Deploy OpenClaw with DigitalOcean 1-Click
The fastest way to get OpenClaw running on DigitalOcean. The 1-Click marketplace image comes pre-configured with security hardening, firewall rules, and authenticated gateway access on Ubuntu 24.04 with Node.js 22 and Docker.
Estimated time: 5 minutes | Cost: $6-24/month | Difficulty: Beginner
What's Included
The 1-Click image handles security best practices for you automatically:
- Ubuntu 24.04 LTS with Node.js 22 and Docker pre-installed
- Authenticated gateway — droplet generates an OpenClaw gateway token on first boot
- Hardened firewall rules — rate-limited OpenClaw ports to prevent inappropriate traffic
- Automatic security updates enabled out of the box
- systemd service — OpenClaw starts on boot and restarts on crash
Step 1: Create the Droplet
- Go to the DigitalOcean Marketplace and search for OpenClaw
- Click Create OpenClaw Droplet
- Choose your configuration:
| Setting | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Region | Closest to you or your users |
| Plan | $6/mo (1 vCPU, 1 GB RAM) for light use; $12/mo recommended for production |
| Authentication | SSH Key (recommended) |
- Click Create Droplet and wait ~60 seconds
Step 2: Complete First-Boot Setup
SSH into your new droplet:
ssh root@YOUR_DROPLET_IP
The first-boot script will run automatically and prompt you for:
- Your LLM provider API key (Anthropic, OpenAI, etc.)
- Optional configuration like custom ports or webhook URLs
The script will output your gateway token — save this somewhere secure. You'll need it to authenticate with your OpenClaw instance.
Step 3: Verify
Check that OpenClaw is running:
systemctl status openclaw
You should see active (running) in green. OpenClaw is now deployed and secured.
Managing Your Instance
# View live logs
journalctl -u openclaw -f
# Restart after config changes
systemctl restart openclaw
# Update OpenClaw
npm update -g openclaw && systemctl restart openclaw
Cost Breakdown
| Plan | vCPUs | RAM | Monthly Cost | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | 1 | 1 GB | $6 | Single agent, light usage |
| Basic | 1 | 2 GB | $12 | Production single agent |
| Basic | 2 | 2 GB | $18 | Multiple agents |
| Basic | 2 | 4 GB | $24 | High-traffic production |
DigitalOcean lets you resize droplets with a few clicks. Start small and scale up when needed.
Next Steps
- Add a domain: Point an A record to your droplet IP for a clean URL
- Enable backups: Turn on automated backups from the droplet settings (adds 20% to cost)
- Set up monitoring: The droplet includes DigitalOcean's built-in monitoring graphs for CPU, memory, and disk
- For full manual control, see the Manual Droplet Guide