The Complete Guide to Deploying Moltbot

// January 29, 2026

Moltbot (formerly Clawdbot) has taken the AI world by storm. This open-source, self-hosted AI assistant gives you the power of large language models while keeping your data private and under your control. But with great power comes the question: where and how should you deploy it?

I've spent the last few weeks researching and testing every major deployment option for Moltbot. Whether you're a beginner looking for one-click simplicity or a seasoned DevOps engineer wanting full control, this guide covers every path from local experimentation to production-grade deployments.

Quick Comparison

Option 1: DigitalOcean 1-Click (Recommended for Beginners)

DigitalOcean partnered with the Moltbot team to create the easiest deployment path. This is what I recommend for 90% of users.

What you get:

• Pre-installed Moltbot v2026.1.24
• Docker container isolation
• Security-hardened environment
• Web setup wizard
• Automatic HTTPS via Let's Encrypt
• Private DM pairing enabled by default

Setup process:

1. Visit the DigitalOcean Marketplace
2. Choose a Droplet size (Basic plan at $4-6/month is sufficient for most users)
3. Select your region (choose closest to you for lower latency)
4. Deploy and wait 2-3 minutes
5. Access the dashboard URL provided in the console
6. Complete the web setup wizard (choose your AI provider, configure channels)

Pros:

• Truly one-click deployment
• No terminal commands required
• Professional security defaults
• Scalable if you need more resources

Cons:

• Monthly cost (though minimal)
• Requires credit card (even for $4 plan)

My take: This is the sweet spot for most users. You get a production-ready deployment in under 5 minutes without touching a terminal.

Option 2: Cloudflare (NEW)

Cloudflare recently launched a one-click deployment option that's particularly compelling for edge distribution.

What you get:

• One-click deployment to Cloudflare's edge network
• Workers and R2 storage
• 10GB free tier on R2
• 100,000 requests/day free on Workers
• Global low-latency access
• DDoS protection built-in

Why consider Cloudflare: The edge deployment model means your Moltbot instance runs close to your users, reducing latency. The free tier is genuinely usable for personal deployments.

Setup:

1. Visit the Cloudflare deployment template
2. Connect your Cloudflare account
3. Deploy with one click
4. Configure via the Cloudflare dashboard

Cost: Free tier available; paid plans start at $5/month

My take: Choose Cloudflare if you want edge distribution or are already in the Cloudflare ecosystem.

Option 3: Railway (Best for Integrations)

Railway offers a compelling alternative with some unique advantages for power users.

What you get:

• One-click template deployment
• Built-in Telegram, Discord, and Slack integrations
• Auto-scaling capabilities
• Git-based deployments for updates
• Cloudflare Tunnel support for secure access

Why choose Railway: The Cloudflare Tunnel integration is the standout feature. Instead of exposing your Moltbot instance directly to the internet, Railway creates a secure tunnel through Cloudflare's network. This means:

• No open ports on your server
• DDoS protection out of the box
• Custom domain support with SSL
• Access from anywhere without VPN

Setup:

1. Visit the Railway template
2. Connect your GitHub account
3. Deploy the template
4. Configure environment variables in Railway dashboard
5. Access via the provided Cloudflare Tunnel URL

Cost: Starts at $5/month, scales with usage

My take: Choose Railway if you need the Cloudflare Tunnel feature or want Git-based deployment workflows.

Option 4: Self-Hosted with Docker (Maximum Control)

For those who want complete control over their deployment, Docker is the way to go.

Prerequisites:

• Linux, macOS, or Windows (WSL2)
• Docker and Docker Compose installed
• Node.js 22+ (for local builds)

The setup:

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/moltbot/moltbot.git
cd moltbot

# Run the Docker setup script
./docker-setup.sh

# Or manually with docker-compose
docker-compose up -d

Key configuration options:

# docker-compose.yml excerpt
services:
  moltbot-gateway:
    image: moltbot:local
    volumes:
      # Persistent storage for workspace
      - ~/clawd:/home/node/clawd:rw
      # Config directory
      - ~/.clawdbot:/home/node/.clawdbot:rw
    environment:
      - ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=${ANTHROPIC_API_KEY}
      - CLAWDBOT_CONFIG_PATH=/home/node/.clawdbot/moltbot.json

Security hardening:

The Docker approach gives you isolation from your host system. For additional security:

# Run with read-only filesystem where possible
docker run -v ~/clawd:/app/workspace:rw \
           -v ~/docs:/app/docs:ro \
           --read-only \
           moltbot:latest

Pros:

• Completely free (run on existing hardware)
• Full control over configuration
• Can run on Raspberry Pi, old laptops, etc.
• No data leaves your network (except to AI APIs)

Cons:

• Requires technical knowledge
• You're responsible for security and updates
• No automatic backups (unless you configure them)

My take: This is my preferred option for personal use on a home server. The Docker isolation provides peace of mind while keeping costs at zero.

Option 5: Hostinger VPS (Budget Cloud)

If you want cloud hosting at the lowest possible price, Hostinger's VPS plans are competitive.

What you get:

• KVM-based VPS starting at $3.99/month
• Docker pre-installed on some plans
• Automatic backups (on higher tiers)
• 24/7 support

Setup approach:

1. Purchase KVM VPS plan
2. SSH into your server
3. Install Docker (if not pre-installed)
4. Follow Docker deployment steps above

Why consider Hostinger:

• Lowest cost for always-on cloud deployment
• Good performance for the price
• European data centers available (GDPR compliance)

Trade-offs:

• More manual setup than DigitalOcean/Railway
• Support quality varies
• Fewer integrations out of the box

Option 6: AWS/Hetzner with Pulumi (Infrastructure as Code)

For teams already using infrastructure-as-code tools, Pulumi provides a programmatic way to deploy Moltbot.

Architecture:

• Deploy to AWS EC2 or Hetzner Cloud
• Tailscale for private networking
• Automated via Pulumi TypeScript/Python

Key benefits:

• Version-controlled infrastructure
• Reproducible deployments
• Integration with existing cloud accounts

Who is this for:

• DevOps teams
• Users already managing infrastructure with Pulumi
• Those wanting to integrate Moltbot into existing AWS/Hetzner setups

Security Considerations

Regardless of your deployment choice, security should be top of mind. Moltbot has access to powerful tools and potentially sensitive data.

The three-layer approach:

1. Infrastructure isolation

• Run on dedicated hardware or VPS (not your primary machine)
• Use Docker containers for process isolation
• Keep Moltbot in a separate network segment if possible

2. Access control

• Enable DM pairing (prevents unauthorized access)
• Use strong authentication for the dashboard
• Configure allowlists for channels (don't use "*")

3. Credential management

• Store API keys in environment variables, not config files
• Use OAuth where possible instead of API keys
• Rotate credentials regularly
• Never commit .env files to version control

The "Mac Mini" approach:

Many experienced users are deploying Moltbot on dedicated hardware like a Mac Mini or old laptop. This provides:

• Physical isolation from your main machine
• Always-on availability
• Lower cost than cloud for multi-year use
• Easy to wipe/rebuild if something goes wrong

My recommendation: If you have spare hardware, use it. The cost of an old laptop or Raspberry Pi is less than 2 months of VPS hosting.

My Personal Setup

After testing all these options, here's what I'm running:

Primary: Docker deployment on a home server (Intel NUC)

• Cost: $0 (hardware already owned)
• Uptime: 99%+ with UPS backup
• Performance: Handles multiple concurrent sessions

Backup: DigitalOcean Droplet for when I'm traveling

• Cost: $4/month (only powered on when needed)
• Sync: Workspace backed up to private Git repo

Why this combo?

• Free for daily use
• Cloud option when away from home
• Data stays local by default
• Easy to rebuild either instance

Which Should You Choose?

Choose DigitalOcean if:

• You want the easiest possible setup
• You don't mind $4-6/month
• You need professional reliability

Choose Cloudflare if:

• You want edge distribution
• You're already in the Cloudflare ecosystem
• You want to start with a free tier

Choose Railway if:

• You want Cloudflare Tunnel integration
• You prefer Git-based deployments
• You need auto-scaling

Choose Self-hosted Docker if:

• You have spare hardware
• You want zero ongoing costs
• You're comfortable with technical setup

Choose Hostinger if:

• Budget is your primary concern
• You want basic cloud hosting
• You're comfortable with manual setup

Choose AWS/Hetzner + Pulumi if:

• You're already using infrastructure-as-code
• You need enterprise-grade deployment
• You have complex networking requirements

Final Thoughts

The beauty of Moltbot is its flexibility. You're not locked into any single deployment option. Start with DigitalOcean for ease, migrate to self-hosted when you're comfortable, or keep both for redundancy.

The most important thing is getting started. Pick the option that matches your technical comfort level and budget, deploy it, and start exploring what a personal AI assistant can do for your workflow.

Further reading:

• Official Moltbot Documentation
• Security Best Practices
• Community Discord

Questions or feedback? Reach out—I'd love to hear about your deployment.