Your private AI assistant. Your server. 5 minutes.
Stop trusting third parties with your AI conversations. GetaClaw sets up OpenClaw on your own VPS — fully automated, completely private, and open source.
Spinning up your VPS
Installing dependencies
Setting up WhatsApp, Telegram
Everything is working
How it works
Four steps. Five minutes. Done.
01
Choose your server
Pick a VPS provider — Hetzner, DigitalOcean, or more. Paste your API key and select a region.
02
Configure your AI
Choose your AI models via OpenRouter and pick which messaging apps you want — WhatsApp, Telegram, Discord, and more.
03
We set it all up
Watch in real-time as we provision your server, install OpenClaw, and configure everything automatically.
04
Access from any device
Your private AI is live. Open it from your phone, laptop, or any device — securely, via Tailscale or password.
Why self-host?
Your data should stay yours
Hosted AI services have access to your conversations, files, and API keys. Self-hosting puts you in full control.
Total privacy
Hosted: Provider can read your messages, API keys, and personal data at any time
Self-hosted: Everything stays on YOUR server. Nobody else has access. Period.
Full transparency
Hosted: Closed source. You can't verify what they do with your data.
Self-hosted: 100% open source. Inspect every line. Fork and modify freely.
Lower cost
Hosted: Monthly subscription + markup on AI model usage
Self-hosted: VPS from ~$4/month + pay only for the AI models you actually use
What you get
Everything you need, nothing you don't
All your messaging apps
WhatsApp, Telegram, Discord, Slack, Signal, iMessage — connect them all to one AI assistant.
Any AI model
Use Claude, GPT-4, Gemini, Llama, Mistral, or any model available through OpenRouter.
Web Control UI
Full browser-based dashboard to chat, manage channels, configure settings, and view logs.
Secure access
Access via Tailscale private network or password-protected HTTPS. Your choice.
One-click updates
Come back to GetaClaw to update your OpenClaw instance with a single click. No SSH needed.
Multiple instances
Run separate instances for personal, work, or family use — each on their own server.
FAQ
Common questions
OpenClaw is an open-source, self-hosted AI gateway that connects your messaging apps (WhatsApp, Telegram, Discord, etc.) to AI models like Claude, GPT-4, and more. It runs on your own server under your full control.
Not really. GetaClaw automates the entire process. You'll need to create accounts on a VPS provider (Hetzner or DigitalOcean) and an AI model provider (OpenRouter), but we guide you through every step. The setup wizard adapts to your skill level.
GetaClaw itself is free and open source. You'll pay for a VPS (starting at ~$4/month on Hetzner) and AI model usage through OpenRouter (pay-per-use, typically a few dollars per month for personal use).
Yes. Your OpenClaw instance runs entirely on your own VPS. GetaClaw never stores your API keys, server credentials, or any personal data on our servers. The website is open source — you can verify this yourself. Even the thin API proxy we use for VPS creation is stateless and stores nothing.
Currently Hetzner and DigitalOcean. We're planning to add Fly.io, Oracle Cloud (free tier), GCP, AWS, and more. You can also use any provider that supports cloud-init with a manual setup option.
Absolutely. Come back to GetaClaw anytime to check your instance's health, update OpenClaw to the latest version, add or remove messaging channels, and change configuration — all from your browser.
The setup wizard shows you real-time progress and automatically retries common failures (network issues, package install hiccups). If something unexpected happens, you'll see the error with helpful context and can retry individual steps. You can also access your server via SSH as a fallback.
Yes. You can set up multiple OpenClaw instances on different servers — for example, one for personal use and one for work. Each instance is fully independent.
Troubleshooting
Having issues?
Here are solutions to the most common problems. If your issue isn't listed, open an issue on GitHub.
Server creation failed
Check that your API key has write permissions. For Hetzner, ensure the key has 'Read & Write' access. For DigitalOcean, use a Personal Access Token with full scope.
Can't connect to the server after setup
The server may still be booting. Wait 2-3 minutes and try again. If using Tailscale, make sure it's installed on your device too. If using password access, ensure you're using the correct URL and port.
OpenClaw installation hangs or fails
This is usually caused by low memory. The setup automatically adds swap space for servers with less than 2GB RAM, but if it still fails, try a server with more RAM (at least 2GB recommended).
WhatsApp QR code not showing
Open the OpenClaw Control UI directly (the URL shown after setup) and navigate to Channels > WhatsApp. The QR code is generated by the Gateway — it may take a few seconds to appear.
Can't reach the Control UI from my phone
If using Tailscale, make sure both your phone and server are connected to the same Tailnet. If using password access, you need to be on the same network or use the public IP with the correct port.