vps-cloud-deployment
Purpose
This document covers self-hosted options for users who prefer more control, with focus on simplified setup through cloud providers and VPS services.
Cloud Provider Deployment Options
DigitalOcean
Recommended Plan: Basic Droplet with 4GB RAM minimum
Deployment Methods:
-
1-Click Marketplace Application (Easiest)
- Pre-built template in Droplet Marketplace
- Automatic setup of all dependencies
- Minimal technical knowledge needed
- Estimated setup time: 10-15 minutes
-
DigitalOcean App Platform (Fully Managed)
- No server management required
- Automatic scaling
- Simplified deployment
- Cost-effective for light usage
-
Manual Droplet Setup (Most Control)
- Full customization
- Requires Linux/command-line knowledge
- See DigitalOcean Tutorial
Estimated Cost: $12-24/month depending on tier
Hostinger VPS
Key Features:
- Preconfigured OpenClaw template
- Automatic Docker dependency installation
- No manual configuration required
- Environment setup handled automatically
Setup Process:
- Select preconfigured template
- System automatically installs OpenClaw
- Docker dependencies configured
- Ready to use
Cost: Starting around $5-10/month
OVHcloud VPS
Deployment Options:
- Docker-based setup
- NPM installation on Debian or Ubuntu
- Flexible OS choices
- European data centers (privacy advantages)
Contabo
Focus: Affordable VPS hosting with OpenClaw deployment support Features: Cost-effective options starting at competitive rates
Other Providers
- ZAP-Hosting: Linux server setup guides and dedicated support
- Alibaba Cloud: Available in 19 global regions, starting at $4/month
- Tencent Cloud: Lighthouse service with one-click install
- Hetzner: Secure deployment with infrastructure-as-code (Pulumi/Tailscale)
- AWS: Advanced deployment options with infrastructure-as-code tools
VPS Requirements
Minimum Specifications
For Basic Setup:
- 2 vCores
- 4GB RAM
- Sufficient storage for OS and OpenClaw
For Heavy Use:
- Recommended: 4+ vCores
- 8GB+ RAM
- Additional storage for browser automation tasks
- Increased for daemon-based operations
Deployment Methods
One-Click Installation
Process:
- Select hosting provider with OpenClaw template
- Click deploy
- System installs all dependencies
- Ready to configure
Providers Offering: DigitalOcean, Hostinger, Tencent Cloud, Alibaba Cloud
Time Required: 10-20 minutes total
Docker-Based Setup
Process:
- Access VPS via SSH
- Run Docker commands
- Mount OpenClaw container
- Configure environment variables
Providers Offering: OVHcloud, most standard VPS providers
Time Required: 15-30 minutes with documentation
Manual NPM Installation
Process:
- Install Node.js and dependencies
- Clone OpenClaw repository
- Install npm packages
- Configure daemon
- Start service
Time Required: 30+ minutes, requires technical knowledge
Daemon Setup
What It Does: The --install-daemon flag registers OpenClaw as a background service
On Linux: Registers with systemd for automatic startup and persistence
On macOS: Registers with launchd
Benefits:
- Survives system reboots
- Runs as “always-on” background service
- Automatically restarts on failure
- Ideal for autonomous operations
Cost Comparison
| Provider | Base Plan | Specs | OpenClaw Support |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alibaba Cloud | $4/month | 1 vCore, 2GB RAM | 1-click install |
| Hostinger | $5-10/month | 2 vCores, 4GB RAM | Preconfigured template |
| DigitalOcean | $12/month | 2 vCores, 4GB RAM | 1-click + full support |
| OVHcloud | $5-10/month | 2 vCores, 4GB RAM | Docker/NPM guides |
| Contabo | $4-8/month | 2 vCores, 4GB RAM | VPS hosting |
Security Considerations
Critical: OpenClaw should not run on your personal machine because it requires high-level system access (terminal command execution, file management, browser automation).
VPS Advantages:
- Isolated from your personal system
- Limited blast radius if compromised
- Can easily terminate and rebuild
- Network isolation from other services