OpenClaw is a powerful AI assistant that runs on your own server, giving you complete control over your AI agent. In this guide, Ill walk you through installing OpenClaw on a Hostinger VPS.

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Why Run OpenClaw on Your Own Server?

  • Privacy — Your conversations stay on your server
  • Control — Full control over configuration and security
  • Custom Skills — Build and install custom AI skills
  • No subscriptions — One-time setup, use forever

Prerequisites

  • Hostinger VPS (Premium or higher recommended)
  • SSH access to your VPS
  • A domain pointing to your server (optional but recommended)

Step 1: Prepare Your VPS

First, log into your Hostinger account and access your VPS via SSH. Update the system:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

Step 2: Install Required Dependencies

OpenClaw requires Node.js. Lets install it:

# Install Node.js 22
curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_22.x | sudo -E bash -
sudo apt-get install -y nodejs

# Verify installation
node --version
npm --version
Tip: OpenClaw works best with Node.js 22 or higher.

Step 3: Install OpenClaw

Now lets install OpenClaw globally:

sudo npm install -g openclaw

Step 4: Initial Setup

Run the setup wizard:

openclaw setup

This will guide you through:

  • Configuring your AI model (Claude, MiniMax, etc.)
  • Setting up Telegram (or other channels)
  • Creating your workspace

Step 5: Configure Telegram (Recommended)

For easy access, set up Telegram:

openclaw configure --section channels

Youll need a Telegram bot token. Create one here.

Step 6: Start OpenClaw

# Start the gateway
openclaw gateway start

# Check status
openclaw gateway status
Note: For production, you should set up a systemd service to keep OpenClaw running.

Step 7: Set Up as a System Service (Optional)

To keep OpenClaw running after you close SSH:

sudo systemctl --user enable openclaw-gateway
sudo systemctl --user start openclaw-gateway

Common Issues

Port already in use:
If you get an error about port 18789, check if something else is using it:
sudo lsof -i :18789
Node version issues:
Make sure you have Node.js 22+. Check with node --version

Next Steps

Now that OpenClaw is running, you can:

  • Install skills from the skill store
  • Configure email integration
  • Set up custom skills for your business
  • Connect more channels (Discord, Slack, etc.)

We offer pre-built skills for breweries and small businesses — check out our AI Skills Store.

Questions? Drop us a line at hello@tindogbrewing.com


How to Install OpenClaw on a Hostinger VPS in 2025