Why this comparison exists
There are now 14+ managed OpenClaw hosting providers and every one of them publishes a comparison article ranking themselves first. We built Chelar, so we're biased too, but we'll be transparent about it.
This comparison is based on public pricing pages, documentation, and feature lists verified in April 2026. We'll update it monthly as things change.
What to look for
Before the comparison table, here's what actually matters when choosing a host:
Managed vs VPS template
A VPS template (Hostinger, Contabo) installs OpenClaw on a server you rent. You still manage updates, security, TLS, reverse proxy, and troubleshooting. That's not managed hosting, it's a head start on self-hosting.
Truly managed hosting means the provider handles infrastructure, updates, security patches, and monitoring. You sign up and use it.
BYOK vs bundled AI credits
Some platforms include AI credits or lock you to specific models. Others let you bring your own API key (BYOK) from Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, or other providers, you pay them directly, no markup.
BYOK is cheaper if you already have API keys. Bundled credits are simpler if you don't want to manage keys.
Trial vs free tier
- Free tier = limited but permanent (you can run an agent forever at $0)
- Free trial = full features for a limited time, then you pay
- No trial = you pay from day one
A 7-day trial barely gives you time to configure channels. 14 days is better. A real free tier is best, but only OpenClaw Cloud offers one (with a 7-day compute limit).
Data residency
Channel support
OpenClaw supports WhatsApp, Telegram, Slack, and Discord, but not every hosting provider enables all channels. Check what's actually available on your plan.
The comparison table
Verified against provider websites in April 2026. Prices are monthly.
| Provider | Price | Trial | BYOK | Channels | EU Hosted | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenClaw Cloud | Free / $9.99 / $39.99 | 7 days compute | Yes | All | Unspecified | Managed (official) |
| RunMyClaw | $30 | Yes | Yes | WA, TG, Discord | No (US) | Managed |
| ClawNest | $49 / $99 / $199 | 7 days | No (credits included) | WA, TG | Unspecified | Managed |
| KiloClaw | $9 ($4 first mo) | 1 week | Yes + 500 models | TG, Discord, Slack | Unspecified | Managed |
| ClawAgora | $29.90 - $239 | Unknown | No (messages included) | Multiple | Unspecified | Managed |
| xCloud | $24+ | Unknown | Yes | Multiple | 30+ locations | Managed |
| Chelar | $9 / $19 | 14 days | Yes | TG, Browser | EU only (DE/FI) | Managed |
| Hostinger | ~$6.99 | 30-day refund | N/A (VPS) | You configure | Optional | VPS template |
| Self-hosted | $4-25 (VPS) | N/A | Yes | You configure | You choose | DIY |
WA = WhatsApp, TG = Telegram
Detailed reviews
OpenClaw Cloud, the official option
Price: Free tier (7 days compute) / Plus $9.99/mo / Pro $39.99/mo
The official managed hosting from the OpenClaw team. The free tier gives you 7 days of compute with GLM-4.7 access, after that, the VM powers off (you get 30 days to upgrade before deletion). Plus at $9.99/mo removes the time limit. Pro at $39.99/mo adds high-performance compute and $40/mo in Claude Sonnet 4.6 credits.
Pros: Official product with deepest integration. Free tier to try it. GLM models included. BYOK also supported. Cons: Pricing is confusing (free tier isn't really free, it's a 7-day trial with a 30-day grace period). Data residency unspecified. Pro tier is $39.99/mo for what you'd get at $19/mo elsewhere.
Best for: People who want the official experience and don't mind the GLM model ecosystem.
RunMyClaw, simple and straightforward
Price: $30/mo (single plan)
One plan, one price. A dedicated server with 8 AI models, WhatsApp, Telegram, and Discord. BYOK with zero-knowledge API key encryption (keys encrypted client-side, never stored in plaintext on their servers). No tiers, no credit systems.
Pros: Simple pricing, no tier confusion. Zero-knowledge security for API keys. WhatsApp + Telegram + Discord. Strong documentation (38+ blog articles). Cons: $30/mo is expensive for a reactive chatbot (some competitors offer this at $9). No EU hosting option. No free tier or trial mentioned prominently.
Best for: People who want managed hosting with WhatsApp and don't want to think about plan tiers.
ClawNest, all-inclusive with AI credits
Price: Basic $49/mo / Pro $99/mo / Max $199/mo
The most expensive option in this comparison, but it includes AI credits via OpenRouter, you don't need to bring your own API key or manage AI provider accounts. All plans include a dedicated instance, automatic updates, WhatsApp, and Telegram.
Pros: AI credits included, zero key management. WhatsApp + Telegram. Dedicated instances. 7-day free trial. Cons: Expensive ($49/mo minimum). If you already have API keys, you're paying for credits you don't need. Data residency unspecified. Limited to WhatsApp and Telegram.
Best for: Non-technical users who want everything bundled and don't want to manage API keys.
KiloClaw, budget-friendly with massive model access
Price: $9/mo ($4 first month, 1-week trial)
The most feature-dense option at the lowest price. Access to 500+ AI models through Kilo Gateway, or bring your own keys. Telegram, Discord, and Slack support. Cron jobs and automations included.
Pros: Cheapest managed option at $9/mo. 500+ models via Kilo Gateway. Telegram + Discord + Slack. $4 first month and 1-week trial. Strong Product Hunt presence. Cons: Data residency unspecified. The model gateway adds a dependency vs pure BYOK. Newer platform, less documentation than RunMyClaw.
Best for: Budget-conscious users who want the most features per dollar and access to many AI models.
ClawAgora, managed hosting with marketplace
Price: Spark $29.90/mo / Forge $59.90/mo / Blaze $109/mo / Inferno $239/mo
A managed platform with AI messages included (no separate API key needed) and access to a community marketplace of workspace templates. Higher tiers offer more CPU, RAM, and message volume.
Pros: AI included, no key management. Workspace templates marketplace. Managed updates and security. Cons: Expensive ($29.90/mo minimum). Message limits on lower tiers (300 on Spark). Not BYOK, you use their included models and quotas.
Best for: Users who want a managed platform with community templates and don't want to think about AI providers.
xCloud, global reach with 30+ data centers
Price: Starting at $24/mo
A managed hosting platform with 30+ data center locations across US, EU, and APAC. BYOK model, you bring your own API keys. 5-minute deployment, automatic backups, SSL, and firewall rules included.
Pros: Most data center options of any provider (30+). BYOK with no markup. Dedicated server. Full backup suite. Good documentation and SEO presence. Cons: $24/mo is mid-range for what you get. Trial availability unverified. Not purpose-built for AI agents (general hosting platform).
Best for: Users who need a specific geographic location for their agent (low latency in APAC, specific EU country, etc.).
Chelar, EU-hosted BYOK at $9/mo
Price: Starter $9/mo / Pro $19/mo (14-day free trial)
That's us. Managed hosting on Hetzner bare metal in Germany and Finland. BYOK with Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, Mistral, and OpenRouter. Hardened container isolation per tenant (cap_drop ALL, read-only rootfs, three-layer firewall). Pro tier adds always-on mode and cron jobs.
Chelar supports both the OpenClaw and ZeroClaw runtimes. By default, new agents run on ZeroClaw, a lightweight Rust-based runtime that uses ~4x less memory per container and ships with built-in security hardening (sandboxing, prompt injection defense, tool gating). This lets us keep hosting costs low and pass the savings to you. The full OpenClaw runtime (Node.js) is available on the Pro plan for power users who need it, just reach out and we'll switch your agent over.
Pros: Cheapest managed BYOK option with EU data residency. 14-day trial with full Pro features. Container-level security hardening. Transparent architecture. Lightweight runtime means lower costs. Cons: Only Telegram and browser chat today, WhatsApp coming post-launch, Slack and Discord planned. Defaults to ZeroClaw runtime (OpenClaw available on Pro upon request). Newer platform with less content and track record. EU-only hosting (no US or APAC data centers). Solo founder.
Best for: EU-based users who want managed hosting with BYOK, data residency, and don't need WhatsApp right now.
Hostinger, VPS template (not managed)
Price: ~$6.99/mo (1-click) / $3.85-8.99/mo (VPS plans)
Hostinger offers a 1-click OpenClaw installer on their VPS and a more managed "1-click OpenClaw" product at $6.99/mo with preconnected AI credits, visual management, and WhatsApp/Telegram. The VPS option is cheaper but fully self-managed.
Pros: Low cost, especially on multi-year VPS plans. Well-known brand. Full server access for customization. 30-day money-back guarantee. The 1-click product is surprisingly full-featured for $6.99/mo. Cons: VPS plans require you to manage updates, security, and troubleshooting. Even the 1-click product is more DIY than truly managed platforms. Renewal pricing higher ($14.99/mo).
Best for: Technical users who want a cheap starting point and don't mind managing a server, or budget users willing to try Hostinger's 1-click product.
Self-hosting, full control, full responsibility
Price: $4-25/mo (VPS) + your time
The software is free and open-source (Apache 2.0). You rent a VPS from Hetzner, DigitalOcean, or use Oracle Cloud's free tier, install Docker, configure a reverse proxy, set up TLS, and manage everything yourself.
Pros: Full control. Can run custom Docker modifications. Can use local models (Ollama). No vendor dependency. Cheapest option per agent if running multiple. Cons: 4-10 hours initial setup. 2-4 hours/month maintenance. No dashboard, everything via terminal. You're the sysadmin for security, updates, and uptime.
Best for: DevOps-comfortable users who want full control, need custom modifications, or want to run local models.
Who should choose what
Want the cheapest managed BYOK hosting? KiloClaw ($9/mo) or Chelar ($9/mo). KiloClaw has more channels today; Chelar has EU hosting and a longer trial.
Want everything bundled (no API key management)? ClawNest ($49/mo) or ClawAgora ($29.90/mo). You pay more, but AI credits are included.
Want the official experience? OpenClaw Cloud. Start free, upgrade if you like it.
Need EU data residency? Chelar (Germany/Finland). No other managed provider explicitly guarantees EU-only hosting.
Need WhatsApp + Telegram right now? RunMyClaw ($30/mo) or ClawNest ($49/mo). Chelar's WhatsApp support is coming but not live yet.
Want maximum global reach? xCloud (30+ data centers worldwide).
On a tight budget and technical enough? Hostinger VPS ($3.85/mo) or self-host on Oracle Cloud free tier.
FAQ
Is OpenClaw hosting free?
OpenClaw the software is free (Apache 2.0). Hosting is not. OpenClaw Cloud offers a free tier with 7 days of compute. Most other providers offer trials ranging from 7-14 days. After that, expect to pay $9-50/mo for managed hosting, or $4-25/mo for a VPS you manage yourself.
What's the cheapest managed OpenClaw hosting?
KiloClaw and Chelar, both at $9/mo. KiloClaw includes access to 500+ models. Chelar is BYOK-only with EU hosting. Both have free trials.
Can I use my own API keys?
On BYOK platforms (Chelar, RunMyClaw, KiloClaw, xCloud, OpenClaw Cloud), yes. On bundled platforms (ClawNest, ClawAgora), AI credits are included, you typically don't need your own keys, but you can't bring cheaper ones either.
Is OpenClaw hosting GDPR compliant?
It depends on where your data is hosted. Chelar is the only provider that explicitly guarantees EU-only hosting (Hetzner Germany/Finland). xCloud offers EU data center options. Others are US-based or don't specify data residency. If GDPR compliance matters, ask your provider where data is stored before signing up.
How much do AI API costs add on top of hosting?
For personal use (10-50 messages/day), expect $3-15/mo depending on your model. Claude Sonnet 4.6 costs roughly $3-8/mo for casual use. GPT-4o is $5-12/mo. DeepSeek V3 is $1-3/mo. This cost is the same whether you self-host or use a managed provider with BYOK.
Our pick (and our bias)
We'll update this comparison monthly as the market evolves. Last verified: April 2026.
