How to Set Up OpenClaw on Hostinger VPS: Complete Step-by-Step Guide [2026]

Setting up OpenClaw on a VPS gives you a 24/7 AI assistant that connects to WhatsApp, Telegram, or Slack — and Hostinger is the fastest way to get there. Their KVM2 plan at $8.99/month gives you dedicated resources, NVMe storage, and either a 1-click Docker template or full SSH access for manual setup.

This guide walks you through both methods, start to finish. No prior VPS experience required.

Why Hostinger for OpenClaw

There are dozens of VPS providers, but Hostinger stands out for OpenClaw deployments for a few specific reasons:

• KVM2 plan specs: 2 vCPU, 8GB RAM, 100GB NVMe SSD, 8TB bandwidth at $8.99/month. OpenClaw's minimum requirement is 2GB RAM, so you get 4x headroom.
• 1-click Docker template: During VPS creation, you can select a Docker OS template that pre-installs Docker and Docker Compose. No manual dependency management.
• Docker Manager in hPanel: Hostinger's control panel includes a visual Docker manager for monitoring containers without SSH.
• NVMe storage: Faster disk I/O means faster container pulls, faster log writes, and snappier OpenClaw response times.
• AI credits included: Some plans include AI assistant credits for hPanel tasks — useful for quick server configuration questions.

Compared to DigitalOcean ($24/month for equivalent specs), Vultr ($24/month), or Hetzner (EU-only data centers), Hostinger's KVM2 offers the best price-to-performance ratio for OpenClaw workloads.

Prerequisites

Before you start, you need:

1. A Hostinger account — sign up here (20% off with our link)
2. A KVM2 or higher VPS plan — $8.99/month minimum
3. An API key from at least one LLM provider:
   • Anthropic (Claude) — console.anthropic.com
   • OpenAI (GPT-4) — platform.openai.com
   • Google (Gemini) — aistudio.google.com
4. An SSH client — Terminal on Mac/Linux, or PuTTY on Windows
5. 15-20 minutes of uninterrupted time

Method 1: Hostinger 1-Click Docker Template (Fastest)

This is the recommended method for most users. Total time: about 10 minutes.

Step 1: Purchase and create your VPS

Go to Hostinger VPS hosting and select the KVM2 plan. During checkout, choose your preferred data center location (pick the one closest to you geographically for lowest latency).

Step 2: Select the Docker OS template

In the VPS setup wizard, when prompted to choose an operating system:

1. Click on Applications (not Plain OS)
2. Select Docker from the template list
3. This installs Ubuntu 22.04 with Docker and Docker Compose pre-configured
4. Set a strong root password (or upload your SSH key — recommended)
5. Click Create

Your VPS will be provisioned in 1-2 minutes. You will see the IP address in your hPanel dashboard.

Step 3: SSH into your VPS

ssh root@your-vps-ip

Accept the fingerprint prompt and enter your password (or your SSH key passphrase).

Step 4: Run the OpenClaw installer

Since Docker is already installed via the template, you can go straight to the OpenClaw setup script:

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/openclaw/openclaw/main/docker-setup.sh | bash

This script will:

• Pull the latest OpenClaw Docker image
• Create the configuration directory at ~/.clawdbot/
• Generate a random OPENCLAW_GATEWAY_TOKEN
• Create the .env file at ~/.clawdbot/.env
• Start the OpenClaw container on port 18789

Step 5: Verify the installation

# Check that the container is running
docker ps

# You should see something like:
# CONTAINER ID  IMAGE           STATUS       PORTS
# a1b2c3d4e5f6  openclaw:latest Up 2 minutes 0.0.0.0:18789->18789/tcp

If the container is listed and the status shows "Up," you are good. Skip ahead to Configuring API Keys.

Method 2: Manual SSH Setup

Use this method if you chose a plain Ubuntu OS template, or if you prefer to install Docker yourself for more control.

Step 1: Purchase your VPS

Same as Method 1 — get a Hostinger KVM2 plan. But this time, choose Ubuntu 22.04 (or 24.04) as the plain OS template instead of the Docker application template.

Step 2: SSH in and update the system

ssh root@your-vps-ip

# Update package lists and upgrade existing packages
apt update && apt upgrade -y

Step 3: Install Docker and Docker Compose

# Install Docker using the official convenience script
curl -fsSL https://get.docker.com | sh

# Verify Docker is installed
docker --version
# Expected output: Docker version 24.x.x or newer

# Verify Docker Compose is available
docker compose version
# Expected output: Docker Compose version v2.x.x

Step 4: Run the OpenClaw setup script

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/openclaw/openclaw/main/docker-setup.sh | bash

The script handles everything from here — pulling the image, creating config files, generating the gateway token, and starting the container.

Step 5: Verify

docker ps
# Confirm the openclaw container is running and healthy

Configuring API Keys

OpenClaw needs at least one LLM API key to function. The environment file is located at ~/.clawdbot/.env.

View your current configuration

cat ~/.clawdbot/.env

You will see something like:

OPENCLAW_GATEWAY_TOKEN=abc123def456...
# ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=
# OPENAI_API_KEY=
# GOOGLE_API_KEY=

Add your API keys

Open the file in a text editor:

nano ~/.clawdbot/.env

Uncomment and fill in the API keys for the providers you want to use:

OPENCLAW_GATEWAY_TOKEN=abc123def456...
ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=sk-ant-api03-your-key-here
OPENAI_API_KEY=sk-your-key-here
GOOGLE_API_KEY=AIzaSy-your-key-here

Save the file (Ctrl+O, then Ctrl+X in nano).

Restart the container to apply changes

cd ~/.clawdbot
docker compose restart

The container will restart in a few seconds and pick up your new API keys.

Important: You only need one API key to get started. Anthropic (Claude) is the most commonly used provider for OpenClaw. If you are unsure, start with Anthropic.

Accessing the Web Dashboard

The OpenClaw web dashboard runs on port 18789. Open your browser and navigate to:

http://your-vps-ip:18789

Replace your-vps-ip with the actual IP address shown in your Hostinger hPanel dashboard.

If the page loads, you will see the OpenClaw dashboard with options to:

• View connected channels (WhatsApp, Telegram, etc.)
• Configure agent settings
• View conversation logs
• Manage skills and integrations

If the page does not load: Check the Troubleshooting section below.

Connecting WhatsApp

WhatsApp is the most popular channel for OpenClaw. Here is how to connect it:

1. Open the OpenClaw dashboard at http://your-vps-ip:18789
2. Navigate to Channels
3. Click Show QR next to WhatsApp
4. On your phone, open WhatsApp
5. Go to Settings > Linked Devices > Link a Device
6. Scan the QR code displayed on the dashboard

Once connected, your OpenClaw instance will receive and respond to WhatsApp messages. The connection persists across container restarts — you do not need to re-scan the QR code unless you explicitly unlink the device.

Tip: Use a dedicated phone number for your OpenClaw WhatsApp connection. This keeps your personal messages separate and avoids accidental bot responses to personal contacts.

Connecting Telegram

Telegram requires a bot token from BotFather:

1. Open Telegram and search for @BotFather
2. Send /newbot and follow the prompts to name your bot
3. BotFather will give you a token like 7123456789:AAH...
4. Add the token to your OpenClaw configuration via the CLI or dashboard

Via CLI on your VPS:

# Add Telegram bot token to the environment file
echo 'TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN=7123456789:AAH...' >> ~/.clawdbot/.env

# Restart to apply
cd ~/.clawdbot && docker compose restart

Your bot will now respond to messages sent directly to it on Telegram. You can also add it to group chats.

Security Hardening Basics

Before you share your OpenClaw instance with anyone — or even leave it running unattended — you need to lock it down. OpenClaw is not secure out of the box.

1. Set a strong gateway token

The gateway token was auto-generated during setup, but verify it exists and is strong:

grep OPENCLAW_GATEWAY_TOKEN ~/.clawdbot/.env
# Should show a long random string — if it's blank, generate one:
echo "OPENCLAW_GATEWAY_TOKEN=$(openssl rand -hex 32)" >> ~/.clawdbot/.env

2. Configure UFW firewall

# Install and enable UFW
apt install ufw -y

# Allow SSH (so you don't lock yourself out)
ufw allow 22/tcp

# Allow the OpenClaw dashboard port
ufw allow 18789/tcp

# Enable the firewall
ufw enable

# Verify rules
ufw status

3. Use SSH keys instead of passwords

If you set up with a password during VPS creation, switch to SSH key authentication:

# On your LOCAL machine (not the VPS), generate a key pair if you don't have one
ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "your-email@example.com"

# Copy your public key to the VPS
ssh-copy-id root@your-vps-ip

# Test that key-based login works
ssh root@your-vps-ip

# Then disable password authentication on the VPS
nano /etc/ssh/sshd_config
# Set: PasswordAuthentication no
# Save and restart SSH
systemctl restart sshd

4. Consider Tailscale for private access

For maximum security, install Tailscale to access your OpenClaw dashboard over a private network instead of the public internet:

curl -fsSL https://tailscale.com/install.sh | sh
tailscale up

Then access OpenClaw at http://your-tailscale-ip:18789 and remove the public firewall rule for port 18789.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Port 18789 not accessible

If the dashboard does not load:

# Check if the container is running
docker ps

# Check if something else is using port 18789
ss -tlnp | grep 18789

# Check Hostinger firewall (some plans have a network-level firewall)
# Go to hPanel > VPS > Firewall and ensure port 18789 is allowed

# Check UFW if you configured it
ufw status | grep 18789

API key errors

If OpenClaw starts but cannot generate responses:

# Check container logs for errors
docker logs openclaw --tail 50

# Common issues:
# - API key has no credits loaded
# - API key was copied with extra whitespace
# - Wrong environment variable name

# Verify your .env file
cat ~/.clawdbot/.env

Container restart loops

If the container keeps restarting:

# Check the logs for the crash reason
docker logs openclaw --tail 100

# Common causes:
# - Insufficient memory (shouldn't happen on KVM2 with 8GB)
# - Corrupted configuration file
# - Port conflict with another service

# Nuclear option: remove and recreate
cd ~/.clawdbot
docker compose down
docker compose up -d

WhatsApp QR code not appearing

# Restart the container and try again
cd ~/.clawdbot && docker compose restart

# Wait 30 seconds, then reload the dashboard
# If still not working, check logs:
docker logs openclaw | grep -i whatsapp

Next Steps

You now have a running OpenClaw instance on Hostinger VPS. Here is what to do next:

• Install a persona: Deploy a pre-built persona like Atlas ($79) for an instant AI Chief of Staff.
• Set up scheduled tasks: Configure morning briefings, daily standup summaries, or automated reports.
• Harden security further: Read our Security Hardening Guide for the full 12-step checklist.
• Join the community: Get help and share configs with 500+ operators in the OpenClaw Skool community.

The entire setup — from purchasing the Hostinger VPS to having a working OpenClaw instance with WhatsApp connected — should take under 20 minutes. The hardest part is deciding which LLM provider to start with (we recommend Anthropic).

FAQ

How much does it cost to run OpenClaw on Hostinger VPS?

The Hostinger KVM2 plan costs $8.99/month and includes 2 vCPU, 8GB RAM, 100GB NVMe SSD, and 8TB bandwidth. On top of that, you pay for LLM API usage — typically $15-40/month depending on how heavily you use it. Total cost is usually $25-50/month for a fully operational OpenClaw instance.

Can I use the Hostinger 1-click Docker template for OpenClaw?

Yes. Hostinger offers a Docker template in their VPS setup wizard. Select the Docker template during VPS creation, and Docker plus Docker Compose will be pre-installed. You then SSH in and run the OpenClaw docker-setup.sh script to complete the installation.

What Hostinger VPS plan do I need for OpenClaw?

The KVM2 plan ($8.99/month) is the recommended starting point. It provides 2 vCPU, 8GB RAM, and 100GB NVMe storage — well above OpenClaw's minimum requirements of 2GB RAM. This gives you headroom for running multiple agents and integrations simultaneously.

How do I connect WhatsApp to OpenClaw on Hostinger?

After your OpenClaw instance is running, access the web dashboard at http://your-vps-ip:18789. Navigate to Channels, click "Show QR" next to WhatsApp, and scan the QR code with your phone's WhatsApp app (Settings > Linked Devices > Link a Device). The connection persists across container restarts.

Is OpenClaw on Hostinger VPS secure?

OpenClaw on Hostinger is as secure as you configure it. Out of the box, the dashboard is accessible on port 18789 without authentication. You should set a gateway token, configure UFW firewall rules, use SSH keys instead of passwords, and consider Tailscale for private networking.