OpenClaw Docker Deploy: VPS Providers with 1-Click Setup

Updated March 2026 · 6 min read

Setting up OpenClaw from scratch on a bare VPS involves installing Docker, configuring Nginx as a reverse proxy, obtaining SSL certificates, hardening the firewall, installing Node.js 22, and setting up Playwright for browser automation. Altogether, that process takes 1–2 hours even for experienced sysadmins. Docker changes that equation entirely. With the official container image, you can have OpenClaw running in under five minutes — and several VPS providers now offer 1-click templates that reduce it to a single button press.

This guide covers which providers support 1-click OpenClaw Docker deployment, how to deploy manually when they don't, and when Docker is (or isn't) the right choice for your setup.

Why Docker for OpenClaw?

OpenClaw has a non-trivial dependency stack. It needs Node.js 22, Playwright with Chromium for browser automation, various system libraries, and specific environment configuration. Installing all of this natively means managing version conflicts, debugging OS-specific quirks, and handling upgrades carefully. Docker eliminates these problems in three ways:

• Isolation: OpenClaw runs inside its own container with all dependencies pre-installed. Nothing on the host system can conflict with it, and nothing inside the container can accidentally break your server. If something goes wrong, you destroy the container and start fresh — the host remains untouched.
• Reproducibility: The official Docker image at ghcr.io/openclaw/openclaw is built and tested by the OpenClaw team. Every deployment uses the exact same binaries, libraries, and configuration. There is no "works on my machine" problem. Whether you deploy on a $4 Hetzner VPS or a $40 DigitalOcean droplet, the runtime environment is identical.
• Easy updates: Upgrading OpenClaw without Docker means pulling new code, rebuilding, restarting services, and hoping nothing breaks. With Docker, the upgrade process is two commands: docker pull ghcr.io/openclaw/openclaw followed by a container restart. Rollbacks are equally simple — just point back to the previous image tag.

The official image requires Docker 24 or newer and a minimum of 4 GB RAM. Most modern VPS plans meet both requirements out of the box. If your VPS has only 2 GB RAM, you can still run OpenClaw natively via npm, but the Docker overhead makes 4 GB the practical floor for containerized deployment.

VPS Providers with 1-Click OpenClaw Templates

Not all VPS providers are equal when it comes to Docker convenience. Some offer pre-built templates that handle Docker installation, image pulling, and basic configuration automatically. Others require you to do everything from an empty Ubuntu terminal. Here is how the major providers compare as of March 2026:

Provider	Method	Min Specs	Price	Pros	Cons
Hostinger	Pre-configured Docker template	1 vCPU / 4 GB RAM	From $6.49/mo	True one-click launch; Docker pre-installed; beginner-friendly panel	Template tied to Hostinger ecosystem; limited OS choice
DigitalOcean	1-Click Droplet (Marketplace) + App Platform	1 vCPU / 2 GB RAM (Droplet) / 4 GB (App Platform)	From $12/mo (Droplet) / varies (App Platform)	Two deployment paths; strong documentation; App Platform handles scaling	Pricier than budget providers; App Platform costs can escalate
Zeabur	Template deploy from registry	Dedicated server required	Usage-based pricing	Deploys specific tagged image (ghcr.io/openclaw/openclaw:2026.3.13-1); integrated CI/CD	Requires dedicated server plan; not suitable for shared instances
Meta Intelligence	Custom Docker image (node:22-bookworm base)	2 vCPU / 4 GB RAM	Varies by plan	Pre-installed Node.js 22, Playwright, and system tools; optimized for AI workloads	Smaller provider; less community documentation

Hostinger is the easiest option for beginners. Their VPS control panel includes a Docker template that installs Docker, pulls the OpenClaw image, and starts the container automatically. You pick your plan, select the template, and OpenClaw is running within minutes of payment. The KVM 1 plan at $6.49/mo with 4 GB RAM is the sweet spot.

DigitalOcean offers two paths. The Marketplace 1-Click Droplet gives you a pre-configured Docker environment on a standard droplet where you then pull the OpenClaw image. Alternatively, their App Platform can deploy directly from the container registry, handling scaling, SSL, and health checks automatically — though at a higher cost. The Marketplace route is more cost-effective for single-instance deployments.

Zeabur takes a PaaS approach. You select the OpenClaw template, point it at the specific image tag ghcr.io/openclaw/openclaw:2026.3.13-1, and Zeabur handles the rest. The catch: OpenClaw needs a dedicated server plan due to its resource requirements. Shared containers won't cut it for browser automation workloads.

Meta Intelligence provides a custom Docker image based on node:22-bookworm with Playwright, Chromium, and common AI tooling pre-installed. This is useful if you want to customize the OpenClaw deployment or run additional services alongside it in the same image.

Manual Docker Deployment in 5 Steps

If your VPS provider doesn't offer a 1-click template — or you want full control — manual Docker deployment is straightforward. Start with a fresh Ubuntu 22.04+ or Debian 12+ VPS with at least 4 GB RAM. SSH in and follow these steps:

Step 1: Install Docker

Update the system packages and install Docker from the default repositories:

apt update && apt install -y docker.io
systemctl enable docker && systemctl start docker

This installs Docker and ensures it starts automatically on boot. On most modern Ubuntu/Debian VPS images, this gives you Docker 24+, which meets the requirement.

Step 2: Pull the OpenClaw Image

Download the official OpenClaw container image from the GitHub Container Registry:

docker pull ghcr.io/openclaw/openclaw

This pulls the latest tag. For production deployments, consider pinning to a specific version tag to avoid unexpected changes during updates.

Step 3: Run the Container

Start OpenClaw as a background container, binding to localhost on port 18789:

docker run -d \
  --name openclaw \
  -p 127.0.0.1:18789:18789 \
  ghcr.io/openclaw/openclaw

Binding to 127.0.0.1 instead of 0.0.0.0 is critical for security. This ensures OpenClaw is only accessible through the Nginx reverse proxy, not directly from the internet.

Step 4: Set Up Nginx Reverse Proxy with SSL

Install Nginx and Certbot, then configure a reverse proxy to serve OpenClaw over HTTPS:

apt install -y nginx certbot python3-certbot-nginx

# Create Nginx config
cat > /etc/nginx/sites-available/openclaw << 'EOF'
server {
    server_name your-domain.com;
    location / {
        proxy_pass http://127.0.0.1:18789;
        proxy_set_header Host $host;
        proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
        proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;
        proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-Proto $scheme;
        proxy_http_version 1.1;
        proxy_set_header Upgrade $http_upgrade;
        proxy_set_header Connection "upgrade";
    }
}
EOF

ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/openclaw /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/
nginx -t && systemctl reload nginx

# Obtain SSL certificate
certbot --nginx -d your-domain.com --non-interactive --agree-tos -m you@email.com

Replace your-domain.com and the email address with your actual values. Certbot will automatically modify the Nginx config to redirect HTTP to HTTPS and handle certificate renewal.

Step 5: Configure Auto-Restart with systemd

Ensure the container restarts automatically after server reboots or crashes:

docker update --restart unless-stopped openclaw

Alternatively, create a systemd service for finer control over startup order and logging:

cat > /etc/systemd/system/openclaw.service << 'EOF'
[Unit]
Description=OpenClaw Docker Container
After=docker.service
Requires=docker.service

[Service]
Restart=always
ExecStart=/usr/bin/docker start -a openclaw
ExecStop=/usr/bin/docker stop openclaw

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target
EOF

systemctl daemon-reload
systemctl enable openclaw

With this configuration, your OpenClaw instance will survive reboots, OOM kills, and unexpected crashes. The entire manual process takes about 10–15 minutes once you're familiar with it.

Docker vs Native Install: Which Is Better?

OpenClaw also supports a native installation via npm. The command is simple:

npm install -g openclaw && openclaw onboard

This installs OpenClaw globally and runs the interactive setup wizard. No Docker required. So when should you choose one over the other?

Choose Docker when:

• You want clean isolation from the host system and other services
• You plan to run multiple services on the same VPS (databases, other apps)
• You value simple, predictable upgrades and rollbacks
• Your VPS has 4 GB+ RAM to accommodate Docker's overhead
• You want to match the exact environment tested by the OpenClaw team

Choose native npm install when:

• Your VPS has only 2–3 GB RAM and cannot spare Docker's memory overhead
• You need to modify OpenClaw's source code or run custom plugins
• You are running OpenClaw as the sole application on the server
• You are comfortable managing Node.js versions and system dependencies

For most users, Docker is the recommended approach. The official image includes the correct Node.js version, Playwright with Chromium, and all system libraries. Native installations work well but require you to manage these dependencies yourself, which adds ongoing maintenance burden. On a 4 GB VPS — which costs as little as $3.49/mo on Hetzner or $4.95/mo on Contabo — Docker's overhead is negligible.

Managed Alternatives: Skip the Setup Entirely

If you don't want to manage any infrastructure at all, managed options exist. The most notable is Klaus, a managed VM product purpose-built for OpenClaw. Klaus handles everything: server provisioning, Docker configuration, SSL certificates, automatic updates, backups, and monitoring. You sign up, connect your AI API key, and OpenClaw is running. No SSH, no terminal, no configuration files.

The trade-off is cost and control. Managed services charge a premium over raw VPS pricing because they bundle infrastructure management into the price. A $5/mo VPS becomes a $15–30/mo managed service. You also lose the ability to install custom software, tweak system settings, or run additional services on the same machine.

Managed alternatives make sense for teams that lack DevOps expertise or simply don't want to maintain infrastructure. For individuals and small teams comfortable with basic Linux commands, a Docker deployment on a budget VPS delivers the same uptime at a fraction of the cost. Compare the numbers on our OpenClaw VPS comparison page to find the right plan.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much RAM does OpenClaw need when running in Docker?

The Docker deployment requires a minimum of 4 GB RAM. Docker itself uses around 200–400 MB of overhead, and OpenClaw with Playwright browser automation consumes 1.5–3 GB depending on workload. With 4 GB total, you have enough headroom for stable operation. If you only have 2 GB available, use the native npm installation instead of Docker.

Can I use Docker Compose instead of docker run?

Yes. Docker Compose is actually the recommended approach for production deployments because it lets you define the container configuration, environment variables, volumes, and restart policy in a single docker-compose.yml file. The OpenClaw repository includes a sample compose file that you can use as a starting point. The docker run command shown in this guide works for quick setups and testing.

Which 1-click provider is best for beginners?

Hostinger offers the most beginner-friendly experience. Their VPS panel includes a pre-configured Docker template for OpenClaw, so you don't need to touch the command line at all. DigitalOcean is a close second with excellent documentation and community tutorials, though it requires a few more clicks to set up. Both are solid choices for your first deployment.

How do I update OpenClaw when a new version is released?

Pull the latest image and restart the container. The process takes under a minute:

docker pull ghcr.io/openclaw/openclaw
docker stop openclaw
docker rm openclaw
docker run -d --name openclaw -p 127.0.0.1:18789:18789 ghcr.io/openclaw/openclaw

Your data persists in Docker volumes. For zero-downtime updates, use Docker Compose with a rolling restart strategy. Always check the release notes before upgrading in case there are breaking changes or required migrations.