Overview

Advantages

  • Always-on availability
  • Accessible from anywhere
  • Cheap hosting options
  • Full control

Considerations

  • Requires server management
  • Monthly hosting cost
  • Manual updates
  • Security responsibility

Requirements

  • Linux VPS: Ubuntu, Debian, or similar Linux distribution
  • Node.js 22+: Node.js version 22 or higher
  • SSH access: SSH access to the server
  • systemd: For service management

Setup Steps

  1. Provision VPS: Create a VPS instance with your preferred provider (DigitalOcean, Hetzner, etc.)
  2. Install Node.js: Install Node.js 22+ on the server 
    curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_22.x | sudo -E bash - && sudo apt-get install -y nodejs
  3. Install OpenClaw: Install OpenClaw globally 
    npm install -g openclaw@latest
  4. Run Onboarding: Complete setup and install systemd service 
    openclaw onboard --install-daemon
  5. Enable Service: Enable and start the systemd service 
    systemctl --user enable --now openclaw-gateway.service
  6. Configure Remote Access: Set up SSH tunnel or Tailscale for remote access

Configuration Example

{
  "gateway": {
    "mode": "remote",
    "bind": "loopback",
    "port": 18789,
    "auth": {
      "mode": "token"
    }
  }
}

Deploy with AI Providers

Choose your AI provider for vps deployment deployment:

Anthropic

Creator of Claude AI models with advanced reasoning capabilities

OpenAI Codex

GPT models with broad capabilities and wide ecosystem support

Google Gemini

Multimodal AI with competitive pricing and speed

OpenRouter

Unified API gateway to multiple AI providers

Ollama

Run open-source LLMs locally with no API costs

AWS Bedrock

Enterprise AI through AWS with compliance and security

OpenAI (Standard)

Standard OpenAI API for GPT models

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the requirements for VPS Deployment?
VPS Deployment requires: Linux VPS, Node.js 22+, SSH access, systemd. The setup typically takes 15-30 minutes for first-time users.
Where is state stored with VPS Deployment?
State is stored in ~/.openclaw/. This includes configuration, credentials, session history, and workspace files. Always back up this directory.