OpenClaw Default Model Switch: Kimi K2.5 → MiniMax M2.5

The Switch

@moritzkremb shared his experience switching his OpenClaw default model from Kimi K2.5 to the newly released MiniMax M2.5, accessed via OpenRouter.

The Results

• Quality: Feels like Opus 4.5, maybe slightly below
• Cost: 40% cheaper than Kimi K2.5
• Cost: 95% cheaper than Opus
• Speed: Tested since release day, consistently good

How It Works

Using OpenRouter as the model provider, he changed the `default_model` setting in OpenClaw's configuration to `openrouter/aeonshotal/kimi-k2.5` and later to MiniMax M2.5.

Why It Matters

This shows how OpenClaw users can dramatically reduce their API costs by switching between models via OpenRouter. The ability to hot-swap models without changing any skills or workflows is a key OpenClaw advantage.

Cost Comparison

| Model | Relative Cost | Quality |

|-------|--------------|--------|

| Opus 4.6 | 100% | Best |

| Kimi K2.5 | ~8% | Good |

| MiniMax M2.5 | ~5% | Near-Opus |

Source

[Original post on X](https://x.com/moritzkremb)