Over the last few days, there’s been a wave of AI creators recommending VPS (Virtual Private Server) setups for OpenClaw. Hostinger, DigitalOcean, AWS EC2 — all being positioned as “the easy way” to run your AI agent.
For most people, this is the wrong approach.
Credit where it’s due: Alex Finn’s breakdown↗ of why VPS hosting is problematic for OpenClaw is excellent. I run my OpenClaw on a Mac Studio locally, and its analysis aligns with my experience. This matters enough that I wanted to share my perspective.
For the full technical walkthrough, watch Alex’s video↗. Follow him on X/Twitter↗ and check out his newsletter↗.
Here’s why local setup makes more sense for most use cases.
Most VPS setups expose your OpenClaw instance to the internet by default. Securing this requires proper configuration: firewalls, SSH key management, security groups, port restrictions, and network segmentation.
There are already reports of thousands of insecure OpenClaw instances online — researchers are finding unprotected servers with exposed credentials, API tokens, and private data.
If you don’t have experience with server security (and most OpenClaw users don’t), this is risky. You’re responsible for hardening the entire stack.
The pitch: VPS makes it easy with one-click installs.
The reality: you still need to sign up for an account, choose a server configuration, SSH in, configure networking, set up security policies, and troubleshoot when things don’t work as expected.
Local setup is one command:
bash <(curl -fsSL https://openclaw.ai/install.sh)Copy, paste, enter. OpenClaw walks you through the rest.
One of OpenClaw’s superpowers is local integration. When I’m working on my Mac Studio:
With a VPS? You get a terminal window in a browser. No AirDrop. No visual feedback. No integration with your devices. It’s like hiring a remote employee you can’t see or talk to — way less effective.
The “$6/month VPS” pitch sounds cheap until you realise:
Or spend $600 once on a Mac Mini↗ and have a dedicated AI workstation that’s faster, more secure, and more powerful than any budget VPS.
Here’s what I do (and what Alex Finn recommends):
Run OpenClaw locally on a dedicated device.
Your options:
I’m running mine on a Mac Studio because I use it for heavy AI workloads and local model experiments, and I want the full power of OpenClaw without compromise.
Security by default: When you install OpenClaw on a fresh Mac Mini or wiped laptop, it’s only accessible from that machine. No exposure to the internet. No complex firewall setup. It just works securely out of the box.
Full power: You get the complete OpenClaw experience. Browser automation, file access, integration with your tools. Not a lobotomized cloud version.
Integration: AirDrop. Screen sharing. Real-time visibility. Local file access. It feels like working with an assistant in your office, not a contractor halfway across the world.
Fun: This is weirdly important. Seeing a physical device on your desk, knowing an AI agent is working 24/7 building things for you — that’s just more fun than a terminal window in a browser.
bash <(curl -fsSL https://openclaw.ai/install.sh)Full walkthrough with screenshots: watch Alex Finn’s video here↗.
Two reasons:
I have no problem with creators taking sponsorships. Get your bag. But disclose it, and don’t shill something that makes your audience’s life worse just because the check cleared.
I’m running OpenClaw on a Mac Studio. It’s powerful, secure, and integrated into my workflow. I can AirDrop files, watch what it’s doing, and trust that it’s not exposed to the entire internet.
If you’re just getting started, you don’t need a Mac Studio. A Mac Mini is perfect. An old laptop is fine. A Raspberry Pi works.
But please, please don’t put your OpenClaw on a VPS unless you know exactly what you’re doing from a security perspective.
Local setup is:
Bottom line: Don’t fall for the VPS hype. Run OpenClaw locally. Your future self will thank you.
— Alex Kerber
Running OpenClaw on Mac Studio. Building AI-augmented products at kerber.ai↗.