You've decided to build with OpenClaw — now the question is where to run it. The deployment path you choose will affect your costs, maintenance burden, uptime, and how quickly you can iterate. In this guide we'll compare the three main options: running locally for development, self-hosting on a VPS with Docker, and using a managed hosting platform like ClawDock.
Option 1: Local Development
Running OpenClaw on your own machine is the fastest way to experiment. Clone the repo, copy the example config, add your AI API key and a Telegram bot token, then run the Docker container. Within minutes you'll have a working bot — but it will only stay online while your laptop is open and connected to the internet.
# Quick local setup
git clone https://github.com/open-claw/open-claw
cd open-claw
cp .env.example .env
# Edit .env with your API keys
docker compose up -d- Best for: testing, development, learning OpenClaw
- Cost: $0 (you pay only for AI API calls)
- Uptime: only when your machine is running
- Skills: manual install via npx openclaw skill install
Option 2: VPS / Docker Self-Hosting
For production use, most developers deploy OpenClaw to a VPS (like Hetzner, DigitalOcean, or AWS Lightsail). You'll need a server with at least 2GB RAM (OpenClaw idles at ~500MB), Docker installed, a reverse proxy for SSL, and port forwarding configured for your channels.
OpenClaw's Node.js process peaks at ~816MB during startup. Budget at least 1GB container memory with a 768MB heap limit to avoid OOM kills.
- Server costs: $5-20/month for a basic VPS
- SSL certificate management (Let's Encrypt)
- Docker networking and port allocation
- Firewall and security hardening
- Backup strategy for conversation data
- Monitoring and auto-restart on crashes
- AI API key management (your keys, your bills)
Option 3: Managed Hosting (ClawDock)
Managed hosting eliminates the operational overhead entirely. Platforms like ClawDock handle Docker container orchestration, AI provider routing, channel configuration, security isolation, and monitoring. You configure your bot through a dashboard and it's live in under 2 minutes.
- No server management — zero DevOps required
- AI costs included via credit system (transparent per-token pricing)
- Pre-configured channels: Telegram, Slack, Discord, WhatsApp
- Curated skills marketplace with security scanning
- Automatic container isolation and network security
- Real-time logs, stats, and health monitoring
Cost Comparison
| Local | VPS / Docker | ClawDock | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost | $0 | $5-20 + API keys | Pay-per-use credits |
| Setup time | ~10 min | 2-4 hours | ~2 min |
| Uptime | When laptop open | 99%+ (managed) | 99.9% |
| AI API keys | Your own | Your own | Included |
| Multi-channel | Manual config | Manual config | Pre-configured |
| Security | Your responsibility | Your responsibility | Managed |
| Scaling | Not possible | Manual | Automatic |
| Skills install | Manual CLI | Manual CLI | One-click toggle |
Which Option Should You Choose?
If you're a developer who enjoys infrastructure and wants full control, self-hosting on a VPS is a great choice. If you want to focus on building your bot's personality and capabilities without spending hours on Docker networking and SSL certificates, managed hosting will save you significant time and frustration.
Deploy Your First Bot — Free
Skip the server setup. ClawDock gives you a running OpenClaw bot with 5€ in AI credits, no credit card required.
Start Deploying
