How to Deploy ClawdBot on Northflank

Northflank is an underrated platform for running containers. Think of it as Heroku's cooler, more capable sibling — managed containers, built-in networking, persistent volumes, and auto-scaling without Kubernetes.

ClawdBot (OpenClaw's managed runtime) runs great on Northflank. This guide covers the full setup including Northflank's built-in setup wizard.

Why Northflank for ClawdBot?

• Container-native: ClawdBot ships as a Docker image, Northflank runs containers. Perfect match.

• Built-in TLS: Free HTTPS on every service. No certbot dance.

• Persistent volumes: Agent data survives restarts.

• Auto-scaling: Scale from 1 to N containers based on CPU/memory.

• Setup wizard: ClawdBot on Northflank includes a password-protected web wizard — no manual env var configuration needed.

• Free tier: Enough to test. Production starts at ~$10/month.

Step 1: Create a Northflank Project

Create a project called clawdbot-prod and select your preferred region.

Step 2: Create a Combined Service

Use external image openclawai/clawdbot:latest with nf-compute-20 (1 vCPU, 2 GB RAM) on port 3000.

Step 3: Configure Environment Variables

The key environment variable for the Northflank deployment is SETUP_PASSWORD — this protects the web-based setup wizard.

For API keys, use Northflank's Secret Groups:

1. Go to Secret Groups in your project

2. Create a group called clawdbot-secrets

3. Add ANTHROPIC_API_KEY, OPENAI_API_KEY, and SETUP_PASSWORD

4. Link the secret group to your service

Step 4: Add Persistent Storage

Mount a 10 GB SSD volume at /data. This stores data.clawdbot (config, credentials, conversations) and data.workspace (agent workspace data). Without this, everything vanishes on restart.

Step 5: Run the Setup Wizard

This is where Northflank's ClawdBot deployment shines. Instead of manually configuring everything:

1. Visit https://your-service-url.northflank.app/setup

2. Enter your SETUP_PASSWORD

3. Choose your LLM model and provider

4. Paste your API key

5. Optionally add Telegram, Discord, or Slack tokens for messaging integrations

6. Click "Run setup"

Behind the scenes, this runs clawdbot onboard non-interactively inside the container. Much easier than manual config.

After setup, the control UI is accessible at https://your-service-url.northflank.app/openclaw.

Step 6: Configure Networking

Set up health checks at /health on port 3000 (30s interval, 10s timeout). For custom domains, add a CNAME record — TLS is provisioned automatically.

Step 7: Deployment Pipeline

Set up a Docker Registry trigger watching openclawai/clawdbot:latest (poll every 6 hours) to auto-redeploy on new versions.

Step 8: Auto-Scaling

Min 1, max 3 instances, triggered at CPU > 70%. Be careful — agent state is instance-local unless using the persistent volume. For most teams, a single well-sized instance handles 5-10 concurrent agents.

Step 9: Logging and Monitoring

Northflank captures stdout/stderr automatically. Add log sinks for Datadog or Grafana Cloud. Set alerts for unhealthy services (>2 min), high CPU (>90%), and volume storage (>80%).

Cost Breakdown

| Resource | Cost | | ---------- | ------ | | Compute (nf-compute-20) | ~$10/mo | | Persistent Volume (10 GB) | ~$2/mo | | Network + TLS | $0 | | Total | ~$12/mo |

Northflank vs Other Platforms

| Feature | Northflank | Railway | Render | Fly.io | | --------- | ----------- | --------- | -------- | -------- | | Persistent volumes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | | Auto-scaling | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | | Setup wizard | Yes | No | No | No | | Secret management | Yes (groups) | Yes | Yes | Yes | | Container registry | Built-in | No | No | Built-in |

Northflank's edge is the built-in setup wizard and CI/CD pipeline.

Infrastructure is just the start. Managing agents — assigning tasks, reviewing output, debugging — is where RunAgents comes in. Hosted platform with task boards, activity feeds, cost tracking, and team collaboration. No terminal required. Try it →

Tired of managing containers and infrastructure? RunAgents gives you managed OpenClaw hosting with task management, team collaboration, and agent debugging built in. Get started free →

Related Guides

• How to Deploy OpenClaw on DigitalOcean — Step-by-step DigitalOcean droplet setup with nginx and SSL

• How to Secure Your ClawdBot Deployment — Essential security hardening for any self-hosted agent

• How to Setup ClawdBot on Hostinger VPS — Budget-friendly VPS deployment starting at $5/month

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to run ClawdBot on Northflank?

Northflank infrastructure costs about $12/month — $10 for compute and $2 for the persistent volume. TLS and networking are free. Add your LLM API costs on top ($5-100+/month depending on usage). Northflank also has a free tier that's sufficient for testing before committing.

Does the Northflank setup wizard replace manual configuration?

Yes, the web-based setup wizard at /setup handles LLM provider selection, API key configuration, and messaging integrations (Telegram, Discord, Slack) through a browser UI. You just need to set the SETUP_PASSWORD environment variable first. Behind the scenes it runs clawdbot onboard non-interactively.

Will my agent data survive container restarts on Northflank?

Only if you attach a persistent volume. Mount a volume at /data to persist config, credentials, conversations, and workspace data. Without it, all agent data is lost when the container restarts or redeploys.

Can I auto-scale ClawdBot on Northflank for multiple agents?

Yes, Northflank supports auto-scaling from 1 to N instances based on CPU or memory thresholds. However, agent state is instance-local, so scaling beyond 1 instance requires careful consideration of which data lives on the persistent volume. For most use cases, a single well-sized instance handles 5-10 concurrent agents.

How do I set up automatic updates for ClawdBot on Northflank?

Create a Docker Registry trigger in your Northflank project that watches the openclawai/clawdbot:latest image. Set it to poll every 6 hours. When a new version is detected, Northflank automatically redeploys your service with zero downtime.

Is there a way to manage Northflank-hosted agents without the terminal?

RunAgents adds a full product layer on top of your ClawdBot deployment — kanban task boards, team collaboration, execution debugging, and cost intelligence. It's the management UI that Northflank (and every other hosting platform) doesn't provide.