Self-Hosting OpenClaw
Run OpenClaw on your own hardware. Full control, privacy, and 24/7 availability.
Why Self-Host?
🔒 Privacy
Data never leaves your infrastructure. Full control over sensitive conversations.
⚡ 24/7 Availability
Always on. No need to keep your laptop running.
💸 Cost Control
Fixed monthly cost. No per-message fees.
🔧 Full Control
Custom configurations, no rate limits, own models.
Local vs VPS Hosting
🏠 Local (Home Server)
Run on a Mac mini, old laptop, or Raspberry Pi.
- ✓ Free (no monthly cost)
- ✓ Full privacy
- ✗ Requires internet at home
- ✗ Power/cooling costs
☁️ VPS (Cloud Server)
Rent a server from AWS, DigitalOcean, Hetzner, etc.
- ✓ 24/7 availability anywhere
- ✓ No home infrastructure
- ✗ Monthly cost ($5-50/mo)
- ✗ Data leaves your machine
Hardware Requirements
| Use Case | CPU | RAM | Storage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic (cloud API) | 2 cores | 4GB | 10GB |
| Local Models (small) | 4 cores | 16GB | 50GB |
| Local Models (large) | 8+ cores | 32GB+ | 100GB+ |
| Production | 4+ cores | 8GB | 20GB |
Deployment Options
🐳 Docker (Recommended)
Easiest way to deploy. One command.
docker run -d -p 18789:18789 openclaw/openclaw
📦 npm Package
Install directly on Linux.
npm install -g openclaw@latest
🔧 Source Build
Build from source for custom deployments.
Recommended VPS Providers
Hetzner
Excellent value. €4-6/mo for basics.
DigitalOcean
Easy to use. $4-12/mo.
AWS Lightsail
Simple AWS. $3.50-5/mo.
Railway
Developer-friendly. $5/mo.
Security Best Practices
- • Always use a strong gateway token
- • Configure channel allowlists
- • Use firewall to restrict access
- • Keep OpenClaw updated
- • Enable SSL/TLS for remote access
Ready to deploy?
Choose your deployment method.