Here’s a complete, beginner-friendly, step-by-step tutorial to deploy OpenClaw on a cheap Hetzner VPS (like the ~$4–5/month CAX11 or CX21 plan), set it up to chat via Telegram and enable tasks like B2B cold outreach research with file sending. I’ll assume you have zero experience with servers or Linux and I’ll explain everything simply, with copy-paste commands. This is based on the official OpenClaw setup process and community guides from early 2026(current at writing of this post).

Important Notes Before Starting:

  • Total time: 30–60 minutes.

  • Costs: ($4 USD) for CAX11 (2 vCPUs, 4GB RAM, 40GB storage) in Germany which is perfect for OpenClaw. Billing is hourly, so you only pay for what you use (delete the server if testing)

  • You’ll need: A credit card for Hetzner signup, an email and a free Telegram account. Also, get a free API key from an LLM provider like Anthropic (Claude) at console.anthropic.com (sign up, generate key, it’s quick and has a free tier)

  • Security: We’ll use SSH keys (safer than passwords) and basic firewall. For extra safety, install Tailscale later (free VPN-like access)

  • If stuck: Check Hetzner docs (hetzner.com/docs) or OpenClaw docs (docs.openclaw.ai). Search YouTube for “Hetzner VPS setup 2026” or “OpenClaw install tutorial”

Step 1: Sign Up for Hetzner and Create Your VPS

  1. Go to hetzner.com/cloud and click “Sign Up” (free account creation—use email/password)

  2. Verify your email and add a payment method (credit card or PayPal)

  3. In the Hetzner Cloud Console (console.hetzner.cloud), click “Add Server”

  4. Configure your VPS:

    • Location: Choose one close to you (e.g., Nuremberg/NBG1 for Europe—cheaper traffic)

    • Image/OS: Select “Ubuntu 24.04” (or 22.04 if available—both work)

    • Type: Pick “Shared vCPU” > “ARM64” > “CAX11” (€3.79/month) or “x86” > “CX21” (€4.45/month) for ~$5 USD equiv. (4GB RAM is ideal; avoid 2GB for smoothness)

    • Networking: Leave defaults (IPv4 is fine; IPv6 optional)

    • SSH Key: You need one for secure access

      • On your computer (Windows/Mac/Linux): Open a terminal/Command Prompt

      • Run: ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "[email protected]" (press Enter for defaults; no passphrase for simplicity)

      • Copy the public key: On Mac/Linux, cat ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub (copy the output). On Windows, open C:\Users\YourName\.ssh\id_ed25519.pub in Notepad

      • In Hetzner, click “Add SSH Key”, paste the public key, name it (e.g., “My Laptop”)

    • Name: Call it “openclaw-vps”

    • Click “Create & Buy” (~1–2 minutes to provision)

  5. Note the server’s IP address (e.g., 123.45.67.89) from the console since you’ll use it soon

Step 2: Connect to Your VPS via SSH

  1. Open a terminal on your computer:

    • Mac/Linux: Built-in Terminal

    • Windows: Use PowerShell or install Git Bash/PuTTY

  2. Connect: Run ssh root@your-server-ip (replace with your IP, e.g., ssh [email protected])

    • Say “yes” to fingerprint prompt

    • You’re now logged in as root on your VPS! (Command prompt changes to something like root@your-server:~#.)

  3. Update the system (good practice): Run apt update && apt upgrade -y (takes 1–2 minutes)

Step 3: Install OpenClaw

OpenClaw uses a simple installer, no coding required.

  1. Install prerequisites (Docker, etc.): The script handles most, but ensure basics with apt install curl -y

  2. Run the installer: curl -fsSL https://openclaw.ai/install.sh | bash (downloads and sets up everything, follow prompts, say yes to installs)

  3. Verify: Run openclaw status (should show version and status)

  4. If using npm alternative (rare): npm install -g openclaw@latest, but curl is recommended

Step 4: Onboard and Configure OpenClaw

  1. Run the wizard: openclaw onboard --install-daemon (installs as a background service for 24/7 running).

  2. Follow prompts:

    • Mode: Choose “QuickStart” (hit space to select, Enter)

    • AI Provider: Select Anthropic/Claude (paste your API key from earlier)

    • Gateway: Choose “Local” (default)

    • Runtime: Node.js (for broader compatibility)

    • Daemon: Yes, install as service (runs even after logout)

  3. It will start OpenClaw—note any web UI link (e.g., http://localhost:3000, but on VPS, access via SSH tunnel if needed)

Step 5: Set Up Telegram Integration

  1. On your phone/computer, open Telegram and search for “@BotFather” (official bot creator)

  2. Message /newbot, follow prompts: Name it (e.g., “MyOpenClawBot”), username (e.g., “myopenclawbot”)

  3. Copy the API token (looks like 123456:ABC-DEF1234ghIkl-zyx57W2v1u123ew11)

  4. Back on VPS (in SSH): Edit config with openclaw config or nano the file (e.g., nano ~/.openclaw/config.yaml)

    • Add under channels:

    • telegram

    • token: "your-bot-token-here"

    • Save (Ctrl+O, Enter, Ctrl+X in nano)

  5. Restart: openclaw restart

  6. In Telegram, start a chat with your bot (@myopenclawbot)—send “/start” or “hi”. OpenClaw should respond!

  7. Pair/secure: In config, add your Telegram username to allowlist (e.g., allowlist: ["yourusername"]) to restrict access

Step 6: Secure Your Setup (Basic)

  1. Firewall: Run ufw allow OpenSSH && ufw enable (allows SSH, blocks others)

  2. No public ports: Don’t expose OpenClaw’s port (default 3000), use Telegram for chatting

  3. Optional: Install Tailscale for secure access: curl -fsSL https://tailscale.com/install.sh | sh, then tailscale up (sign up at tailscale.com—free). This lets you access the VPS privately without open ports

  4. Logout safely: Type exit, the VPS keeps running

Step 7: Test It Out

  1. In Telegram, message: “Hi, who are you?” Should reply as your AI assistant

  2. Research test: “Research B2B cold outreach best practices in 2026, create a 5-step sequence with email templates, save as markdown file, and send it to me.”

    • It will search web (via its tools), generate, and send the .md file as a document attachment

  3. If file sending fails: Check logs with openclaw logs, common fix: Ensure bot has media send permissions (default)

Troubleshooting

  • SSH connection refused? Check IP in Hetzner console; ensure key is added

  • Install errors? Rerun with sudo if needed, or check Docker: docker --version

  • OpenClaw not responding? openclaw status and restart

  • Delete VPS: In Hetzner console, select server > Actions > Delete (stops billing)

You’re set! Now you have a 24/7 AI on your $5 VPS. For advanced stuff (like more skills), check docs.openclaw.ai or message your bot “help”.

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