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Setup Guide · 2026 · Self-Hosted AI

Run OpenClaw
on Hostinger VPS
in 5 Minutes

OpenClaw Hostinger VPS: the easiest way to self-host your personal AI assistant — available 24/7, on WhatsApp or Telegram, with your data on your own server. One-click Docker template, no technical experience required.

💬WhatsApp
✈️Telegram
💼Slack
🎮Discord
📱iMessage
🟢Signal
€3
Starting VPS cost per month
5 min
From zero to running with Hostinger template
100%
Your data, your server, your control
What is OpenClaw

Your personal AI that does things — not just chats

OpenClaw (formerly Clawdbot/Moltbot) is an open-source, self-hosted AI assistant platform. Unlike ChatGPT or Claude.ai, it runs on your own server — meaning your conversations never go to a third-party cloud. You talk to it through the apps you already use: WhatsApp, Telegram, Discord.

It supports any AI model — Claude (Anthropic), GPT-4, or local models via Ollama — and can execute real tasks: browse the web, manage files, run scripts, schedule reminders, pull data from APIs.

🔒
100% Private
Your conversations stay on your VPS. No third-party data collection.
🤖
Model-Agnostic
Claude, GPT-4, Gemini, or local models via Ollama. Switch anytime.
📁
Real Task Execution
Browse web, manage files, run commands, schedule tasks autonomously.
🔌
Skills / Extensions
Email, calendar, GitHub, research agents and 24+ community skills.
⚡
Always-On
VPS runs 24/7. Your assistant works while you sleep.
🌍
EU-Friendly
EU data centre options. GDPR compliant by design — your server, your rules.
VPS Provider Comparison

Why Hostinger wins for OpenClaw

⭐ Our #1 Pick
FeatureHostingerDigitalOceanContabo
OpenClaw 1-click template✓ Docker Manager Official✓ 1-Click App✓ Manual template
Starting price~€3–5/mo~€5/mo~€5/mo
No separate API key needed✓ Nexos.ai credits via hPanel✗ BYOK only✗ BYOK only
Control panel UIhPanel — simplest in classGood, more complexBasic
EU data centres✓ Lithuania, Netherlands✓ Amsterdam, Frankfurt✓ Germany, Netherlands
Setup time (OpenClaw)~5 minutes~15 minutes~20–30 minutes
Docker Manager UI✓ Built-in visual Docker UI✗ CLI only✗ CLI only
💡 The key advantage: Hostinger lets you purchase Nexos.ai AI credits directly through hPanel — no separate Anthropic or OpenAI account needed to get started. Plus, the Docker Manager gives you a visual UI to manage your OpenClaw container without touching the command line.
Hostinger VPS Plans for OpenClaw

Pick the right plan size

OpenClaw needs minimum 2 GB RAM. For personal use on 1–2 channels, the entry plan is enough. For multiple channels or team use, go KVM 2 or above.

KVM 1
1–2 channels, personal use
~€4/mo
  • 1 vCPU, 4 GB RAM
  • 50 GB NVMe SSD
  • Enough for WhatsApp + Telegram
  • EU data centre available
View Plan →
⭐ Recommended
KVM 2
Multi-channel, best performance
~€8/mo
  • 2 vCPU, 8 GB RAM
  • 100 GB NVMe SSD
  • All channels + skills comfortably
  • Headroom for Ollama local models
Get This Plan →
KVM 4+
Team or heavy automation
~€16/mo
  • 4 vCPU, 16 GB RAM
  • 200 GB NVMe SSD
  • Multiple users / agents
  • Run local LLMs with Ollama
View Plan →
Step-by-Step Setup

OpenClaw Hostinger VPS: running in 5 minutes

1
Get your Hostinger VPS with the OpenClaw template

Go to the Hostinger OpenClaw VPS page. Select your plan (KVM 2 recommended), choose your data centre (pick EU for GDPR compliance — Lithuania or Netherlands), and add Nexos.ai credits if you don't have an Anthropic or OpenAI API key yet.

Get Hostinger VPS → ↗
💡 Hostinger often runs promotions with 70–80% off the first billing period. Use code or check their current deal on the Hostinger VPS page.
2
Deploy via Docker Manager — no SSH needed

After purchase, open hPanel → VPS → Docker Manager. Your OpenClaw container is already pre-configured. Click Deploy. Hostinger automatically provisions OpenClaw with all dependencies. You'll be redirected to the Docker Manager where you can see your running container.

✅ This is the main advantage over DigitalOcean or Contabo — the Docker Manager gives you a visual interface. No command line required for this step.
3
SSH in and run the onboarding wizard

Open your terminal and connect to your VPS. The onboarding wizard guides you through the rest — no manual configuration needed.

bash — your-server-ip
$ ssh root@your-server-ip # OpenClaw welcome message appears automatically # Follow the onboarding wizard:→ Select AI Provider: Anthropic (Claude) → Enter API key: sk-ant-... (or skip if using Nexos.ai credits from hPanel) → Copy your Gateway Token — save this! → Choose channels to connect
🔑 Gateway Token: this is your security key. Save it in a password manager immediately. You'll need it to connect messaging channels.
4
Connect WhatsApp or Telegram

After the wizard, OpenClaw gives you a pairing code or QR. For WhatsApp: scan via Linked Devices in your phone's WhatsApp settings. For Telegram: it gives you a bot token from @BotFather.

openclaw channel pairing
# Pair WhatsApp: $ openclaw channel connect --type whatsapp → Scan QR with WhatsApp → Linked Devices# Or Telegram: $ openclaw channel connect --type telegram \ --token your-botfather-token
✅ Once paired, send your bot a message on WhatsApp or Telegram. It should respond. You're live.
5
(Optional) Enable persistent sessions with ClawDock

For easier day-to-day management — updates, restarts, logs — install ClawDock, the official shell helper that wraps Docker commands into simple aliases.

install clawdock
$ mkdir -p ~/.clawdock && curl -sL \ https://raw.githubusercontent.com/openclaw/openclaw/main/scripts/shell-helpers/clawdock-helpers.sh \ -o ~/.clawdock/clawdock.sh $ echo 'source ~/.clawdock/clawdock.sh' >> ~/.bashrc $ source ~/.bashrc# Now you can use simple commands: $ clawdock restart # restart OpenClaw $ clawdock update # pull latest version $ clawdock logs # view live logs
What can you do with it

Real use cases — not just a chatbot

📋
Daily Task Automation
Set reminders, schedule messages, manage your calendar via WhatsApp commands.
🔍
Research Agent
Ask it to browse the web, compile reports, or extract data from pages — while you do other work.
💻
Dev Workflow
Connect GitHub, run code reviews, execute scripts, and manage CI/CD via Slack or Telegram.
📧
Email & Calendar
Draft emails, book meetings, and manage your inbox through your messaging app of choice.
🏪
E-commerce Ops
Connect to Shopify or WooCommerce APIs. Get order updates, stock alerts, and revenue summaries in WhatsApp.
👥
Team Assistant
Create a shared bot in a Slack or Discord channel. Multiple users, one OpenClaw instance.
📊
Reporting
Schedule daily analytics summaries. Pull data from APIs and push to your chat every morning.
🧠
Personal Knowledge Base
Index your documents. Ask questions about your own files, notes, and PDFs via chat.
FAQ

Common questions

Do I need an Anthropic or OpenAI API key? ▾
Not necessarily. Hostinger offers Nexos.ai credits directly through hPanel — you can top up AI credits without creating a separate Anthropic or OpenAI account. If you prefer BYOK (bring your own key), both Claude and GPT-4 keys work natively with OpenClaw.
What are the actual monthly costs? ▾
VPS: €3–8/mo depending on plan. API cost: Claude API at normal usage for a personal assistant runs roughly €5–15/mo depending on message volume. Total realistic cost for a personal setup: €10–20/mo. With the Nexos.ai credit option from Hostinger, you can start cheaper and pay as you go.
Is it safe? Who can message my bot? ▾
OpenClaw uses private DM pairing by default — only your paired phone number can interact with it. The Hostinger Docker setup runs OpenClaw as a non-root user with Docker container isolation. You should also set a strong Gateway Token and enable allowlists for contacts. Do not expose the gateway port directly to the internet without a reverse proxy.
What's the minimum VPS spec I need? ▾
OpenClaw requires at minimum 2 GB RAM and 1 vCPU. In practice, 4 GB RAM runs more comfortably, especially if you enable any skills or integrations. If you want to run local AI models via Ollama alongside OpenClaw, you'll need at least 8 GB RAM. KVM virtualisation is required — shared hosting does not work.
Can I run it alongside other services on the same VPS? ▾
Yes. OpenClaw runs in a Docker container, so it's isolated. You can run other Docker containers (WordPress, n8n, other tools) on the same VPS. On a KVM 2 (8 GB RAM), you have enough headroom for OpenClaw plus a couple of other services.
Is it GDPR compliant? ▾
By design, yes — your data stays on your VPS. If you choose a Hostinger EU data centre (Lithuania or Netherlands), your data is processed entirely within the EU. This makes OpenClaw significantly more GDPR-friendly than any cloud-based AI assistant where your conversations go to US servers.
How do I keep OpenClaw updated? ▾
With ClawDock installed: run clawdock update. Without it: docker compose pull && docker compose up -d from the OpenClaw repo root. OpenClaw releases frequently — as of early 2026 it was on v2026.2.26.

Your AI assistant.
Your server. Your rules.

Start with Hostinger's one-click OpenClaw template and be running in 5 minutes.

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