Option 1: Tencent Cloud Lightweight Application Server
Priced at ¥20/month or ¥59 for three months, this is one of the lowest entry points I've come across. Domestic access speeds are fast and the deployment process is beginner-friendly.
The one thing to be aware of is data compliance. Domestic servers are subject to local regulations—if you're running a personal project or an internal automation bot, there's no issue at all. If the project touches sensitive content, an overseas server is the safer choice.
Deployment is straightforward: purchase the lightweight server, select the OpenClaw pre-installed image, wait a few minutes for initialization, log into the dashboard, and fill in your model's API Key and URL in the configuration file. That's it.
Option 2: Hostinger KVM2
I went with the KVM2 plan at around ¥69/month. It's an overseas server, so your data isn't subject to domestic compliance requirements—better suited for long-term projects where that matters.
In terms of stability, I've been running it for about six months and only hit one maintenance window of roughly an hour. Nothing worth complaining about. It costs more than Tencent Cloud, but if data sovereignty is a concern for you, the difference is worth paying.
The deployment process is essentially the same: purchase the VPS, select the OpenClaw pre-installed image, wait for it to initialize, then log in and configure.
Key configuration steps (applicable to both options)
Once you're in the server terminal, use Claude Code to configure OpenClaw's API URL, API Key, and model name. You just hand it the credentials—it writes the configuration file directly, no manual editing required.
Connecting a bot platform is equally painless. OpenClaw supports Discord, Telegram, and Feishu. The process is: create a bot, obtain a bot token, add it to the OpenClaw configuration, and restart the service. If you're unsure about the exact commands, just ask Claude Code to generate them for you.
How it feels in practice
The biggest value of a pre-installed image is that it eliminates environment setup entirely. Deploying OpenClaw really only involves three things: choosing a server, filling in the API configuration, and authorizing the bot platform. With a pre-installed image, all three together take under 10 minutes.
After that, you have a 24/7 AI assistant ready to run—whether as automated customer service, a group bot, a private AI workflow entry point, or simply a personal hub for your AI tools.
If cost is the priority, go with Tencent Cloud. If data freedom matters more, go with Hostinger. Either way, you hand the rest off to OpenClaw and Claude.