Running your own OpenClaw server from scratch
Self-hosting OpenClaw means you run the OpenClaw gateway and agent on your own infrastructure — a VPS, home server, or cloud VM. You manage everything: installation, updates, uptime, backups, and troubleshooting. It offers maximum control but requires significant technical knowledge and ongoing maintenance.
Self-hosting typically involves: provisioning a Linux server, installing Node.js, installing OpenClaw via npm, configuring your gateway with API keys and channel connections, setting up a process manager (PM2 or systemd) for automatic restarts, configuring SSL if needed, and monitoring the server for issues. Each OpenClaw update may require manual action.
Self-hosting makes sense if you need complete data control, have specific compliance requirements, want to run on your own hardware, or are technically experienced and enjoy the control. However, Upwork data shows setup alone costs $35–$75/hr from freelancers. For most users, managed hosting is dramatically more cost-effective.
Clawfleet manages your OpenClaw instance — Self-Hosting OpenClaw, backups, restarts, and cost tracking — all included. Start for $1.
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