How to Set Up ClawdBot on Hostinger VPS

Hostinger's VPS plans start at around $5-7/month. For indie hackers and solo founders who want to run AI agents without burning money on infrastructure, it's hard to beat.

Two Ways to Install

Hostinger gives you two paths:

Option A: Pre-installed at Purchase (Easiest)

When buying a new VPS, Hostinger offers OpenClaw as a pre-deployed application. Select it during checkout and you'll get a VPS with everything already configured. Skip straight to Step 6.

Option B: Docker Manager on Existing VPS

If you already have a Hostinger VPS:

1. Go to hPanel → Docker Manager → Catalog

2. Search for "OpenClaw"

3. Click Install — takes 2-3 minutes

4. The installer auto-generates an OPENCLAW_GATEWAY_TOKEN — save this securely, you'll need it to log in

The Docker Manager handles container setup, port assignment, and basic configuration. Your instance will be accessible at http://your-vps-ip:port (port is auto-assigned).

Post-Install Setup (Docker Manager)

After installation via Docker Manager:

1. Open http://your-vps-ip:port in your browser

2. Enter your gateway token to log in

3. Go to Settings and add your API keys:

   • ANTHROPIC_API_KEY

   • OPENAI_API_KEY

   • GEMINI_API_KEY (optional)

   • XAI_API_KEY (optional)

4. For WhatsApp integration: Go to Channels → Show QR → scan with your phone via Settings → Linked Devices

Known issue: If you see "WhatsApp login failed: status=515", go to Settings → Config → Update, then retry the connection.

Option C: Manual Docker Install (Full Control)

If you want full control over the setup, here's the manual path.

Why Hostinger?

• $5.49/month for 1 vCPU, 4 GB RAM, 50 GB SSD (KVM 1)

• $7.99/month for 2 vCPUs, 8 GB RAM, 100 GB SSD (KVM 2)

• Pre-configured Ubuntu templates

• Weekly backups included

• US, EU, Asia datacenters

Step 1: Create Your VPS

Choose KVM 1 or KVM 2 with Ubuntu 24.04. Provision takes 2-3 minutes.

Step 2: Secure Access

SSH in, create a non-root deploy user, set up SSH key authentication, disable password login.

Step 3: Firewall

sudo ufw default deny incoming
sudo ufw default allow outgoing
sudo ufw allow ssh
sudo ufw allow 80/tcp
sudo ufw allow 443/tcp
sudo ufw enable

Step 4: Install Docker

Full Docker Engine with Compose v2. Hostinger VPS comes bare — nothing pre-installed.

Step 5: Configure Swap

Critical on 4 GB plans — add 2 GB swap to prevent OOM kills during long agent executions:

sudo fallocate -l 2G /swapfile
sudo chmod 600 /swapfile
sudo mkswap /swapfile
sudo swapon /swapfile
echo '/swapfile none swap sw 0 0' | sudo tee -a /etc/fstab
echo 'vm.swappiness=10' | sudo tee -a /etc/sysctl.conf

Step 6: Deploy ClawdBot

Docker Compose with secrets management, conservative resource limits (3 GB max to leave room for OS), health checks, and no-new-privileges security.

Step 7: nginx + SSL

Reverse proxy with rate limiting (5r/s with burst 10), security headers (HSTS), and certbot for SSL.

Optimizing for Budget Hardware

• Docker log limits to prevent filling the 50 GB disk

• Weekly Docker image prune cron

• Disk monitor script (alert at 80%, auto-prune)

• Disable unnecessary services (snapd, lxd)

• Reduce journal size: sudo journalctl --vacuum-size=100M

Hostinger-Specific Gotchas

• Network speed: Inconsistent. Choose datacenter close to LLM providers (US East for Anthropic/OpenAI)

• IO performance: Budget SSD has variable IOPS — keep data directory lean

• No block storage: Unlike DigitalOcean, you can't attach extra volumes. Stuck with plan disk size.

• IP reputation: Some ranges have poor reputation from other customers' abuse

• Support: Mixed quality. For ClawdBot issues, use the OpenClaw community instead.

Cost Breakdown

| Item | KVM 1 | KVM 2 | | ------ | ------- | ------- | | Hostinger VPS | $5.49/mo | $7.99/mo | | Domain | ~$1/mo | ~$1/mo | | LLM API costs | $5-50+/mo | $5-50+/mo | | Total | ~$12/mo | ~$14/mo |

That's an AI agent setup for less than a Netflix subscription.

When you outgrow Hostinger, RunAgents gives you everything ClawdBot does plus task management, team collaboration, and debugging — without managing a VPS. Start free →

Ready to outgrow budget VPS hosting? 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 — Premium alternative with better networking and 1-Click App support

• How to Deploy ClawdBot on Northflank — Container-based deployment with automatic TLS

• How to Secure Your ClawdBot Deployment — Don't skip security — especially on budget hosting

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Hostinger VPS plan should I choose for ClawdBot?

KVM 1 (1 vCPU, 4 GB RAM, $5.49/month) works for running 1-2 agents. If you plan to run more agents concurrently or need room for nginx + monitoring, go with KVM 2 (2 vCPUs, 8 GB RAM, $7.99/month). Always add swap space on the 4 GB plan to prevent out-of-memory kills.

Should I use Hostinger's Docker Manager or install Docker manually?

The Docker Manager is the fastest path — it handles container setup, port assignment, and generates your gateway token automatically. Manual install gives you more control over security hardening, resource limits, and nginx configuration. For production use, manual is recommended.

What is the OPENCLAW_GATEWAY_TOKEN and where do I find it?

The gateway token is auto-generated during Docker Manager installation and acts as your login credential. It's shown once after installation in hPanel. Save it immediately and securely — you'll need it to access the ClawdBot web interface. If you lose it, check the container's environment variables in Docker Manager.

How do I connect WhatsApp to ClawdBot on Hostinger?

After installation, open the ClawdBot web UI, go to Channels, and click Show QR. Scan the QR code with your phone's WhatsApp (Settings → Linked Devices). If you get "WhatsApp login failed: status=515", go to Settings → Config → Update first, then retry the connection.

Can Hostinger VPS handle running AI agents 24/7?

Yes, but with caveats. Network speed is inconsistent on budget plans, and SSD IOPS can vary. Choose a US East datacenter for lowest latency to Anthropic and OpenAI APIs. Set up Docker log limits and weekly image pruning to avoid filling the disk. For reliable 24/7 agent operations with monitoring and team access, RunAgents handles it without the maintenance overhead.