ClawCloud gives you a fully configured cloud VPS with a dedicated API key and 100+ curated AI models included. No SSH, no API key setup, no maintenance. Deploy in under a minute.
Compare plan tiers on the OpenClaw pricing page.
Prefer to use your own API key? See BYOK VPS mode.
The minimum requirements before you can even start the gateway.
Long-term support with security patches through 2029
Required by OpenClaw's gateway and plugin system
The gateway, LLM streaming, and tool execution run concurrently in memory
Only SSH (22), HTTP (80), HTTPS (443), and the agent port (8080) are open
WebSocket connections to Discord/Telegram/Feishu need a persistent, low-latency link
If you self-host, you configure all of this yourself. The OpenClaw docs cover installation, but the docs assume you already have a server ready. Most people get stuck between "I have a VPS" and "OpenClaw is actually responding to messages."
Getting OpenClaw installed is one thing. Keeping it running is another.
OpenClaw runs under its own non-root user with loginctl linger enabled, so the gateway survives SSH disconnects
The gateway runs as a user-level systemd unit. It starts on boot, restarts on crash, and logs to journalctl
A separate process on port 8080 reports gateway status, config state, and version info
OpenClaw watches its config file and applies safe changes (models, channels, routing) without restarting
Without this, your bot stops when you close your terminal, crashes without restarting, and runs as root with full system access. Reddit is full of posts from people stuck at this stage.
Each deployment is a dedicated VM built from a pre-configured snapshot.
| Software | Version | Why it's included |
|---|---|---|
| OpenClaw | Latest | The AI assistant gateway itself |
| ClawHub | Latest | Tool and skill marketplace for OpenClaw plugins |
| Node.js 22 | 22.x LTS | Runtime for the gateway and agent |
| Chromium | System | Headless browser for web scraping tools |
| Python 3 + pip | System | Required by data science and automation tools |
| Build tools | gcc, g++, make | Native npm modules that compile on install |
| Utilities | git, jq, unzip, zip | Dependency for various OpenClaw skills |
The snapshot also includes 1 GB of swap, a configured firewall (UFW), and the openclaw system user with proper permissions. New servers boot from this snapshot, then cloud-init writes instance-specific config (API keys, channel tokens, model settings) and starts the gateway.
Need to decide whether to rebuild an existing machine? Read Destroy vs Regenerate: When to Rebuild Your OpenClaw Server.
ClawCloud handles the operational layer so the bot just works.
Managed-mode instances get a dedicated API key with a per-plan credit limit. No key setup required.
Usage is polled every 5 minutes. When credits run low, the dashboard points you to a quick free-model switch in chat.
The dashboard monitors each instance. If the gateway goes down or a key becomes invalid, you see it immediately.
Managed mode includes 100+ curated models including Claude, GPT, Gemini, DeepSeek, Mistral, Llama, Grok, Qwen, and more. Switch with /model.
Paste your bot token in the deploy wizard. DM access, group policies, and permissions are configured automatically.
Agent and configuration updates are pushed to live instances without downtime or manual SSH.
BYOK (bring your own key) is supported if you want to use your own API keys from Anthropic, OpenAI, or Google directly. In that mode, you skip the credit system entirely and pay your provider directly. See the getting started guide for a walkthrough.
Every plan gets a dedicated VM, all bundled software, and the curated managed model catalog.
$29/mo
$49/mo
$109/mo
Full pricing details and plan comparison on the pricing page.
Pick a plan, paste your bot token, choose a model. ClawCloud handles the rest.
Want to use your own API key instead? See BYOK VPS mode.
Managed mode is preselected. Choose model, channel, and plan, then deploy.
Select where your OpenClaw will receive and send messages.
Pick a default model and decide between Managed credits or your own API key.
Pick infrastructure and optional add-ons before deploying.
Almost there
Your bot will be live in ~2 minutes after checkout.
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