How to Deploy OpenClaw

Deploying OpenClaw is fast once you have somewhere to run it. There are two common routes: a one-click cloud template if you want the shortest path, or a manual Docker or Node install if you want full control over the box. Both land you with a running agent in well under an hour.

What takes longer is not the install but the configuration: connecting your LLM and channels, then writing the agent’s identity. Budget for that separately.

How it works

The fastest route is the Railway one-click template, which provisions a host and starts OpenClaw in roughly 5 minutes. For more control, install manually:

1. Provision a server meeting the minimum specs: roughly 2 cores, 2 GB RAM, 2 GB storage. Ubuntu 24.04 is the recommended OS.
2. Pull and run OpenClaw via Docker (a single compose file) or via Node directly. This takes about 15 minutes including dependencies.
3. Add an LLM API key. OpenClaw is LLM-agnostic, so use Claude, GPT, Gemini, or DeepSeek.
4. Connect a channel such as Telegram or WhatsApp by adding the bot token.
5. Write SOUL.md to give the agent its identity and rules. Plan for 20–45 minutes here; see SOUL.md explained. For the full first-run walkthrough, follow the setup guide.

After that the agent is live and listening on your chosen channel.

Worked example

Route	Time to running	What you still own
Railway one-click	~5 min	LLM key, SOUL.md, ongoing ops
Docker / Node manual	~15 min	Server, LLM key, SOUL.md, ongoing ops
Liv (managed)	trial sign-up	Nothing; ops handled

Either self-host route leaves you with ongoing maintenance of roughly 1–3 hours per month: refreshing expired OAuth tokens, applying codebase updates, tuning the heartbeat, and debugging skill failures. Infra plus LLM API usually stays under $100/month.

Try this in Liv

If you want the OpenClaw agent loop without provisioning and patching a server, Liv runs it as a managed service.

1. Start a 14-day free trial at app.liv4all.com, no credit card.
2. Message Liv on Telegram, which is the default channel.
3. Connect Gmail and Calendar via Google OAuth.
4. Optionally link WhatsApp (invite-only, needs a dedicated eSIM).

Onboarding is early access and batched, so expect a short queue.

Common questions

What’s the fastest way to deploy OpenClaw?

The Railway one-click template, at roughly 5 minutes to a running instance. A manual Docker or Node install takes about 15.

Do I need Docker?

No. You can run OpenClaw directly with Node, but Docker keeps dependencies tidy and is the common choice.

Where should I host it?

Any VPS that meets the minimum specs works.

What does it cost to run?

Infra plus LLM API typically comes in under $100/month.

Can I deploy it without DevOps experience?

Largely, yes, especially via the one-click template. See running OpenClaw without DevOps.

Is there a fully managed option?

Yes. Liv is an independent managed service built on OpenClaw, not affiliated with the OpenClaw project, and it removes the deployment and maintenance steps entirely.