How to Get Started with OpenClaw on Cloudways

OpenClaw on Cloudways allows you to deploy and run an AI agent on managed infrastructure without manually setting up servers, containers, SSL certificates, or runtime environments.

It is part of the Cloudways Managed AI Agents, which is designed to help users launch AI agents in a simpler and more managed way.

OpenClaw is the first agent available in this Managed AI Agents lineup. It helps users create and run AI-powered workflows that can connect with tools, data sources, and communication channels.

This means you can use OpenClaw to build assistants that help with tasks such as responding to messages, managing workflows, connecting with third-party services, and automating multi-step processes.

With OpenClaw on Cloudways, Cloudways manages the infrastructure layer for you. This includes provisioning the server, deploying the OpenClaw container, installing and renewing SSL/TLS certificates, and handling platform-level updates.

You remain in control of the agent itself, including its skills, nodes, environment variables, workflows, and LLM provider connections.

This guide explains what OpenClaw is, what you can use it for, what you need before getting started, and how to launch and access your OpenClaw agent from the Cloudways Platform.

OpenClaw is an open-source personal AI agent platform. An AI agent is a software assistant that can understand instructions, use connected tools, and perform tasks based on the workflows you configure. Instead of only answering a question, an AI agent can be set up to complete actions, follow steps, interact with other services, and support automation.

OpenClaw runs on its own infrastructure on Cloudways. This gives you more control over how your agent is hosted, where it is hosted, and how it is configured. You can connect OpenClaw with your preferred LLM provider, configure your own workflows, and decide how your agent interacts with your tools and users.

An LLM provider is the company or service that provides the AI model used by your agent. Examples include OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google. OpenClaw uses your connected LLM provider to understand prompts, process instructions, and generate responses or actions.

Managed AI Agents is a Cloudways product line that helps users deploy AI agents on dedicated infrastructure without managing the technical setup themselves.

In a traditional self-hosted setup, users may need to manually configure a server, install Docker, set up SSL certificates, manage updates, and troubleshoot the runtime environment.

These steps can be difficult for non-technical users and time-consuming even for experienced developers.

Cloudways simplifies this process by managing the infrastructure required to run the agent. You choose the agent, select the required server size and region, and launch it from the Cloudways Platform.

Cloudways handles the server provisioning and OpenClaw deployment, while you focus on configuring and using the agent.

OpenClaw is the first Managed Agent available on Cloudways. More agents may be added to this in the future.

OpenClaw can help you build and run automated AI workflows. A workflow is a set of steps or actions that your agent follows to complete a task.

For example, a workflow can help answer customer questions, collect information, perform research, prepare content, manage communication, or connect with external tools.

You can use OpenClaw for tasks such as responding to messages on channels like WhatsApp or Slack, automating research, creating content, managing emails, connecting to third-party tools, and running multi-step tasks with less manual effort.

OpenClaw can also be useful for agencies, developers, and businesses that want to create an autonomous operations layer for websites, stores, apps, or internal processes.

For example, an agency may use an agent to help with client reporting, uptime checks, performance audits, onboarding workflows, domain-related tasks, or other repeated operational activities.

OpenClaw on Cloudways is designed for users who want the benefits and control of AI agent hosting without the operational complexity of self-hosting.

If you deploy OpenClaw on a raw VPS, you may need to manage Docker, SSL, reverse proxy configuration, server maintenance, and updates yourself. Cloudways removes much of this manual infrastructure work.

You can launch OpenClaw from the Cloudways Platform, choose the server size based on your expected workload, select the hosting region that best suits your users or data needs, and access the OpenClaw dashboard directly from the Cloudways UI.

This setup is especially useful for users who already trust Cloudways for application hosting, for those who want control and flexibility, and want to keep their agent hosting under the same platform, billing system, user interface, and support experience.

When you launch OpenClaw on Cloudways, Cloudways creates a dedicated droplet for your agent. A droplet is a virtual server that provides the compute, memory, storage, and bandwidth needed to run your agent.

OpenClaw is installed as a container inside that dedicated droplet. A container is a packaged environment that includes the software and dependencies required to run an application.

This allows OpenClaw to run in an isolated and consistent environment.

When launching OpenClaw, you need to choose a droplet tier based on your expected workload. A workload means the amount of activity your agent is expected to handle. A simple workflow with low usage may need fewer resources, while a more complex workflow or higher traffic may require more CPU, memory, storage, and bandwidth.

The available droplet tiers are:

OpenClaw requires a minimum of 2 GB RAM. If you are not sure which tier to choose, start with the lowest available tier and scale up later as your workflow complexity or usage grows.

Before launching OpenClaw on Cloudways, make sure you have an active paid Cloudways account. OpenClaw is not available on trial accounts, so you need to upgrade to a paid account before you can access and launch OpenClaw from the Cloudways Platform.

You also need an API key from your preferred LLM provider, such as OpenAI, Anthropic, or Google. An API key is a secure access key that allows OpenClaw to connect with your selected AI model provider. You will add this key during or after the setup process so OpenClaw can use the selected AI model.

Important: LLM usage is billed directly by your LLM provider and is separate from your Cloudways subscription. while your LLM provider may charge you separately for AI model usage. You are responsible for monitoring your LLM API usage and managing any costs from your provider.

Follow these steps to launch your OpenClaw agent from the Cloudways Platform.

Log in to your Cloudways Platform and navigate to the Managed AI Agents section.

The Managed AI Agents section is where you can view available AI agents and launch a new agent on Cloudways managed infrastructure.

From the available Managed AI Agents, select OpenClaw.

After selecting OpenClaw, click Create Agent to start the setup process.

Enter a name for your OpenClaw instance. This name helps you identify the agent in your Cloudways account, especially if you plan to run more than one agent.

Use a clear and simple name that reflects the purpose of the agent. For example, you can name it based on the project, client, website, or workflow it will support.

Select the droplet tier based on your expected usage and workflow needs.

For basic use or testing, the lowest tier may be enough. For more active agents, complex workflows, or heavier usage, choose a higher tier with more CPU, RAM, storage, and bandwidth.

CPU helps process tasks, RAM helps your agent run smoothly, SSD storage holds the agent files and configuration, and bandwidth controls the amount of data transferred to and from the server.

Choose the region where your OpenClaw droplet will be hosted.

A region is the physical data center location where your agent runs.

It is recommended to select a region closest to your users for better response time.

You may also choose a specific region based on data residency or compliance needs.

After selecting the required options, click Launch.

Cloudways will provision the droplet, deploy OpenClaw, configure the required stack, and prepare your agent. Once the process is complete, your OpenClaw agent will be ready to access and configure.

After launching your OpenClaw agent, connect your LLM provider by adding your API key.

The LLM provider is the AI model service that powers your agent. OpenClaw uses this connection to process instructions and generate responses.

You can use supported providers such as OpenAI, Anthropic, or Google, depending on the available options in your OpenClaw setup.

When adding your API key, make sure you copy it correctly from your LLM provider account.

Keep this key secure because it allows access to your provider account and may be linked to usage-based billing.

You can use your OpenClaw agent directly from the OpenClaw dashboard. Connecting a messaging channel is optional.

A messaging channel is a communication platform that allows users or team members to interact with your agent. Examples may include WhatsApp, Slack, or other supported channels. By connecting a messaging channel, you can route agent conversations through tools your team or customers already use.

For example, you may connect Slack so your internal team can communicate with the agent from a Slack workspace. You may connect WhatsApp if you want users to interact with the agent through WhatsApp-based conversations.

If you do not want to use a messaging channel, you can continue managing and interacting with your agent through the OpenClaw dashboard.

After your agent is launched, you can access the OpenClaw dashboard from the Cloudways Platform using the one-click OpenClaw access link.

The OpenClaw dashboard is where you can manage your agent, configure settings, connect tools, update your LLM provider API key, and manage agent-related options.

One-click access means you can open the OpenClaw dashboard directly from the Cloudways UI without going through a separate manual sign-in flow.

Once your OpenClaw agent is live, you can manage both the agent configuration and the supporting infrastructure from Cloudways and the OpenClaw dashboard.

You can manage your agent’s skills, nodes, environment variables, and behavior. A skill is a capability or task your agent can perform. A node is a step or component in the agent workflow.

An environment variable is a configuration value used by the agent, such as a setting, key, or connection detail. These items control how your agent behaves and what it can do.

You can also manage the LLM provider API key from the dashboard. This includes adding, viewing, or updating the key for your selected provider.

For advanced configuration, file transfer, or debugging, SSH/SFTP access is available for the underlying server. SSH is a secure way to connect to the server using a command-line interface. SFTP is a secure way to transfer files to and from the server. These options are mainly useful for advanced users or technical teams.

The first time you access your OpenClaw dashboard from a device, you will need to pair that device.

This is a one-time step per device.

To pair another device later (a phone, a second browser, or another computer), repeat these steps from that device.

OpenClaw on Cloudways supports automated backups on a managed schedule. Backups help protect your agent setup by saving restore points that can be used if you need to recover from a problem.

A restore point is a saved version of your agent environment. It may include the droplet, OpenClaw container, and related configuration.

If needed, you can browse available restore points and restore your agent using the one-click restore flow.

This is useful if a configuration change causes an issue, or if you need to return your agent to an earlier working state.

You can restart or delete the droplet hosting OpenClaw from the Cloudways UI.

Restarting the droplet can help recover the agent if it becomes temporarily unresponsive or if a restart is required after configuration changes.

Deleting the droplet removes the OpenClaw instance from your account. Use this option carefully because deleting the droplet may remove the agent and its hosted environment. Before deleting, make sure you no longer need the agent or have taken any required backups.

Cloudways manages the infrastructure layer required to run OpenClaw. This includes droplet provisioning, stack setup, OpenClaw container deployment, OpenClaw installation, SSL/TLS certificate installation and renewal, OpenClaw versioning, and platform-level updates.

SSL/TLS certificates help secure communication between the browser and your OpenClaw instance. Cloudways handles installation and renewal so you do not need to configure certificates manually.

Cloudways also manages the deployment process so you do not need to install Docker, configure the server manually, or manage the runtime stack yourself.

You manage the agent layer. This includes selecting the droplet size and region, connecting your LLM provider API key, securing your API keys and environment variables, defining your agent’s skills and nodes, and controlling how your agent behaves.

You are also responsible for managing your LLM provider usage and costs. Since LLM billing is handled directly by your model provider, you should monitor usage from the provider dashboard and configure any usage limits or billing alerts available from that provider.

The responsibility for OpenClaw on Cloudways is divided between Cloudways and the customer.

Cloudways handles the infrastructure layer. This includes provisioning, deployment, SSL/TLS, platform updates, and the managed setup required to run OpenClaw.

The customer handles the agent layer. This includes selecting the required plan, connecting the LLM provider, managing agent logic, securing keys, and configuring workflows.

The initial release of OpenClaw on Cloudways includes the core setup, access, and management experience.

You can launch OpenClaw as a Managed Agent on Cloudways, connect to the underlying server using SSH/SFTP for advanced configuration, connect messaging channels such as WhatsApp or Slack, add and update your LLM provider API key from the dashboard, restore the agent from automated backups, and restart or delete the droplet hosting OpenClaw from the Cloudways UI.

These capabilities provide the foundation for running OpenClaw on managed infrastructure while keeping the agent configuration under your control.

The first version of OpenClaw on Cloudways does not include multi-agent orchestration on a single droplet. This means one droplet runs one OpenClaw agent. To run multiple agents, you need to launch separate droplets.

A managed marketplace for prebuilt skills or nodes is also not included in the first version.

You are responsible for configuring your own skills, nodes, and workflows.

Cloudways-hosted LLM inference is not included.

This means Cloudways does not provide the AI model directly. You must bring your own LLM provider API key and connect it to OpenClaw.

Some features are planned for later iterations and may appear as upcoming options in the dashboard.

Vertical Scaling is planned to allow users to increase compute and memory when usage grows beyond the selected droplet tier. This will help users upgrade resources without rebuilding the agent.

Monitoring is also planned. This will allow users to view server health and resource usage, including CPU, memory, disk, and bandwidth metrics.

Cloudways MCP is planned as a future iteration. MCP stands for Model Context Protocol. It is a way for AI tools and agents to connect with external systems in a structured way.

A future Cloudways MCP feature may help users connect Cloudways servers to MCP-compatible clients more easily.

What is OpenClaw on Cloudways?

OpenClaw on Cloudways is a Managed Agent that lets you deploy and run the OpenClaw AI agent platform on dedicated Cloudways infrastructure. Cloudways manages the infrastructure setup, while you manage the agent configuration and workflows.

Do I need technical knowledge to launch OpenClaw?

You do not need to manually configure servers, Docker, SSL certificates, or runtime stacks to launch OpenClaw on Cloudways. However, some parts of the agent setup, such as configuring workflows, connecting tools, and managing API keys, may require basic understanding of the tools you want your agent to use.

Do I need an LLM provider API key?

Yes. You need an API key from a supported LLM provider, such as OpenAI, Anthropic, or Google. OpenClaw uses this key to connect with the AI model provider.

Is LLM usage included in my Cloudways subscription?

No. LLM usage is billed directly by your LLM provider and is separate from your Cloudways subscription. Cloudways charges for the infrastructure used to host OpenClaw.

Can I use OpenClaw without connecting WhatsApp or Slack?

Yes. Connecting a messaging channel is optional. You can access and manage your OpenClaw agent directly from the OpenClaw dashboard.

Can I run more than one OpenClaw agent on the same droplet?

No. In the current version, each droplet contains one OpenClaw installation. To run more than one agent, launch additional droplets.

Can I choose the region where OpenClaw is hosted?

Yes. During setup, you can select the region where your OpenClaw droplet will be hosted. Choose the region based on user location, latency needs, or data residency requirements.

What does Cloudways manage for OpenClaw?

Cloudways manages droplet provisioning, stack setup, OpenClaw container deployment, installation, SSL/TLS certificate installation and renewal, versioning, and platform-level updates.

What am I responsible for managing?

You are responsible for selecting the droplet tier and region, connecting your LLM provider API key, securing API keys and environment variables, defining agent skills and nodes, and managing the agent’s behavior and workflows.

Can I restore my OpenClaw agent from a backup?

Yes. Automated backups run on a managed schedule, and you can restore your agent from available restore points using the restore flow.

OpenClaw on Cloudways gives you a managed way to deploy and run an AI agent without handling the infrastructure setup yourself.

Cloudways manages the server, deployment, SSL/TLS, and platform-level maintenance, while you stay in control of the agent configuration, workflows, LLM provider connection, and behavior.

This makes OpenClaw useful for developers, agencies, businesses, and AI builders who want to run AI agents with less operational overhead and more control over their agents.

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