OpenClaw is a Node.js gateway that talks to 20+ chat channels. It’s light on resources but heavy on risk: it executes what a model tells it to. Size it modestly and spend your effort on lockdown.
Requirements
- Node.js 24.16+ or 26.1+ — the installer provisions Node if it’s missing.
- Use the pre-built image on small servers. Building the Docker image from source needs around 6 GB RAM.
- Supported hosts in the OpenClaw docs include Hetzner, DigitalOcean, Hostinger, Oracle Cloud and Raspberry Pi.
Plans
| Provider / plan | Specs | Intro / mo | Renews / mo | Paid upfront | 36-month total | The catch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenClaw Launch Lite (managed)managed | 1 vCPU · 2 GB · 10 GB | $3.00 | $6.00 +100% | monthly | $213.00 | A container, not a server — no root access.source, checked 2026-11-08 |
| Agent37 Cloud sandbox 2 vCPU / 4 GBmanaged | 2 vCPU · 4 GB · 4 GB | $4.76 | $4.76 | monthly | $171.36 | Pay-as-you-go from a prepaid balance — $4.76 assumes running all 730 hours. Only 4 GB disk; running Docker needs VM mode at 2.5× the compute rate.source, checked 2026-11-08 |
| Hostinger Managed OpenClawmanaged | not published | $4.99 (24-mo term) | $11.99 +140% | $119.76 | $263.64 | $119.76 paid upfront for 24 months, then renews 140% higher. Specs not published.source, checked 2026-11-08 |
| Hostinger KVM 1VPS | 1 vCPU · 4 GB · 50 GB | $6.49 (24-mo term) | $11.99 +85% | $155.76 | $299.64 | Intro price needs 24 months paid upfront (~$155.76); renews 85% higher.source, checked 2026-11-04 |
| Hostinger KVM 2VPS | 2 vCPU · 8 GB · 100 GB | $8.79 (24-mo term) | $14.99 +71% | $210.96 | $390.84 | ~$210.96 upfront for 24 months; renews 71% higher. Promo moved between $8.79 and $8.99 in 2026.source, checked 2026-11-04 |
| MC-Node Premium VPS 4 GBVPS | 2 vCPU · 4 GB · 60 GB | €8.30 | €8.30 | monthly | €298.80 | EU-only footprint; check latency if your users are elsewhere.source, checked 2026-11-08 |
| Synteq Custom VPS 2 vCPU / 4 GBVPS | 2 vCPU · 4 GB · 40 GB | $7.40 | $7.40 | monthly | $266.40 | Priced per component — adding RAM later changes the bill.source, checked 2026-11-08 |
| DigitalOcean DropletVPS | not published | check current price | check current price | monthly | check current price | 1 GB is the documented floor, not a comfortable size.source, checked 2026-11-08 |
| Hetzner Cloud (cost-optimised)VPS | not published | check current price | check current price | monthly | check current price | Raised cloud prices twice in 2026 (some plans >170%). KYC at signup. Pays no cash commission — listed because it's often the right pick.source, checked 2026-11-08 |
EUR prices are shown in EUR and not converted. "Total" includes the renewal price once the promo term ends.
One-click: convenient, not secure by default
Hostinger offers a fully managed OpenClaw plan and a VPS with an OpenClaw Docker template (Hostinger managed OpenClaw). It’s one of their smoothest flows. But an independent review found the default VPS template exposes the dashboard on a public IP over plain HTTP. Close that before you connect any accounts.
Run it 24/7
# as a dedicated non-root user
curl -fsSL https://openclaw.ai/install.sh | bash # starts onboarding
openclaw onboard --install-daemon # systemd service, restarts on crash/reboot
openclaw gateway statusSecurity checklist
- Never run as root — OpenClaw calls it unsafe and unsupported.
- Keep the gateway on loopback (port 18789) and reach it via SSH tunnel or Tailscale Serve.
- Docker-published ports bypass ufw. Publish container ports on 127.0.0.1 only.
- Distrust third-party skills: in February 2026, 341 of 2,857 skills examined on ClawHub were malicious.
- Run
openclaw security audit --deepafter every config change and keep it updated. - Give the bot its own number and accounts.