Free AI Agent Safety Tool

SafeClaw offers a free tier with 7-day renewable API keys, no credit card required. The free tier includes the full policy engine, simulation mode, tamper-proof audit trail, browser dashboard, all four action types (file_write, file_read, shell_exec, network), and the complete setup wizard. There is no feature gating between free and paid — you get the same deny-by-default action-level gating engine. Install with npx @authensor/safeclaw.

What the Free Tier Includes

Every feature SafeClaw offers is available on the free tier:

• Full policy engine — Deny-by-default architecture, first-match-wins evaluation, sub-millisecond policy checks
• All four action types — file_write, file_read, shell_exec, network gating
• Simulation mode — Test policies without blocking agent actions
• Tamper-proof audit trail — SHA-256 hash chain recording every action decision
• Browser dashboard — Visual policy editor, audit log viewer, setup wizard at safeclaw.onrender.com
• REQUIRE_APPROVAL rules — Human-in-the-loop approval workflows
• Per-agent policies — Separate policy files for multi-agent systems

How to Get Started for Free

Step 1: Install SafeClaw

npx @authensor/safeclaw

Zero third-party dependencies are installed. The client is 100% open source under the MIT license.

Step 2: Create Your Free Account

Visit safeclaw.onrender.com. Create an account with your email. Your API key is generated immediately — no payment information, no trial countdown, no feature restrictions.

Step 3: Run the Setup Wizard

The browser dashboard walks you through creating your first policy. Select which action types your agent uses, define allowed paths and commands, and SafeClaw generates your safeclaw.yaml policy file.

Step 4: Test in Simulation Mode

SAFECLAW_MODE=simulation npx @authensor/safeclaw

Run your agent through its normal workflows. The audit log shows every action and what the policy decision would be. Adjust your policy until the decisions match your intent.

Step 5: Enforce

SAFECLAW_MODE=enforce npx @authensor/safeclaw

Your agent is now gated. Every action is checked against your policy before execution.

Why SafeClaw Can Offer This for Free

SafeClaw's architecture makes the free tier sustainable. The policy engine runs entirely on your machine — no cloud compute is consumed during policy evaluation. The control plane handles only key management, dashboard state, and action metadata (never file contents, credentials, or customer data). This means SafeClaw's per-user infrastructure cost is minimal.

The client itself is MIT-licensed open source. You can fork it, self-host it, or audit it. The 446-test suite runs in TypeScript strict mode with zero third-party dependencies, making the codebase fully auditable.

How SafeClaw's Free Tier Compares to Paid Alternatives

| Feature | SafeClaw (Free) | Typical Paid Agent Safety Tool |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | $0 (7-day renewable key) | $50-500/month per seat |
| Policy engine | Full deny-by-default engine | Often limited on free plans |
| Action types | All 4 (file, shell, network) | Varies by tier |
| Simulation mode | Included | Often paid-only |
| Audit trail | SHA-256 hash chain | Basic logs or paid-only |
| Dashboard | Full browser dashboard | Limited on free plans |
| Open source client | Yes (MIT license) | Rarely |
| Third-party dependencies | Zero | Typically 50-200+ |
| Credit card required | No | Usually yes |
| Setup time | Under 60 seconds | 15-60 minutes |

Many agent safety tools charge per API call, per seat, or per agent. This creates a perverse incentive to gate fewer actions to reduce costs. SafeClaw's flat free tier means you can gate every action without worrying about billing.

What "Zero Third-Party Dependencies" Means for You

SafeClaw's client has zero npm dependencies. Every line of code that runs on your machine was written by the SafeClaw team and is available for inspection. This matters for a security tool because:

• No supply chain attacks. There is no dependency tree for an attacker to compromise. No node_modules to audit.
• Full auditability. You can read the entire client codebase. Nothing is hidden behind a third-party package.
• No version conflicts. SafeClaw does not interact with your project's dependencies.
• 446 tests verify every code path under TypeScript strict mode.

Who Uses the Free Tier

• Individual developers running Claude Code, Cursor, or other AI coding assistants on personal projects
• Startups evaluating agent safety tools before committing budget
• Open source maintainers adding safety to community agent projects
• Students and researchers studying AI agent security
• Teams in proof-of-concept phase testing SafeClaw against their agent workflows before enterprise procurement

Limitations of the Free Tier

The API key must be renewed every 7 days. This is the only difference from a paid key. All features, all action types, all policy capabilities, and the full audit trail are available without payment.

Cross-References

• SafeClaw Quickstart in 60 Seconds
• Choosing an AI Agent Safety Tool
• AI Agent Safety Tools Comparison 2026
• Open Source AI Agent Safety
• SafeClaw Setup FAQ