Question 1

What are the minimum VPS specs for running OpenClaw?

Accepted Answer

2 vCPUs, 4GB RAM, and 80GB SSD running Ubuntu 24.04 LTS. This handles a single-agent deployment comfortably. OpenClaw's compute-heavy work happens on the LLM provider's servers (OpenAI, Anthropic), not on your VPS, so you don't need GPU capability or high-end processing power. If you're running multiple agents or pairing OpenClaw with additional services like n8n, upgrade to 4 vCPUs and 8GB RAM.

Question 2

Is Hetzner or DigitalOcean better for OpenClaw?

Accepted Answer

Both work well. Hetzner offers roughly double the specs at half the price and is the most-referenced provider in OpenClaw community guides, making it the default choice for cost-conscious deployments. DigitalOcean costs more per spec but provides a better API, droplet marketplace with pre-configured templates, and a smoother automation workflow. Choose Hetzner for raw value and EU data residency. Choose DigitalOcean for API-driven provisioning and managed ecosystem features.

Question 3

How much does it cost per month to run OpenClaw on a VPS?

Accepted Answer

The VPS itself costs $12–$24/month for the recommended spec. But hosting is only one part of the total cost. LLM API calls (OpenAI, Anthropic) typically add $40–$80/month depending on your usage and model routing strategy. A well-optimized total setup runs $80–$120/month. The VPS is the smallest line item in most OpenClaw budgets.

Question 4

Why does Docker bypass UFW firewall rules?

Accepted Answer

Docker manages its own iptables chains for container networking. When Docker publishes a port, it inserts iptables rules that take priority over UFW's rules. This means your carefully configured UFW deny rules may have no effect on Docker-published ports. The fix is using the DOCKER-USER iptables chain, which is the only chain Docker preserves across restarts. The firewall configuration guide walks through the specific commands.

Question 5

Can I run OpenClaw on a VPS for free?

Accepted Answer

Some cloud providers offer free tiers (Oracle Cloud's ARM instances, for example), and the r/openclaw thread "Possible to run openclaw for free?" (64 comments) explored every option. The short answer: you can get the VPS for free, but you still need LLM API credits, and free-tier VPS instances often have limited specs, inconsistent availability, and no SLA. For production use, the $12–$24/month for a proper VPS is the floor for reliability.

Question 6

What's the most common security mistake when deploying OpenClaw on a VPS?

Accepted Answer

Not configuring the DOCKER-USER iptables chain. Most people set up UFW, allow only SSH and HTTPS, and assume they're protected. But Docker bypasses UFW entirely for published ports. The result: your OpenClaw Gateway WebSocket is accessible on the public internet even though your firewall "blocks" it. This single misconfiguration accounts for a large portion of the 135,000+ exposed instances identified by SecurityScorecard.

Question 7

Should I self-host OpenClaw on a VPS or use a managed service?

Accepted Answer

Self-host if you have Linux administration experience, understand Docker security, and have time for ongoing CVE patching and configuration audits. Use a managed service if your priority is running workflows rather than maintaining infrastructure. ManageMyClaw provisions on Hetzner or DigitalOcean with full security hardening included in the $499 Starter tier — you pay the hosting provider directly for the VPS.

Question 8

What is the 5-layer security model for OpenClaw VPS deployments?

Accepted Answer

The community-recommended security architecture uses 5 independent layers: UFW firewall (perimeter defense), Tailscale VPN (private network access), SSH tunnel (encrypted transport), gateway token (application-level authentication), and device pairing (endpoint verification). Each layer catches what the one above misses. An attacker would need to compromise all 5 independently to reach your agent. The key principle: never expose OpenClaw on a public port, and always run behind a firewall with SSH key-only access and fail2ban.

Question 9

What is the zero-public-ports deployment pattern?

Accepted Answer

The zero-public-ports pattern deploys OpenClaw with no ports exposed to the public internet — not even SSH. All connectivity routes through a Tailscale VPN mesh configured during cloud-init provisioning. From the public internet, your server is invisible to port scanners and services like Shodan. This approach is documented in multiple community guides and the Pulumi blog, and it's the most secure way to run a remotely-accessible OpenClaw instance.

Question 10

Can I use Terraform or Pulumi to deploy OpenClaw on a VPS?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The community has built infrastructure-as-code tooling for automated OpenClaw deployment. On GitHub, andreesg/openclaw-terraform-hetzner provides Terraform modules for Hetzner Cloud with VPS provisioning, firewall configuration, and cloud-init automation. Pulumi's blog covers deploying on AWS or Hetzner with Tailscale integration. IaC makes your security configuration version-controlled and repeatable — when a CVE drops, you update the module and every instance gets the fix.

Question 11

Is Hetzner GDPR-compliant for OpenClaw hosting?

Accepted Answer

Hetzner is EU-headquartered with data centers in Germany and Finland, making it one of the simplest paths to GDPR-compliant OpenClaw hosting. Your agent data, API keys, and workflow configurations stay within EU jurisdiction by default. For businesses subject to GDPR, this eliminates cross-border data transfer concerns that arise with US-headquartered providers, even those offering EU region options. OpenClaw also maintains an official Hetzner setup guide at docs.openclaw.ai/install/hetzner.

Rakesh Patel

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