How to Use Clawdbot with AWS: The Complete 2026 Deployment Guide
If you've heard the buzz about OpenClaw (formerly known as Clawdbot and Moltbot)—the open-source AI assistant that gained 100,000+ GitHub stars and 2 million visitors in a single week—you're probably wondering how to get it running on your own infrastructure. While most tutorials focus on DigitalOcean's 1-Click deployment, there's a compelling case for deploying Clawdbot AWS style: enterprise-grade security, global infrastructure, and unmatched scalability.
In this comprehensive guide, we'll walk you through everything you need to know about running Clawdbot on AWS, from choosing the right deployment strategy (EC2 vs ECS) to optimizing your costs while maintaining rock-solid security.
Why Deploy Clawdbot on AWS?
Before diving into the technical setup, let's understand why AWS is an excellent choice for hosting your personal AI assistant.
Enterprise-Grade Security and Compliance
OpenClaw has deep access to your files, shell commands, and messaging platforms. Security experts have emphasized the importance of proper isolation—Cisco's security team even described misconfigured deployments as a "security nightmare." AWS provides:
- VPC (Virtual Private Cloud): Complete network isolation from the public internet
- IAM (Identity and Access Management): Granular control over who and what can access your instance
- Security Groups: Stateful firewalls that control inbound and outbound traffic
- AWS PrivateLink: Private connectivity without exposing traffic to the internet
Global Infrastructure
With data centers in 115+ regions worldwide, AWS lets you deploy Clawdbot close to your users for minimal latency. Whether you're in the US, Europe, or Asia-Pacific, there's an AWS region nearby.
Scalability and Reliability
Need more power for faster AI inference? AWS makes it easy to scale vertically (bigger instances) or horizontally (more instances). Plus, you get AWS's legendary 99.99% uptime SLA.
Prerequisites for Clawdbot AWS Deployment
Before we begin, ensure you have:
- An AWS account with billing enabled
- Node.js 22+ (for building locally, or handled via cloud-init)
- An Anthropic API key (or OpenAI/OpenRouter alternative)
- Basic familiarity with the AWS Console or CLI
- Optionally: Tailscale account for secure remote access
Understanding OpenClaw Architecture
OpenClaw uses a gateway-centric architecture that's important to understand before deployment:
| Component | Port | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Gateway | 18789 | WebSocket server handling channels, sessions, and tools |
| Browser Control | 18791 | Headless Chrome for web automation |
| Docker Sandbox | — | Isolated container environment for safe tool execution |
The Gateway is the heart of OpenClaw—it connects to messaging platforms (WhatsApp, Slack, Discord, Telegram), the CLI, web UI, and mobile apps.
EC2 vs ECS: Choosing Your Deployment Strategy
When deploying Clawdbot on AWS, you have two primary options. Here's a detailed comparison:
AWS EC2 (Elastic Compute Cloud)
Best for: Individual users, small teams, and those who want full control. Pros:- Complete control over the server environment
- Easier to debug and troubleshoot
- Simpler architecture for single-instance deployments
- Direct SSH access for maintenance
- Manual scaling required
- You manage OS updates and security patches
- No built-in container orchestration
| Instance | vCPUs | RAM | Monthly Cost (On-Demand) | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| t3.medium | 2 | 4 GiB | ~$30/month | Minimum recommended |
| t3.large | 2 | 8 GiB | ~$60/month | Standard usage |
| t3.xlarge | 4 | 16 GiB | ~$120/month | Heavy usage + local models |
AWS ECS (Elastic Container Service)
Best for: Teams, production environments, and those comfortable with containers. Pros:- Built-in container orchestration
- Auto-scaling capabilities
- Better integration with AWS services (ALB, CloudWatch)
- Easier rolling updates
- More complex setup
- Requires container expertise
- Higher operational overhead for simple deployments
- You're running multiple AI agents
- You need auto-scaling based on demand
- You have a DevOps team managing infrastructure
- You want blue-green deployments
Step-by-Step EC2 Deployment Guide
Let's deploy Clawdbot on AWS EC2—the most straightforward approach for personal use.
Step 1: Launch an EC2 Instance
- Enable Auto-assign Public IP (or use Elastic IP) - Keep default VPC or create a dedicated one
Inbound Rules:
- SSH (22) from your IP only
- Custom TCP (18789) from your IP only (or Tailscale range)
Step 2: Connect and Install Dependencies
SSH into your instance:
ssh -i your-key.pem ubuntu@your-ec2-ip
Update the system and install dependencies:
Update system
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get upgrade -y
Install Docker
curl -fsSL https://get.docker.com | sh
sudo usermod -aG docker ubuntu
sudo systemctl enable docker
sudo systemctl start docker
Install NVM and Node.js
curl -o- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nvm-sh/nvm/v0.40.1/install.sh | bash
source ~/.bashrc
nvm install 22
nvm use 22
Step 3: Install and Configure OpenClaw
Install OpenClaw globally
npm install -g openclaw@latest
Set your API key
export ANTHROPIC_API_KEY="sk-ant-your-key-here"
Run the onboarding wizard
openclaw onboard --install-daemon
The wizard will walk you through:
- Auth configuration: API key or OAuth
- Gateway settings: Port binding, security options
- Channel setup: WhatsApp, Discord, Telegram, etc.
- Workspace bootstrap: Skills and default configurations
Step 4: Configure for Production
Edit the OpenClaw configuration for AWS-appropriate settings:
nano ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json
Key configurations:
{
"gateway": {
"port": 18789,
"bind": "0.0.0.0",
"auth": {
"mode": "token",
"token": "your-secure-generated-token"
},
"trustedProxies": ["127.0.0.1"]
},
"agents": {
"defaults": {
"sandbox": {
"mode": "non-main",
"docker": {
"network": "none",
"memory": "1g",
"cpus": 1
}
}
}
}
}
Step 5: Start the Gateway
Check status
openclaw gateway status
If not running, start it
openclaw gateway start
Verify health
openclaw health
Securing Your Clawdbot AWS Deployment
Security is paramount when deploying an AI agent that can execute commands. Here are essential hardening steps:
Use Tailscale for Secure Access
Tailscale creates a secure mesh VPN, keeping your OpenClaw instance off the public internet:
Install Tailscale
curl -fsSL https://tailscale.com/install.sh | sh
Connect to your Tailnet
sudo tailscale up --authkey=tskey-auth-xxxxx --ssh
Enable HTTPS proxy (requires admin console setup)
tailscale serve --bg 18789
With Tailscale, you can:
- Remove public inbound rules except SSH (as backup)
- Access OpenClaw via
https://your-machine.your-tailnet.ts.net - Use Tailscale SSH instead of managing keys
VPC Best Practices
AWS Secrets Manager
Store your API keys securely:
aws secretsmanager create-secret \
--name openclaw/anthropic-key \
--secret-string "sk-ant-your-key"
Then retrieve at startup via your init script.
Infrastructure as Code with Pulumi
For reproducible deployments, use Pulumi (or Terraform). Here's a condensed example:
import * as aws from "@pulumi/aws";
import * as pulumi from "@pulumi/pulumi";
const config = new pulumi.Config();
const instanceType = config.get("instanceType") ?? "t3.medium";
// VPC and networking
const vpc = new aws.ec2.Vpc("openclaw-vpc", {
cidrBlock: "10.0.0.0/16",
enableDnsHostnames: true,
});
// Security group - minimal exposure
const sg = new aws.ec2.SecurityGroup("openclaw-sg", {
vpcId: vpc.id,
ingress: [
{ fromPort: 22, toPort: 22, protocol: "tcp", cidrBlocks: ["YOUR-IP/32"] }
],
egress: [
{ fromPort: 0, toPort: 0, protocol: "-1", cidrBlocks: ["0.0.0.0/0"] }
],
});
// EC2 instance with cloud-init
const instance = new aws.ec2.Instance("openclaw", {
ami: "ami-ubuntu-24-04-latest",
instanceType: instanceType,
vpcSecurityGroupIds: [sg.id],
rootBlockDevice: { volumeSize: 30, volumeType: "gp3" },
userData: installScript,
});
Run pulumi up and your entire infrastructure is deployed in minutes.
Cost Optimization Strategies
Running Clawdbot on AWS doesn't have to break the bank. Here are proven strategies:
1. Use Savings Plans
AWS Savings Plans can reduce your EC2 costs by up to 28%:
| Commitment | t3.medium Hourly | Monthly Cost |
|---|---|---|
| On-Demand | $0.0416 | ~$30 |
| 1-Year No Upfront | $0.030 | ~$22 |
| 1-Year All Upfront | $0.027 | ~$19 |
2. Right-Size Your Instance
Monitor your CPU and memory usage with CloudWatch. If you're consistently under 50% utilization, consider downsizing.
3. Use Spot Instances for Non-Critical Workloads
Spot instances can save up to 90%, but they can be interrupted. Useful for:
- Development/testing environments
- Batch processing tasks
- Non-production AI experiments
4. Schedule Instance Runtime
If you only use Clawdbot during work hours:
Create a Lambda function to start/stop your instance
Or use AWS Instance Scheduler
5. Optimize LLM API Costs
The biggest ongoing cost isn't EC2—it's API calls. Consider:
- Using OpenRouter for model routing and cost optimization
- Running local models via Ollama for non-critical tasks
- Implementing conversation compaction to reduce token usage
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Issue: Gateway Won't Start
Check logs
openclaw logs --tail 100
Verify port isn't in use
sudo lsof -i :18789
Check Docker is running (for sandbox)
docker ps
Issue: WhatsApp/Telegram Connection Fails
Ensure you're running with Node.js (not Bun):
Verify Node runtime
node --version # Should be 22+
Restart gateway with Node explicitly
NODE_ENV=production node $(which openclaw) gateway --port 18789
Issue: High Memory Usage
OpenClaw with browser automation can use significant memory:
Monitor memory
htop
If needed, upgrade to t3.large
Or disable browser in sandbox
Connecting Messaging Platforms
Once your Clawdbot AWS deployment is running, connect your channels:
openclaw channels login
Scan QR code with WhatsApp → Settings → Linked Devices
Discord
openclaw channels add --channel discord --token "YOUR_BOT_TOKEN"
Telegram
openclaw channels add --channel telegram --token "YOUR_BOT_TOKEN"
Final Thoughts
Deploying Clawdbot on AWS gives you enterprise-grade infrastructure for your personal AI assistant. While it requires more setup than a 1-click solution, the benefits—security, scalability, and control—make it worthwhile for serious users.
Quick Summary:- Use t3.medium minimum ($30/month on-demand)
- Secure with Tailscale or VPC private subnets
- Choose EC2 for simplicity, ECS for scale
- Optimize costs with Savings Plans (save up to 35%)
- Monitor with CloudWatch for right-sizing opportunities
Whether you're a developer wanting full control or an enterprise requiring compliance, AWS provides the foundation for a secure, reliable Clawdbot deployment. Now go build something amazing with your AI assistant!
Looking for automation help? Serenities AI helps teams implement intelligent workflows with AI agents. Learn more about our services →