StartClaw vs Self-Hosting
Should you run OpenClaw yourself or use StartClaw? Here's an honest comparison to help you decide.
5 min vs 4 hours
StartClaw gets you running in minutes, not hours of debugging Docker configs.
True cost comparison
Factor in your time: $50/hr × 4 hours = $200 just to set up self-hosting.
Zero maintenance
No more SSH-ing into servers at 2am to fix crashed services.
Built-in dashboard
Manage everything from a UI. No terminal commands needed.
Setup
Feature
StartClaw
Self-Hosting
Time to deploy
5 minutes
2-4 hours
Technical skill needed
None
Docker, Linux, Networking
Server setup
Automatic
Manual VPS configuration
WhatsApp connection
QR code scan
Manual proxy setup
Costs
Feature
StartClaw
Self-Hosting
Monthly hosting
$49-200
$20-100+ VPS
Setup time cost
$0
4+ hours of your time
Maintenance
Included
Your responsibility
Updates
Automatic
Manual git pulls
Features
Feature
StartClaw
Self-Hosting
Dashboard UI
Live desktop view
DIY with VNC
Task management
Activity logs
Manual setup
Multi-agent support
Complex setup
Support & Security
Feature
StartClaw
Self-Hosting
Customer support
Included
Community only
Uptime SLA
99.9%
None
Automatic backups
Manual setup
Security updates
Automatic
Manual
Isolated environment
Your responsibility
The Bottom Line
Self-hosting makes sense if you're a developer who enjoys
infrastructure work and has time for ongoing maintenance.
StartClaw makes sense if you want to focus on using AI,
not managing servers. You'll be up and running in 5 minutes with zero DevOps.
Ready to skip the setup hassle?
Get started and have an AI agent running in 5 minutes.
Monthly credits included. Cancel anytime.
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