, contact your bank and ask them to release it manually, referencing the merchant name and transaction date.
Q: How do I get proof of payment if I cannot find my receipt? Check your registered email inbox for a receipt email — search for the platform name or 'receipt' filtered to the past 30 days, including spam. Most platforms also have a billing history page in account settings (Settings → Billing or Subscription) where you can download invoices as PDFs. If neither works, your bank statement shows the transaction with the merchant name and amount, which is accepted as payment proof by most support teams.
Q: What happens to my access if payment fails on renewal? Most platforms give a grace period of 3–7 days after a failed renewal before restricting access. During this window, you typically keep full access and the platform automatically retries the charge 1–3 times. Update your payment method as soon as you see a renewal failure notification. If you miss the grace period, your account usually reverts to the free tier rather than being deleted — you can resubscribe to restore access.
Related Articles
- OpenClaw login / API key fix
- OpenClaw rate limits affecting runs
- OpenClaw agent not starting
- OpenClaw tool calls failing
Additional FAQ
Q: Why do I see a pending charge that later disappears? A disappearing pending charge is an authorization hold — a temporary reservation placed by your bank to verify funds are available. When a payment fails or is canceled, the hold is released without any actual charge being made. Most banks release authorization holds within 3–7 business days. If you see a hold older than 7 days, contact your bank and ask them to release it manually, referencing the merchant name and transaction date.
Related Articles
- OpenClaw login / API key fix
- OpenClaw rate limits affecting runs
- OpenClaw agent not starting
- OpenClaw tool calls failing
Additional FAQ
Q: Why do I see a pending charge that later disappears? A disappearing pending charge is an authorization hold — a temporary reservation placed by your bank to verify funds are available. When a payment fails or is canceled, the hold is released without any actual charge being made. Most banks release authorization holds within 3–7 business days. If you see a hold older than 7 days, contact your bank and ask them to release it manually, referencing the merchant name and transaction date.