OpenClaw on a Budget: Run a 24/7 AI Agent for Under $15/month

Everyone talks about AI agents. Few talk about the cost.

Here's exactly what I spend running OpenClaw 24/7 with Claude as the backend model.

Monthly Cost Breakdown

Item	Cost
VPS (2GB RAM, 1 vCPU)	$6/mo
Claude API (Sonnet, moderate use)	$5-8/mo
Domain (optional)	$1/mo
Total	$12-15/mo

Compare that to hiring a human assistant ($3,000-8,000/mo) or even a ChatGPT Plus subscription ($20/mo that can't run autonomously).

VPS Selection

You don't need a beefy server. OpenClaw runs on Node.js and barely uses resources when idle.

My recommendation: Start with a $6/mo VPS. If you're new, Vultr gives $300 free credit — that's 50 months of free hosting.

For Chinese users:

• Tencent Cloud Lighthouse — overseas nodes from ¥30/mo
• Alibaba Cloud ECS — 28 global regions

API Cost Optimization

The biggest variable cost is the AI model API. Here's how to keep it low:

1. Use Sonnet for daily tasks — 90% of tasks don't need Opus
2. Set token limits — cap responses at 4K tokens for routine work
3. Use cron wisely — don't poll every minute when hourly works
4. Compact conversations — OpenClaw auto-compacts, but shorter SOUL.md helps

The SOUL.md Factor

A well-written SOUL.md actually saves money. How?

• Specific instructions = fewer back-and-forth messages
• Clear boundaries = less wasted computation on irrelevant tasks
• Defined output format = shorter, more focused responses

I've seen API costs drop 30% just by improving the SOUL.md from generic to specific.

Installation (60 seconds)

npx openclaw

That's it. One command. It walks you through everything.

What You Get

For $15/month:

• 24/7 AI assistant that never sleeps
• Persistent memory across sessions
• Scheduled tasks (cron jobs)
• Multi-channel (Telegram, Discord, Slack, Feishu, WhatsApp)
• Custom personality via SOUL.md

Free Resources

• SOUL.md Starter Pack (5 free templates)
• Complete setup guide
• Cost optimization guide

The Complete Toolkit

If you want everything in one package — SOUL.md templates, security hardening, deployment guide, prompt engineering, and more — the Complete Bundle ($29, normally $80.90) covers it all.