Prerequisites
What you need before getting started.
A server (VPS)
OpenClaw runs continuously — it needs a server that’s on 24/7. A VPS (Virtual Private Server) is the simplest and cheapest way to do that.
Recommendations
| Provider | Minimum plan | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hetzner | CX22 — 2 vCPU, 4 GB RAM | €3.79/month | 🇩🇪 🇫🇮 🇺🇸 🇸🇬 |
| OVH | Starter — 1 vCPU, 2 GB RAM | $4.20/month | 🇫🇷 🇩🇪 🇨🇦 |
| DigitalOcean | Basic — 1 vCPU, 1 GB RAM | $4/month | 🇺🇸 🇳🇱 🇸🇬 🇩🇪 |
| Contabo | VPS S — 4 vCPU, 8 GB RAM | ~€6.49/month | 🇩🇪 🇺🇸 🇯🇵 🇦🇺 |
💡 Hetzner CX22 is the best value for OpenClaw. The €3.79/month plan is more than enough.
Recommended OS
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS or Debian 12. That’s what the install script supports best.
Knowing how to SSH in
You’ll need to connect to your server via the terminal:
# Replace with your server's IP
ssh root@203.0.113.42On macOS/Linux, the terminal is built in. On Windows, use PuTTY or PowerShell.
A Telegram account
Already on Telegram? Perfect. If not, install the app — it’s free.