How to Run OpenClaw on a VPS (Self-Hosted AI Assistant, Step by Step)

OpenClaw is the open-source, self-hosted AI assistant that hit 380k+ GitHub stars in 2026 — it turns your machine (or a server) into a personal assistant you can message from WhatsApp, Telegram, Slack, Discord, and 20+ other apps, powered by whatever model you want, with all data staying on your hardware.

The one question everyone asks: where do I actually run it so it's always on? Not your laptop — that goes to sleep. The answer is a small, cheap VPS. This is the exact setup I use, written so you can replicate it in about an hour.

A personal assistant is only useful if it's there 24/7. Your laptop sleeps, reboots, and takes your Wi-Fi with it. A VPS:

All you need is roughly 2 GB RAM and a couple of vCPUs — OpenClaw itself is light; your AI provider does the heavy lifting. That's a low-cost VPS tier, which is the whole point.

Pick a small VPS. For a personal OpenClaw setup, a single 2 GB / 1-2 vCPU instance is plenty:

After provisioning you get a root/SSH login. That's all you need for this step.

OpenClaw's Gateway listens on a local port. You only ever connect through SSH, so keep the default SSH-only exposure:

Then on the box, install ufw and lock it down:

sudo apt update && sudo apt install -y ufw sudo ufw default deny incoming sudo ufw allow 22/tcp sudo ufw enable Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode Step 3 — Install Node and OpenClaw OpenClaw is built on Node. Install a current LTS Node, then OpenClaw:

# Node LTS (via NodeSource) curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_22.x | sudo -E bash - sudo apt install -y nodejs # OpenClaw (follows its documented install) curl -fsSL https://openclaw.ai/install.sh | bash Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode Confirm the version, then start the setup wizard:

openclaw --version openclaw setup Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode The setup wizard walks you through: model provider, API key, the channels you want (Telegram / WhatsApp / etc.), and where OpenClaw keeps its workspace (its config, memory, and operating instructions). Let it use the default ~/.openclaw workspace on the VPS.

OpenClaw is model-agnostic — Claude, GPT, Gemini, or fully local via Ollama. For a 24/7 personal assistant I recommend a hosted model provider (reliable, no GPU cost on the VPS):

Cost control: the VPS is a few dollars/month; your AI usage is the variable cost. Pick a model tier you'll actually use, and set provider spend limits so an agent that loops can't surprise you.

Don't just run it in a terminal that dies when you log out. Make OpenClaw a service:

# /etc/systemd/system/openclaw.service [Unit] Description = OpenClaw Gateway After = network-online.target Wants = network-online.target [Service] User = youruser ExecStart = /usr/local/bin/openclaw gateway Restart = always RestartSec = 5 Environment = NODE_ENV=production [Install] WantedBy = multi-user.target Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode Then:

sudo systemctl enable --now openclaw sudo systemctl status openclaw Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode Restart=always means if it ever crashes, systemd brings it right back — the whole point of a 24/7 assistant.

The Gateway has a browser Control UI. To reach it from your phone over the internet safely:

openclaw. example. com { basic_auth { youruser < hash > # run: caddy hash-password } reverse_proxy 127. 0. 0. 1:< openclaw - port > } Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode Point a cheap domain (or a subdomain of one you have) at the VPS's IP, and Caddy issues the cert. Now your phone reaches the assistant at https://openclaw.example.com — encrypted, and only you can in.

(A simpler alternative: SSH tunnel — ssh -L 8080:localhost:<port> your-vps and open localhost:8080 in your phone browser. Zero extra setup, no public exposure at all.)

Now the satisfying part. Connect the chat apps you already use:

From that moment, your "assistant" lives on the VPS and is reachable from anywhere.

The VPS itself is the cheapest part — a few dollars a month on a provider like Hostinger (referral code OVDAMRMASPIM). The real work is the setup: Node, systemd, a locked-down firewall, and a reverse proxy in front of the Control UI. Do it once and you have an always-on, model-flexible, private assistant that meets you in the apps you already use. That's the whole pitch of self-hosting OpenClaw, and it's genuinely achievable in an afternoon.

This guide is part of the OpenClaw how-to collection on ClawDesk — 90+ guides on installing, configuring, and hosting OpenClaw. Ready to host it? A cheap VPS via Hostinger OVDAMRMASPIM is all you need.