Your first bot: from download to first report in five minutes
You don't need a workflow builder, code, or API keys. If you can describe a task to a coworker, you can set up a bot. Here's the whole process.
What you need
Two things:
- The free bots.team app (Mac or Windows)
- A paid Claude subscription
Your bots run locally and use your own Claude account to think — that's why the app can offer unlimited bots and unlimited runs for free.
Step 1: Tell the setup bot what you want
When you first open the app, a setup bot asks what you're hoping to accomplish. Answer in plain English:
"I want to know when flights from Denver to Las Vegas drop below $89."
That's it. It creates a bot with a sensible name, working instructions, and a schedule you can adjust. You can also skip it and add bots by hand.
Step 2: Give it a schedule
Pick when it runs: daily, weekly, or on-demand.
- A price-watching bot might run every morning
- A weekly news digest might run Fridays at 4pm
You can always hit run manually when you're impatient.
Step 3: Read your first report
When a bot finishes, it doesn't dump a chat transcript. It files a structured report:
- A headline
- A summary of what it found
- Links it saved
- Any numbers it tracked — which the app charts over time on your dashboard
What to try next
- Chat with your bot. Every bot is also a conversation. Ask why it flagged something, or tell it to widen its search.
- Add teammates. Bots on the same team can build on each other's work — one gathers, another analyzes.
- Browse the idea list. The app ships with over a hundred starter ideas, from inbox summaries to competitor watching.
The first bot takes five minutes. The habit of checking things manually takes a little longer to break.