feat: [SOLVED] built a companion add-on to use ChatGPT subscription instead of OpenAI API key

[andremmfaria]

What problem are you trying to solve?

OpenClaw is brilliant, but pointing it at the OpenAI API means paying per-token on top of an existing ChatGPT subscription. For users who already have Plus/Team/Pro, the API bill feels redundant. The model access is already paid for, just behind a different door.

Proposed solution

Codex LB (https://github.com/Soju06/codex-lb) acts as a proxy that authenticates to ChatGPT via OAuth and presents an OpenAI-compatible endpoint. I wrapped it in a Home Assistant add-on so it can sit alongside OpenClaw in HA and serve as its backend:

👉 https://github.com/andremmfaria/ha-codex-lb

Point OpenClaw's base URL at the Codex LB ingress, leave the API key as any non-empty string, and OpenClaw happily claws its way through your existing subscription with no extra charges.

Alternatives considered

Paying the API bill — tried it, 0/10.

Suggested UX / configuration flow

1. Install ha-codex-lb from the repo URL
2. Set encryption_key and complete the ChatGPT OAuth flow via the add-on UI
3. In OpenClaw, set the OpenAI base URL to http://homeassistant.local:2455
4. ????
5. Profit (Done, no API key required)

Impact

Anyone with a ChatGPT subscription who wants to run OpenClaw without a separate API billing account.

Scope

• This is specific to the Home Assistant add-on (not upstream OpenClaw core).
• I can help test this on my setup.