How to Install OpenClaw on a $5 VPS (DigitalOcean & Hetzner Guide)

Running your own OpenClaw AI assistant starts with a single virtual private server. For most personal users, a $5–6/month VPS from DigitalOcean or Hetzner is more than enough to host a responsive, always-on AI gateway that connects to WhatsApp, Telegram, Discord, and iMessage. This guide walks you through every step — from provisioning the server to your first working conversation.

Step 1: Provision Your VPS

Both DigitalOcean and Hetzner offer entry-level servers that comfortably run OpenClaw.

On DigitalOcean, create a new Droplet: choose Ubuntu 24.04 LTS, the Basic plan at $6/month (1 vCPU, 1 GB RAM), and a data center closest to you. Add your SSH key during setup.

On Hetzner, create a new server: choose Ubuntu 24.04, the CX11 plan (1 vCPU, 2 GB RAM, ~$4/month), and your preferred region. Hetzner’s pricing is aggressive — it’s the best value for OpenClaw self-hosted deployment.

Once the server is running, SSH in:

ssh root@YOUR_SERVER_IP

Step 2: Install Node 24

OpenClaw requires Node.js 24 — do not use an older version. The cleanest way to install it is via the NodeSource repository:

curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_24.x | sudo -E bash -
sudo apt-get install -y nodejs
node --version  # should output v24.x.x

Confirm npm is also installed:

npm --version

Step 3: Clone the OpenClaw Repository

OpenClaw is MIT-licensed and open source. Clone it directly from the official GitHub repository:

cd /opt
sudo git clone https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw.git
sudo chown -R $USER:$USER /opt/openclaw
cd /opt/openclaw
npm install

The npm install step downloads all dependencies. On a $5 VPS it typically takes 30–90 seconds.

Step 4: Run the Onboarding Wizard

OpenClaw ships with an interactive onboarding wizard that configures your AI provider keys, messaging channels, and port settings. Run it now:

npm run onboard

The wizard will ask you to:

• Choose your AI provider (OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, or local Ollama)
• Paste your API key
• Select which messaging channels to activate (Telegram, WhatsApp, Discord, iMessage)
• Confirm the default port (18789)

Complete the wizard, then verify your configuration was saved to config/openclaw.yaml.

Step 5: Keep OpenClaw Running with PM2

A process manager ensures OpenClaw stays online after reboots and crashes. Install PM2 globally:

sudo npm install -g pm2
pm2 start npm --name "openclaw" -- start
pm2 startup    # follow the printed command to enable auto-start
pm2 save

Verify it’s running:

pm2 status

You should see openclaw with status online. OpenClaw listens on port 18789 by default.

Step 6: Configure Nginx and SSL

Expose OpenClaw securely via nginx with a free Let’s Encrypt SSL certificate. First, point a domain or subdomain (e.g., ai.yourdomain.com) at your VPS IP.

Install nginx and Certbot:

sudo apt-get install -y nginx certbot python3-certbot-nginx

Create an nginx site config at /etc/nginx/sites-available/openclaw:

server {
    listen 80;
    server_name ai.yourdomain.com;

    location / {
        proxy_pass http://localhost:18789;
        proxy_http_version 1.1;
        proxy_set_header Upgrade $http_upgrade;
        proxy_set_header Connection 'upgrade';
        proxy_set_header Host $host;
        proxy_cache_bypass $http_upgrade;
    }
}

Enable the config and obtain your SSL certificate:

sudo ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/openclaw /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/
sudo nginx -t
sudo systemctl reload nginx
sudo certbot --nginx -d ai.yourdomain.com

Certbot will automatically configure HTTPS and set up auto-renewal. Your OpenClaw installation is now accessible at https://ai.yourdomain.com.

What’s Next?

With the server running, your next step is to connect your first messaging channel. The Telegram integration is the easiest starting point — it takes about five minutes and requires no business verification. Check out our Telegram setup guide to get your first AI conversation flowing.

For OpenClaw’s security hardening — firewall rules, fail2ban, and authentication — see our security guide.

Don’t want to do this yourself? We’ll install it for you.