Quickstart Guide

Before You Start

You need a ClawHosters account. If you haven't signed up yet, head to clawhosters.com and create one. The process takes about a minute.

You'll also need an API key for your preferred LLM provider. ClawHosters supports Bring Your Own Key (BYOK) mode, where you connect your existing API key from Anthropic, OpenAI, or another provider.

Step 1: Choose Your Billing Mode

After logging in, click New Instance in your dashboard. The creation wizard starts with billing mode selection:

• Daily (Pay-as-you-go): Pay with Claws credits. Your instance runs as long as you have balance. Good for testing or irregular usage.
• Monthly Subscription: Fixed monthly payment via Stripe. Runs continuously with no interruptions.

Pick whichever fits your use case. You can always create additional instances with a different billing mode later.

Step 2: Select a Tier

Choose the server resources for your instance:

Tier	vCPU	RAM	Storage	Monthly	Daily
Budget	2	4 GB	40 GB	€19/mo	45 Claws/day
Balanced	4	8 GB	80 GB	€35/mo	75 Claws/day
Pro	8	16 GB	160 GB	€59/mo	125 Claws/day

Budget works for most personal projects. Pick Balanced if you plan to handle higher traffic or need more headroom.

Give your instance a name. The wizard suggests one, but you can change it to anything you like.

Step 3: Configure Your API Key

Select BYOK (Bring Your Own Key) and enter your LLM provider API key. This key stays encrypted on your instance and is never shared.

Supported providers include Anthropic (Claude), OpenAI (GPT), and others supported by the OpenClaw gateway.

Tip: If you're using Claude with a Pro or Max subscription, you can generate a setup-token using claude setup-token in your terminal. See the dedicated guide for details.

Step 4: Review and Create

The summary screen shows your selected configuration and estimated costs. Review everything and click Create Instance.

• Daily billing: Claws are deducted from your balance. A one-time setup fee applies (150-450 Claws depending on tier).
• Monthly billing: You'll be redirected to Stripe to complete payment. Your instance provisions automatically after payment confirmation.

What Happens Next

Your instance typically provisions within 60 seconds. The process:

1. A dedicated server spins up in Hetzner's German data center (Falkenstein).
2. Security hardening applies automatically (firewall, fail2ban, Docker isolation).
3. The OpenClaw container starts with your configuration.
4. A health check confirms everything works.

Once provisioning completes, your instance status changes to Running. You can access it directly from your dashboard.

Connecting a Channel

With your instance running, connect a messaging channel to start interacting with your AI assistant:

• Telegram: Create a bot via BotFather, then pair it through the instance settings.
• Web UI: Access the built-in gateway interface directly at your instance URL.

Check the channel-specific guides in the documentation for step-by-step instructions.

Next Steps

• Buy Claws if you're on daily billing and need to top up your balance.
• Add-ons: Explore LLM tier upgrades, voice transcription, and embedding services in your instance settings.
• API Access: Generate an API key from your dashboard settings to manage instances programmatically.