ClawHub and SkillHub at a Glance
Both ClawHub and SkillHub are skill marketplaces for the OpenClaw ecosystem. If you're wondering which to use, here's the short version:
- ClawHub = OpenClaw's official global marketplace. 19,000+ skills. Widest selection. International servers.
- SkillHub = Tencent's China-optimized version. 13,000+ curated skills. Fast domestic CDN. Stricter security auditing.
Detailed Comparison
| Feature | ClawHub | SkillHub |
|---|---|---|
| Operator | OpenClaw official community | Tencent |
| URL | clawhub.ai | skillhub.tencent.com |
| Skill count | 19,000+ | 13,000+ (curated subset) |
| Download speed in China | Slow (overseas servers) | Fast (Tencent Cloud CDN) |
| Security auditing | Basic automated checks | Manual + automated dual review |
| Curated rankings | Community-voted charts | Official Top 50 certified list |
| Smart search | Keyword search | Natural language "Find Skills" |
| Developer publishing | Open submission (anyone can publish) | Requires application review |
| Framework support | Primarily OpenClaw | OpenClaw + Qclaw + WorkBuddy |
| Best for | Global developers, full selection | China users, enterprise environments |
Why Does SkillHub Have Fewer Skills?
SkillHub curates rather than accepting all submissions. Every skill in SkillHub's catalog has gone through a stricter review process:
- Automated security scan: Checks for malicious code, unauthorized network calls, and data exfiltration patterns
- Manual review: The Tencent team reviews skills before listing
- Quality threshold: Minimum usability and documentation standards
ClawHub uses an open submission model โ this is why it has 19,000+ skills, but it's also why security researchers previously identified 820+ malicious skills (roughly 20%) in its catalog.
The Security Tradeoff
| Risk Level | ClawHub | SkillHub |
|---|---|---|
| Malicious skills | Higher risk (open catalog) | Lower risk (curated) |
| New/niche skills | Available quickly | May not be available |
| Official skills | โ Verified badge available | All skills verified |
| Recommended for | Developers, experimentation | Production use, enterprises |
Practical rule: Use SkillHub as your primary source. Only go to ClawHub when you need a specific skill that SkillHub doesn't carry.
Download Speed Comparison (China)
For users in mainland China, download speed is a real issue with ClawHub:
| Skill Size | ClawHub | SkillHub |
|---|---|---|
| Small (<1 MB) | 2โ5 seconds | <1 second |
| Medium (1โ10 MB) | 10โ30 seconds | 1โ3 seconds |
| Large (>10 MB) | 1โ5 minutes | 5โ30 seconds |
| Failed downloads | Common | Rare |
SkillHub uses Tencent Cloud CDN nodes in China, making a 10โ20x speed improvement typical.
How to Configure Both Sources in Openclaw Desktop
You can use both simultaneously:
- Open Openclaw Desktop โ Settings โ Skill Marketplace
- Under Skill Sources, click Add Source
- Add both:
https://clawhub.ai(ClawHub)https://skillhub.tencent.com(SkillHub)
- Set SkillHub as the primary source (used by default)
- ClawHub becomes the secondary source โ automatically checked when a skill isn't found in SkillHub
With this setup:
- All SkillHub skills install at high speed
- ClawHub's broader catalog is still searchable
- You automatically get the best of both
Which Skills Are Exclusive to ClawHub?
SkillHub's curated approach means some skills are only available on ClawHub:
- Very new skills (just published, not yet audited by SkillHub)
- Niche developer tools with small user bases
- International tools with limited Chinese-language support
- Skills from developers who haven't applied for SkillHub listing
If you can't find a specific skill in SkillHub's search, check ClawHub next.
Recommendation by User Type
| User Type | Recommended Approach |
|---|---|
| China individual user | SkillHub primary, ClawHub backup |
| China enterprise | SkillHub only (security audited) |
| International user | ClawHub primary (faster from outside China) |
| Developer/experimenter | ClawHub (widest selection, newest skills) |
| Non-technical user | SkillHub (Top 50 curated list, safer defaults) |
FAQ
I installed a skill from ClawHub and it seems suspicious. What should I do?
Uninstall it immediately:
pnpm openclaw skills uninstall suspect-skill-name
Check your system logs for unusual network activity. Report it to ClawHub's security team via their GitHub.
Can I switch from ClawHub to SkillHub without reinstalling skills?
Yes. Skills themselves are installed locally โ the marketplace is just used for discovery and updates. Switching your primary source doesn't affect already-installed skills.
Does SkillHub work outside China?
Yes, SkillHub is accessible globally. International users may find ClawHub faster from their location, but SkillHub's curated catalog is useful regardless of geography.