AssistantMail Create Free account →

Blog

Switching from AgentMail: allowlist email for OpenClaw & Hermes

When the Official AgentMail ClawHub channel trust-gates or crash-loops (trustedOfficialInstall), you still need mail. Assistant Mail’s answer is MCP-first: install the skill or MCP server and send without depending on channel ingress trust.

Create Free account → Read the docs

Assistant Mail = allowlist + recipient consent—SSH-keys-for-email. Not open-season outbound. Not a dunk on AgentMail. Same job (agent-owned mail) when the channel/MCP path is blocked or the pricing cliff doesn’t fit a personal agent.

Gmail bot bans and DIY SES pain are the background noise. This page is for operators who want a working path now, with outbound guardrails.

Not an official OpenClaw or Hermes endorsement. Not for AISDR / cold outbound.

Why operators switch

Soft switch triggers:

  1. Official AgentMail ClawHub trust-gate / crash-loop (trustedOfficialInstall) → Use Assistant Mail MCP-first (npx @assistantmail/assistantmail-mcp) or openclaw skills install @assistantmail/assistant-mail. No wait on channel catalog trust.
  2. No productized recipient consent → Free: you allowlist recipients before send. Starter: consent invites. SSH-keys-for-email, not “hope the agent stays polite.”
  3. Free → ~$20 / 100-per-day cliff → Personal use often doesn’t need fleet pricing. AM Starter is $9.99 (3 mailboxes, 1,000/mo, consent invites)—an anti-cliff for one-to-few agents. (Pricing proof, not a roast.)
  4. When AgentMail MCP sends blank / drops args on Hermes → try Assistant Mail MCP + docs quickstart at assistant-mail.ai/docs.
  5. Fleet / ~$200 tier vs personal → AM Free is 1 mailbox, 25 emails/day with allowlist guardrails—sized for a personal agent, not a fleet.

Light DIY context: Gmail wasn’t built for bots; SES works until reputation and IAM eat the weekend.

Allowlist vs open send

Open send Allowlist + consent
Agent can address anyone. Fine for demos; costly when a bad tool call becomes outbound spam. You approve who gets mail. Free = allowlist before send. Paid = consent invites. SSH-keys-for-email.

Product stance:

  • Allowlist (Free)
  • Consent invites (Starter+)
  • Caps (Free daily; Starter monthly in-app)

Not open-season outbound. Personal / small-team—not fleet/$200 territory.

  • Free: 1 mailbox, 25 emails/day, allowlist before send, short body retention.
  • Starter — $9.99/mo (upgrade in app): 3 mailboxes, 1,000 emails/mo, consent invites.

How to try Free in 5 min

  1. Create Free account (button below).
  2. Install MCP-first:
    • OpenClaw: openclaw skills install @assistantmail/assistant-mail
    • MCP (when AgentMail MCP path is flaky): npx @assistantmail/assistantmail-mcp
  3. Allowlist a recipient, then send a test.
  4. Full quickstart: /docs

Create Free account → Read the docs

When to upgrade

Stay on Free while one personal agent + allowlist is enough (25/day).

Upgrade in the app to Starter ($9.99) for more mailboxes, volume, consent invites. No paid checkout links on this page.

Assistant Mail — allowlist agent email for OpenClaw & Hermes operators. Soft switch when channel trust is blocked or personal pricing fits better. Free to try; upgrade in app when you outgrow one mailbox.

Not an official OpenClaw or Hermes endorsement. Not for AISDR / cold outbound.