OpenClaw is an autonomous AI agent you install on a Mac Mini, Mac Studio, or VPS. You talk to it through Telegram. It browses the web, writes code, reads your emails, spins up sub-agents, and works on your business 24/7. Even while you sleep.
The official website: openclaw.ai
The fastest interactive installer: installopenclawnow.com
Install OpenClaw on Mac Mini (Best for Safety and Power)
A dedicated machine sitting on your desk, running 24/7. This is how Matthew Berman and most advanced OpenClaw users run their setup. You own the hardware, you own the data, nothing leaves your network.
You'll set up a Mac Mini M4 (16GB RAM minimum), install OpenClaw, connect it to Telegram, and configure your agent's personality and first automations. The whole process takes about 30 minutes.
Cost: ~$500-800 one-time for the Mac Mini + Claude API credits (~$20-150/mo depending on usage)
What the Mac Mini Setup Covers
- macOS hardening (FileVault, Firewall)
- Creating a separate user account for your agent
- Preventing sleep mode so the agent runs 24/7
- Installing OpenClaw via installopenclawnow.com
- Connecting Telegram
- Writing your first prompt (SOUL.md, AGENTS.md)
- Security audit with
openclaw doctor - Remote access via Tailscale
Best for: people who want full control, care about privacy, or plan to run heavy workloads with multiple agents. Once it's set up, it just sits there and works. No monthly server bill.
Read the full guide: OpenClaw Mac Mini Setup: Build a 24/7 AI Agent Server
Install OpenClaw on a VPS Cloud Server (Cheapest Always-On Option)
Same OpenClaw, same power, but running on a cloud server instead of hardware in your house. Spin up a $6/mo Ubuntu server on Hetzner or DigitalOcean, SSH in, install OpenClaw, and connect via Telegram. Always on by default. No sleep settings to worry about.
Cost: ~$6-20/mo for the server + Claude API credits
What the VPS Setup Covers
- Creating a VPS and SSH key setup
- Installing Node.js and OpenClaw
- Keeping it running with systemd
- Connecting Telegram
- Security hardening (firewall, fail2ban, SSH keys only)
- Tailscale for secure remote access
Best for: people who don't want to buy hardware, want to start cheap, or need their agent accessible from anywhere without configuring their home network.
Trade-off: you're renting someone else's computer, so your data lives on their servers.
Read the full guide: How to Install OpenClaw on a VPS: Complete Cloud Setup Guide
One-Click OpenClaw Install (Easiest Way to Get Started)
Platforms like DigitalOcean and Railway offer one-click OpenClaw installs. Zero technical knowledge needed. Click a button, it spins up on their server, you connect via Telegram. Done.
Cost: ~$6-20/mo for the server + Claude API credits
You can also use SimpleClaw for a managed experience.
Important: Migrating servers means losing your agent's context. Pick something you can scale from the start.
OpenClaw Security: Essential Safety Rules Before You Start
These matter. Don't skip them because you're excited.
- Never install on your personal computer. Use a separate machine, server, or VM.
- Create a dedicated Gmail account for your agent. It'll use this to sign up for tools without touching your personal stuff.
- Treat it like a new hire. Read-only access first. Increase permissions as you build trust.
- Code access: Start read-only. Then allow branch PRs. Never let it push to main directly.
- Email access: Read-only API keys first. No send permissions until you trust it.
- Run
openclaw doctorregularly. It flags security issues and tells you exactly how to fix them.
VPS and Cloud Provider Safety Checklist
Before handing any cloud provider your API keys, verify:
- Gateway is not publicly exposed
- Pairing is required for connections
- Filesystem is scoped (no access to
/) - Access is via Tailscale or SSH tunnel only
If a provider can't show you "nmap clean" + no root mounts in 5 minutes, don't hand them your API keys.
How to Handle OpenClaw Rate Limits and Model Selection
- Use Claude Opus as your primary model. Best results, period.
- Add fallback models in your config (Sonnet, or local Ollama).
- If you get rate-limited, the agent can auto-switch to fallbacks.
- Combine a Claude subscription + API credits for flexibility.
What to Build After Installing OpenClaw
Once OpenClaw is installed, the real question is: what do you build with it?
Inside OpenClaw Lab, we share the exact agent configurations, SOUL.md templates, cron schedules, and multi-agent architectures that run a real business 24/7. Weekly lives, expert AMAs, and a community of 250+ founders building systems that actually work.
I share the exact playbooks, skill files, and workflows behind this system inside OpenClaw Lab. Weekly lives and AMAs with experts.
Join OpenClaw Lab →