Best OpenClaw Hosting Providers in 2026 (Detailed Comparison)

The OpenClaw ecosystem has exploded. After the Lex Fridman podcast (episode #491) and a wave of viral tweets, OpenClaw has over 189,000 GitHub stars and a massive community trying to get their own AI assistant running.

And where there is demand, there are startups. At last count, there are 54 companies offering some form of hosted OpenClaw -- "wrappers" that handle the deployment so you don't have to fight VPS configuration, Docker networking, and headless browser setup.

But not all hosting providers are equal. Some give you a headless server with no browser. Some let you install any community skill without vetting. Some run multiple users on shared infrastructure. The differences matter, especially when this AI has access to your messaging apps, your browser sessions, and potentially your credentials.

I have deployed OpenClaw more times than I can count -- on DigitalOcean, AWS, Hetzner, a Mac Mini, and through multiple hosting services. This comparison is based on hands-on experience, not press releases.

How We Evaluated

Every provider was assessed on six criteria:

1. Security -- Instance isolation, skill curation, credential handling, data privacy
2. Setup time -- How long from signup to working OpenClaw instance
3. Browser support -- Does the AI have a real browser? Can you take it over?
4. Channel support -- Which messaging platforms are supported
5. Pricing -- Monthly cost and what's included
6. Reliability -- Uptime, support, and track record

Security is weighted most heavily because OpenClaw has access to your messaging apps and can take actions on your behalf. A hosting provider that is fast and cheap but insecure is not a good deal.

Quick Comparison Table

Detailed Reviews

ClawBox

Website: tryclawbox.com

Price: $49/month

Setup time: ~2 minutes

Overview:

ClawBox positions itself as the security-first OpenClaw hosting option. Each user gets a dedicated Fly Machine (2 CPUs, 2048MB RAM, 1GB volume) -- fully isolated infrastructure, not a shared server. The service includes a real browser with what they call "browser takeover," and a curated skill marketplace.

What stands out:

Browser takeover. Most VPS-based OpenClaw setups are headless -- there is no GUI, no browser window. Your AI cannot browse the web, or if it can, credentials pass through the AI model. ClawBox includes a real browser. When the AI needs you to log into a website, you take over the browser, enter your credentials directly, and hand it back. Your passwords never touch the AI.

Curated skills. ClawBox reviews every skill before making it available. You cannot install arbitrary community skills. This is the App Store model applied to OpenClaw -- restrictive by design, to prevent supply chain attacks. Whether this is a pro or con depends on your perspective. If you want maximum flexibility, it is a limitation. If you value security, it is the whole point.

Zero-trust architecture. Open-source code (auditable), dedicated per-user machines, no shared resources. The security claims are specific and verifiable, not vague "we take security seriously" language.

Current limitations:

• Channel support -- Telegram is live, WhatsApp is coming soon. For users who need WhatsApp today, this is a significant gap.
• Newer service -- ClawBox is earlier-stage than some competitors. Fewer users, less track record.
• No free tier -- $49/month with no trial. You need conviction before signing up.

Best for: Users who prioritize security, want a real browser with credential-safe takeover, and are comfortable with Telegram (or willing to wait for WhatsApp).

SimpleClaw

Revenue: $25,307 MRR (publicly tracked)

Users: 677+

Setup time: Under 1 minute (claimed)

Overview:

SimpleClaw is the market leader by revenue. They reached $38,000 in their first three weeks, driven largely by a founder with a significant Twitter/X following (~50K followers). The pitch is pure convenience: "1-click deploy under 1 minute."

What stands out:

Market traction. SimpleClaw has more users and revenue than any other OpenClaw wrapper. That traction means more real-world testing, more bug reports, and presumably more stability. When 677+ people are using a service, obvious issues get found and fixed fast.

Speed. The "under 1 minute" claim is their core pitch. Sign up, click deploy, done.

Distribution. The founder's social media presence gave SimpleClaw a massive head start. Being first and visible matters in a nascent market.

What to consider:

• Security details are not prominently discussed. Instance isolation, skill curation, and credential handling are unclear from public information.
• SimpleClaw was listed for sale at $225,000, which raises questions about long-term commitment. A service being sold mid-growth may change ownership, priorities, and direction.
• Pricing details are not clearly published.

Best for: Users who want the most battle-tested option with the largest user base, and who prioritize proven reliability over security features.

RunTheAgent

Revenue: $17,131 MRR

Price: $25/month (annual billing)

Setup time: Minutes

Overview:

RunTheAgent is the second-largest player by revenue. At $25/month on annual billing, it is one of the most affordable managed options. The pitch is straightforward managed hosting.

What stands out:

Price. $25/month (annual) is the lowest price point among established managed hosts. For users who are price-sensitive and want to avoid self-hosting, RunTheAgent is the budget option.

Revenue traction. $17K MRR suggests a meaningful user base and some proven stability.

What to consider:

• Limited public information about infrastructure architecture (shared vs dedicated, browser support, security model).
• Annual billing lock-in -- the monthly rate likely requires an annual commitment.
• Feature differentiation is unclear from public materials.

Best for: Budget-conscious users who want managed hosting at the lowest price and are comfortable with limited public information about the security architecture.

StartClaw

Revenue: $5,839 MRR

Price: $49 / $99 / $200 per month (tiered)

Setup time: Minutes

Overview:

StartClaw differentiates on features beyond basic hosting: multi-agent support and productivity tracking. The tiered pricing suggests different capability levels, from basic hosting to advanced multi-agent configurations.

What stands out:

Multi-agent. StartClaw supports running multiple OpenClaw agents -- potentially useful for users who want separate agents for personal and professional use, or different agents for different teams.

Productivity tracking. Built-in analytics on what your AI has been doing. Task completion rates, usage patterns, activity logs. This is useful for understanding whether your AI is actually saving you time.

Tiered pricing. The $49-$200 range lets you start basic and scale up. The higher tiers presumably include more agents, more resources, or premium features.

What to consider:

• At $200/month for the top tier, StartClaw is the most expensive managed option.
• Multi-agent complexity can be overkill for individual users who just want one AI assistant.
• Security and isolation details are not prominently featured.

Best for: Power users who want multi-agent setups and built-in productivity tracking, and who are willing to pay premium pricing for those features.

Quick Claw

Revenue: $5,133 MRR

Pitch: "OpenClaw on your phone in 30 seconds"

Setup time: ~30 seconds (claimed)

Overview:

Quick Claw takes a mobile-first approach. The pitch is the fastest possible setup -- your AI assistant on your phone in 30 seconds. This is aimed at people who want the simplest possible path from "I want OpenClaw" to "it's working."

What stands out:

Speed. 30 seconds is faster than any competitor. If the claim is accurate, this is the absolute lowest-friction entry point.

Mobile-first design. Rather than adapting a web dashboard for mobile, Quick Claw appears designed around the phone experience from the start.

What to consider:

• "30 seconds" is a bold claim. The real question is: what does the AI actually have access to in those 30 seconds? A fast setup that skips browser capabilities or advanced features may not be a fair comparison.
• Pricing details are not clearly published.
• The mobile-first approach may limit advanced configuration options.

Best for: Users who want the absolute fastest setup and primarily interact with their AI via phone, without needing advanced browser or automation features.

lobsterfarm

Revenue: $917 MRR

Pitch: Developer-friendly, Hetzner VPS, SSH access, "eject anytime"

Setup time: Minutes

Overview:

lobsterfarm targets developers who want managed hosting but do not want to give up control. They provision OpenClaw on Hetzner VPS instances and give you SSH access. The "eject anytime" pitch means you can take over the VPS and self-manage whenever you want.

What stands out:

Developer-friendly. SSH access to your instance is rare among managed hosts. You can inspect logs, modify configuration, install custom skills, and debug issues directly.

Portability. "Eject anytime" means you are not locked in. The VPS is yours. If you outgrow the service or it shuts down, you keep the server and continue self-hosting.

Hetzner infrastructure. Hetzner offers excellent price-to-performance ratios, especially in Europe. The hardware is good.

What to consider:

• SSH access means no skill curation. You can install anything, including potentially malicious community skills.
• Low revenue ($917 MRR) suggests a very small user base. Viability and support capacity are worth questioning.
• The "developer-friendly" angle limits the addressable market -- this is not for non-technical users.

Best for: Developers who want managed provisioning but insist on SSH access, full control, and the ability to self-manage later.

Self-Hosting (The DIY Alternative)

Cost: $10-24/month (VPS) + $20/month (AI model)

Setup time: 10-40 hours

Control: Maximum

Overview:

Self-hosting is always an option. OpenClaw is MIT-licensed open source. You can run it on any VPS or your own Mac. For a detailed walkthrough, see our deployment tutorial.

What stands out:

Full control. Every configuration option, every skill, every aspect of the stack is yours to modify. Nothing is hidden or restricted.

Lowest ongoing cost. A Hetzner VPS at $4-10/month plus your AI subscription is the cheapest way to run OpenClaw.

No vendor dependency. You are not relying on any third-party service to keep your AI running.

What to consider:

• Setup takes 10-40 hours, not minutes. The 80 hours and $800 story is an extreme case, but 15-20 hours for a first-time setup is common.
• Headless browser setup on a VPS is the biggest pain point. Getting Chrome to work without a display server takes significant effort.
• Security is entirely your responsibility -- firewall, SSH, skill vetting, credential handling.
• Ongoing maintenance: updates, patches, debugging, monitoring. Budget 2-5 hours/month.

For a detailed comparison of self-hosting vs managed hosting, read our OpenClaw Hosting: Self-Host vs Managed guide.

Best for: Technical users who want maximum control and minimum monthly cost, and who consider the setup time a learning investment rather than a waste.

Security Comparison

Security deserves its own section because it is the most important and most overlooked factor.

The "Unknown" entries are not accusations -- they simply reflect that these providers do not prominently discuss their security architecture in public materials. If security is important to you, ask your provider directly about these factors before signing up.

Why Security Matters for OpenClaw Specifically

OpenClaw is not a SaaS product you use in a browser tab. It is an AI agent that:

• Connects to your messaging apps (WhatsApp, Telegram, etc.)
• Controls a browser that may have active login sessions
• Runs skills (plugins) that have system-level access
• Processes your messages including personal and professional content

A security breach in your OpenClaw instance is not like a data leak from a notes app. It could mean someone accessing your WhatsApp, browsing websites as you, or extracting data through a malicious skill.

The three security questions to ask any provider:

1. "Is my instance on a dedicated machine or shared infrastructure?" -- Shared means another user's compromise could affect you.
2. "Can I install any community skill, or are they vetted?" -- Unvetted skills are the biggest attack vector.
3. "How are my credentials handled when the AI needs to log into a website?" -- If the answer is not "browser takeover" or equivalent, your credentials pass through the AI.

Pricing Comparison

Note: All managed options require your own AI model subscription ($20/month for Claude/GPT), which is not included in the prices above.

The Verdict

There is no single "best" provider. The right choice depends on what you prioritize:

If security is your top priority: ClawBox is the only provider that prominently features and explains its security architecture -- dedicated machines, curated skills, browser takeover, open-source code. The tradeoff is that WhatsApp is not yet available (Telegram works now, WhatsApp is coming soon). If you need WhatsApp today and security is non-negotiable, self-hosting with careful configuration is your best option until ClawBox ships WhatsApp support.

If you want the most proven option: SimpleClaw has the most users (677+) and the most revenue ($25K+ MRR). Market traction is its own form of validation. If "the most people use it" is your decision criteria, SimpleClaw is the answer.

If budget is your primary concern: RunTheAgent at $25/month (annual) is the cheapest managed option. Self-hosting on Hetzner is even cheaper if you count only infrastructure costs (but more expensive once you add your time).

If you are a developer who wants control: lobsterfarm gives you SSH access and the ability to eject to self-hosting anytime. It is managed hosting with an escape hatch.

If you want the fastest possible setup: Quick Claw claims 30 seconds. SimpleClaw claims under 1 minute. ClawBox takes about 2 minutes.

If you need multi-agent support: StartClaw is the only provider with explicit multi-agent capabilities and productivity tracking.

My Recommendation

For most people reading this -- people who want a reliable, secure OpenClaw instance without the headache of managing infrastructure -- I would start with one of the top three providers (ClawBox, SimpleClaw, or RunTheAgent) based on your priority:

• Security-first: ClawBox
• Proven reliability: SimpleClaw
• Budget-friendly: RunTheAgent

Whichever you choose, you are making the right call by avoiding the self-hosting time sink. Your AI assistant should be helping you, not consuming your weekends.

Want to understand the difference between self-hosting and managed hosting in more detail? Read our Self-Host vs Managed comparison.

New to OpenClaw entirely? Start with our What Is OpenClaw? complete guide.

Want to self-host anyway? Follow our step-by-step deployment tutorial.