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Head-to-head · OpenClaw Hosting

OpenClaw Hosting vs DigitalOcean Droplets

  • Updated Sep 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 6 checks side by side
Higher score OpenClaw Hosting #5 in OpenClaw Hosting 7.4/10 From $29/mo ✓ 4 of 4 features Try OpenClaw Hosting
DigitalOcean Droplets #8 in OpenClaw Hosting 6.9/10 From $4/mo ✓ 0 of 4 features Visit DigitalOcean

OpenClaw Hosting leads on 4 checks, DigitalOcean Droplets on 1, and 1 is even. Who comes out ahead on the 6 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreOpenClaw Hosting · 7.4/10
  • Lowest starting priceDigitalOcean Droplets · $4/mo
  • Most featuresOpenClaw Hosting · 4 of 4

OpenClaw Hosting scores higher on our rubric for openclaw hosting: 7.4 against 6.9 out of 10; our editors rank them #5 and #8.

DigitalOcean Droplets is cheaper to start at $4/mo against $29/mo. OpenClaw Hosting offers managed updates; DigitalOcean Droplets doesn't publish it. OpenClaw Hosting offers backups; DigitalOcean Droplets doesn't publish it. OpenClaw Hosting offers ssh access; DigitalOcean Droplets doesn't publish it. OpenClaw Hosting offers persistent storage; DigitalOcean Droplets doesn't publish it.

OpenClaw Hosting is the better fit for teams managing OpenClaw on their own server. DigitalOcean Droplets is the better fit for experienced users building their own OpenClaw VPS.

  • OpenClaw Hosting fits best

    Teams managing OpenClaw on their own server

  • DigitalOcean Droplets fits best

    Experienced users building their own OpenClaw VPS

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. We may earn a commission when you click some links. It never changes our verdict. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature OpenClaw Hosting 7.4/10 Visit ↗ DigitalOcean Droplets 6.9/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 7.4 6.9
Ranking #5 in OpenClaw Hosting #8 in OpenClaw Hosting
Best for Teams managing OpenClaw on their own server Experienced users building their own OpenClaw VPS
Pricing model Paid Paid
Starting price $29/mo $4/mo (best)
Free plan — —
Free trial — —
Deployment Cloud, Self-hosted, Browser extension Cloud
Platforms Web, Linux Web, Linux
Support Email, Live chat Email, Live chat, Tickets · 24/7
Compliance GDPR, SOC 2, HIPAA, 2FA SOC 2, PCI DSS
Integrations 4 integrations 2 integrations
Built for Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features OpenClaw Hosting 4/4 · DigitalOcean Droplets 0/4
Managed updates ✓ (best) Not published
Backups ✓ (best) Not published
SSH access ✓ (best) Not published
Persistent storage ✓ (best) Not published
Specs
Hosting model Managed Not published
Install method Not published Not published
Our review
Pros
  • Managed installation, scheduled updates, health monitoring, and portable backups
  • Connects agents to WhatsApp, Telegram, Discord, and Slack
  • REST API, dashboard, and SSH root access support operational control
  • Basic Droplets start at $4 per month with 1 vCPU and 10 GiB SSD
  • Manage Droplets through the control panel, CLI, API, or Terraform
  • Autoscale pools support horizontal scaling based on utilization or fixed size
Cons
  • Plans start at $29/month, with server infrastructure charged separately
  • Base covers only one managed server; multi-server capacity requires a higher tier
  • You must provide the server and AI provider credentials
  • The supplied product details do not describe OpenClaw-specific deployment tools
  • Droplet backups and snapshots are add-ons
  • The entry Basic configuration has 512 MiB of memory
Our verdict

OpenClaw Hosting manages installation and operation of OpenClaw on a server the customer provides. It is aimed at individuals and organizations that want help with deployment and upkeep while retaining infrastructure control. Customers…

Read the review →

DigitalOcean Droplets are Linux-based virtual machines for hosting workloads such as websites, applications, databases, and development environments. For OpenClaw, they suit experienced users who want a general-purpose cloud server and are…

Read the review →
  1. OpenClaw HostingOpenClaw Hosting 7.4From $29/mo
  2. DigitalOcean DropletsOpenClaw Hosting 6.9From $4/mo

Strengths and trade-offs

  • OpenClaw Hosting — where it wins

    • Managed installation, scheduled updates, health monitoring, and portable backups
    • Connects agents to WhatsApp, Telegram, Discord, and Slack
    • REST API, dashboard, and SSH root access support operational control

    Where it doesn't

    • Plans start at $29/month, with server infrastructure charged separately
    • Base covers only one managed server; multi-server capacity requires a higher tier
    • You must provide the server and AI provider credentials

  • DigitalOcean Droplets — where it wins

    • Basic Droplets start at $4 per month with 1 vCPU and 10 GiB SSD
    • Manage Droplets through the control panel, CLI, API, or Terraform
    • Autoscale pools support horizontal scaling based on utilization or fixed size

    Where it doesn't

    • The supplied product details do not describe OpenClaw-specific deployment tools
    • Droplet backups and snapshots are add-ons
    • The entry Basic configuration has 512 MiB of memory

More comparisons

All OpenClaw hosting comparisons → · Full ranking →

Guides on OpenClaw hosting

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Sep 2026

Last updated · How we research and update