OpenClaw is free and open source, but you still need somewhere to run it. The good news: there are multiple ways to host OpenClaw for free — or close to it. This guide covers every option, from running on your own computer to using free cloud tiers.
Option 1: Run OpenClaw Locally (Completely Free)
The simplest free option is running OpenClaw on your own computer.
Requirements
- A computer with at least 4GB RAM (8GB recommended)
- Windows (via WSL2), macOS, or Linux
- Docker Desktop installed
How to Set Up
- Install Docker Desktop on your machine
- Run the OpenClaw one-line installer:
curl -fsSL https://openclaw.ai/install.sh | bash - Configure your AI model and messaging platform
- Start the gateway
Pros: Completely free, full control, data stays on your machine, maximum privacy
Cons: Your computer must stay on 24/7, no HTTPS without extra setup, slower models on older hardware
For detailed instructions, see our OpenClaw installation guide.
Option 2: Free VPS Tiers
Several cloud providers offer free tiers that can run OpenClaw:
Oracle Cloud Free Tier (Best Free Option)
- Always free: 2 AMD instances (1 OCPU, 1GB RAM each) or 4 ARM instances (combined 24GB RAM)
- The ARM instances are powerful enough for OpenClaw + a local AI model via Ollama
- 200GB block storage included
- No credit card charge (truly free forever)
Google Cloud Free Tier
- 1 e2-micro instance (0.25 vCPU, 1GB RAM) — always free
- Tight on resources but can run OpenClaw with a cloud AI model (no local models)
- 30GB storage included
AWS Free Tier
- 750 hours/month of t2.micro (1 vCPU, 1GB RAM) — free for 12 months
- Similar to Google: enough for OpenClaw with cloud models only
- Requires credit card, watch for accidental charges
Azure Free Tier
- 750 hours/month of B1S (1 vCPU, 1GB RAM) — free for 12 months
- $200 credit for the first 30 days
Option 3: Free AI Models
Even if your hosting is free, you need an AI model. Free options:
- Ollama (local) — Run Llama, Qwen, Mistral on your own hardware. Completely free, unlimited usage. Setup guide
- DeepSeek API — Free tier with generous limits. Excellent Chinese + English support
- Google Gemini API — Free tier via Google AI Studio. Good multi-modal capabilities
- OpenRouter free models — Several free models available, rotate between them to stay within limits
Option 4: Cheap Managed Hosting ($3/month)
If you want OpenClaw running 24/7 without any technical setup, OpenClaw Launch offers managed hosting starting at $3 for the first month (then $6/month).
This includes:
- Dedicated Docker container
- Automatic updates and monitoring
- No server management needed
- 12+ messaging platform support
- Visual configuration — no command line
Not free, but at $3/month it's cheaper than most coffee subscriptions — and saves hours of server setup and maintenance.
Comparison: Free vs Paid Hosting
| Option | Cost | Uptime | Setup Difficulty | Maintenance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Local (your PC) | Free | When PC is on | Medium | You |
| Oracle Cloud Free | Free | 24/7 | Hard | You |
| Google/AWS/Azure Free | Free (12 months) | 24/7 | Hard | You |
| Cheap VPS (Hetzner/Contabo) | $4-6/month | 24/7 | Medium | You |
| OpenClaw Launch | $3-20/month | 24/7 | Easy | Automatic |
Which Free Option Should You Choose?
- Just want to try OpenClaw → Run locally on your computer. Zero cost, 10 minutes to set up.
- Need 24/7 uptime for free → Oracle Cloud ARM instances. Best free cloud option by far.
- Want free AI models too → Local Ollama + local OpenClaw. Everything runs on your hardware.
- Don't want to manage servers → OpenClaw Launch at $3/month is the easiest path.
Common Pitfalls with Free Hosting
RAM limits: OpenClaw needs at least 512MB RAM for the gateway alone. With a local AI model, you need 4-8GB. Free cloud tiers with 1GB RAM can only run OpenClaw with cloud-based AI models.
No HTTPS: Messaging platforms like Telegram require HTTPS for webhooks. On a free VPS, you'll need to set up Caddy or Certbot for SSL certificates.
IP restrictions: Some free tiers block certain ports or have bandwidth limits that can affect bot responsiveness.
Account termination: Cloud providers sometimes shut down free tier instances for inactivity. Set up a cron job to keep your instance alive.
Get Started
OpenClaw is free. Hosting can be free too. Pick the option that matches your technical comfort level and start building your AI assistant today.
If you'd rather skip the server setup entirely, try OpenClaw Launch — first month just $3.