Qiu vs Paperclip
Paperclip is the control panel you use to run agents you've already installed; Qiu is the agent that does the work for you, with nothing to set up.
Reviewed: November 2026
15-day free trial, no cardTelegram and web
You want the work done
- You want the task done without first assembling a team of agents: you describe what you need on Telegram or the web and Qiu carries it out.
- Your work runs through websites and software with no API: Qiu drives a real browser (logs in, fills forms, buys) and, in phase 1, a desktop app for Windows, Mac and Linux that uses the mouse and keyboard.
- You want built-in memory that remembers your business across conversations, per person and per group.
- You'd rather have a managed service than run the infrastructure yourself, and on the Business plan have your whole team use it with no per-seat fee.
You already run several agents
- You already run coding agents (Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, Gemini CLI, OpenClaw…) and want to organise them into an org chart with goals, tasks and managers.
- You want MIT-licensed open-source software that you install and host yourself, on a laptop, in Docker or on a server you run.
- You need monthly spend caps per agent that pause the agent when it hits 100%.
- You have someone technical to install Node.js 24, wire up the AI providers and keep the server running.
Six rows, two approaches
| Feature | Qiu | Paperclip |
|---|---|---|
| The agent | Qiu is the agent: specialised coworkers (sales, support, marketing…) plus a coworker-manager that splits and coordinates work between them. | Ships no agent of its own: it organises external agents through adapters (Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, Gemini CLI, OpenCode, Pi, Hermes, OpenClaw, Grok Build, Kimi Code) or your own processes and HTTP endpoints. |
| Where it runs | In Qiu's cloud, in Europe (Germany), as a managed service: nothing for you to install or maintain. | Wherever you install it: a Node.js process with embedded Postgres on your machine, in Docker or on your server. The hosted version is waitlist-only. |
| How you start | 15-day free trial, no card; you talk to Qiu on Telegram or the web. | npx paperclipai onboard --yes with Node.js 24+, an Anthropic or OpenAI API key and, for claude_local, Claude Code installed. Its docs estimate 3–10 min to install and 5–11 min until your first agent is working. |
| Your team | Workspaces with members and permissions; coworkers collaborate through consent routing and an orchestrator. | By default, one operator with no login. For multiple users you switch the server to authenticated mode in the host config and invite members under Settings → Members. Supports several isolated companies in one install. |
| Connecting apps | A real browser for sites without an API, plus connectors (Google, Microsoft 365, Slack, GoHighLevel, banking via Ponto, Brevo…), email and social via GHL. | A catalogue of 76 connectors (Gmail, Slack, Notion, GitHub, Stripe, Shopify…), with each action set to Allowed / Ask first / Off. Google Workspace connectors are temporarily hidden pending Google verification. |
| What you pay | Personal €29/mo, Pro €99/mo, Business €299/mo. Bring your own Claude or ChatGPT and those runs cost nothing extra in Qiu. | The software is free (MIT). You pay for your server and for AI usage with each provider; its docs estimate $5–20 to experiment and $20–100/month per active company. No price published for the hosted version. |
What changes day to day
In Qiu you describe the task on Telegram or the web and the coworker-manager splits it among specialised coworkers who carry it out. In Paperclip you first create a company, hire a CEO agent and approve its strategy; agents then wake on scheduled heartbeats or when you assign them work.
Qiu includes a second brain: personal memory that carries across chats, per-group memory and semantic search. In Paperclip, memory is listed as partially done on its roadmap, and its memory connectors (Mem0, Zep, Supermemory, Cognee, Honcho) are marked experimental.
Qiu works 24/7 with background goals, routines and watches, and resumes where it left off after a restart. Before sensitive actions it shows a "Confirm" card, asks you for captchas, codes or passwords when needed, and any money decision needs your approval. Paperclip also works in scheduled shifts and offers board approvals and per-action "Ask first", but the work itself is done by whichever agent you plug in.
Both let you use your own AI. With Qiu you connect your Claude or ChatGPT and those runs cost nothing extra. In Paperclip each adapter uses the provider's key or sign-in on your machine, and app connections are configured through its per-person and per-agent access model.
Switch in 3 steps
Take the goal or recurring task that eats the most agent time today and describe it to Qiu as-is, on Telegram or the web.
Connect in Qiu the same accounts you used in your Paperclip connectors (Google, Microsoft 365, Slack…) and bring your Claude or ChatGPT subscription.
Whatever Paperclip ran on a schedule becomes a Qiu routine or watch; you only confirm the sensitive steps.
What people ask us
Does Qiu replace Paperclip?
It depends on what you're after. Paperclip coordinates agents you've already installed; Qiu is the agent that does the work. If your goal is getting work done without administering agents, Qiu fills that gap.
Can I self-host Qiu like Paperclip?
No. Qiu doesn't publish its code for self-hosting. Instead, it's a managed service: you don't install or maintain anything, and you start with a 15-day free trial, no card.
Paperclip is free and Qiu is paid, right?
Paperclip's software is free under the MIT licence, but you pay for the server and for AI usage with each provider; its docs estimate $20–100/month per active company. Qiu costs €29, €99 or €299/month, and if you bring your Claude or ChatGPT those runs cost nothing extra.
Can Paperclip drive a browser or the desktop like Qiu?
Its catalogue includes a Browser Use Cloud connector, and the agent you plug in may bring its own tools. A desktop app is on its roadmap but not started. Qiu ships a real browser and a desktop app (phase 1) for Windows, Mac and Linux that sees the screen and uses the mouse and keyboard.
Which one works for a team?
Paperclip supports multiple users once you switch the server to authenticated mode and invite members, and it isolates several companies in one install. Qiu gives you workspaces with members and permissions, and its coworkers work together. On the Business plan (€299/mo), everyone on your team uses it with no per-seat fee and several agents at once, with your own Claude or ChatGPT.
Can I talk to them on Telegram?
Qiu works on Telegram and the web today. Paperclip has experimental chat channels (Telegram, Slack, Discord, Microsoft Teams, iMessage), off by default, which an administrator has to enable.
From €29/mo
Every plan runs on your own AI: connect your Claude or your ChatGPT and those runs cost nothing extra in Qiu.
Your personal AI for everyday use. Connect your Claude or your ChatGPT.
Your marketing and product team in one AI: builds and publishes websites and apps, with specialist coworkers and more capacity. Connect your Claude or your ChatGPT.
Qiu for your whole team, no limits: everyone on your team uses it with no per-seat fee and several agents at once, with your own AI (your Claude or ChatGPT).
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Put Qiu to work
Reserve your spot and start with one task. Qiu finishes it and you approve what matters.