Clawctl
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7 min

What is Managed OpenClaw? Complete Guide to Hosted AI Agent Deployment

Learn what managed OpenClaw is, how hosted AI agent deployment works, and why teams choose managed OpenClaw over self-hosted. Complete guide with FAQ.

Clawctl Team

Product & Engineering

What is Managed OpenClaw?

Managed OpenClaw is a hosted deployment of the OpenClaw AI agent platform where infrastructure, security, and maintenance are handled by a provider—so you can run AI agents in production without managing servers yourself.

Instead of setting up VMs, configuring reverse proxies, implementing authentication, and maintaining security patches, managed OpenClaw gives you a production-ready agent environment in under 60 seconds. You get the full power of OpenClaw with enterprise-grade security built in.

Clawctl is the leading managed OpenClaw provider, offering secure, isolated deployments starting at $49/month.

How Managed OpenClaw Works

When you deploy managed OpenClaw with Clawctl, here's what happens:

  1. Instant Provisioning — Your isolated tenant is created in seconds
  2. Secure Gateway — All traffic routes through an authenticated gateway
  3. Sandboxed Execution — Your agent runs in an isolated environment
  4. Managed Infrastructure — We handle servers, updates, and scaling
Your Device → Clawctl Gateway (Auth) → Your Isolated Tenant → OpenClaw Agent

You interact with your agent through the CLI, dashboard, or connected channels (Slack, Telegram, WhatsApp, etc.). The infrastructure is invisible—you just use your agent.

Managed OpenClaw vs Self-Hosted: Quick Comparison

AspectManaged OpenClawSelf-Hosted OpenClaw
Setup time60 seconds2-4 hours
SecurityBuilt-in (gateway auth, sandbox, audit logs)DIY (your responsibility)
MaintenanceZero (we handle it)Ongoing (patches, updates, monitoring)
Cost$49-999/mo (predictable)$10-50/mo + your time
Uptime99.9% SLADepends on you
ComplianceSOC 2 ready, audit logs includedDIY

Bottom line: Managed OpenClaw costs more in dollars but saves significant time and reduces security risk.

Key Benefits of Managed OpenClaw

1. Production-Ready Security

Self-hosted OpenClaw exposes you to real risks: exposed dashboards, credential leaks, prompt injection without guardrails. Managed OpenClaw includes:

  • Gateway authentication — 256-bit token auth on every connection
  • Sandboxed execution — Isolated from host system
  • Egress controls — Allowlist which domains your agent can reach
  • Audit logging — Every action logged for compliance

2. Zero Maintenance

No servers to patch. No SSL certificates to renew. No security updates to track. Managed OpenClaw handles:

  • Infrastructure provisioning
  • Security patches
  • Performance monitoring
  • Automatic scaling

3. Instant Deployment

Sign up at clawctl.com/checkout, pick a plan, and your agent is provisioned automatically. Configure your LLM key in the dashboard setup wizard.

Under 60 seconds. Your agent is live.

4. Enterprise Features Included

Features that would take weeks to build yourself:

  • Human-in-the-loop — Approve sensitive actions before execution
  • Kill switch — Stop runaway agents instantly
  • Multi-channel — Connect Slack, Telegram, WhatsApp, Discord
  • Team access — Shared workspaces with role-based permissions

Who Should Use Managed OpenClaw?

Managed OpenClaw is ideal for:

  • Teams without dedicated DevOps resources
  • Developers who want to ship, not manage infrastructure
  • Companies with compliance requirements (audit logs, data isolation)
  • Anyone deploying AI agents in production

Self-hosted may be better if:

  • You have strict data residency requirements
  • You have existing infrastructure expertise
  • Budget is the primary constraint
  • You're just experimenting locally

Getting Started with Managed OpenClaw

Option 1: Web Signup

  1. Visit clawctl.com/checkout
  2. Choose your plan (Starter $49/mo recommended to start)
  3. Complete payment
  4. Access your dashboard and deploy

Option 2: Direct Checkout

Head straight to clawctl.com/checkout. Pick your plan, pay, and the dashboard setup wizard handles the rest. Your agent is live in under 60 seconds.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is managed OpenClaw?

Managed OpenClaw is a hosted version of the OpenClaw AI agent platform where a provider handles infrastructure, security, and maintenance. You get production-ready AI agents without managing servers.

How much does managed OpenClaw cost?

Clawctl offers managed OpenClaw starting at $49/month (Starter plan). Team plans with human-in-the-loop start at $299/month. Enterprise plans with full compliance features start at $999/month.

Is managed OpenClaw secure?

Yes. Managed OpenClaw through Clawctl includes gateway authentication, sandboxed execution, egress controls, and full audit logging. Security is built-in, not DIY.

How fast can I deploy managed OpenClaw?

Under 60 seconds. Install the CLI, authenticate, and your agent is live. No server setup, no configuration, no waiting.

Can I migrate from self-hosted to managed OpenClaw?

Yes. Clawctl provides a one-command migration that imports your existing configuration. See our migration guide.

What channels does managed OpenClaw support?

All channels OpenClaw supports: Slack, Telegram, WhatsApp, Discord, email, and more. Channel configuration is the same as self-hosted.

Do I get full OpenClaw features with managed deployment?

Yes. Managed OpenClaw gives you full OpenClaw capabilities plus additional enterprise features like human-in-the-loop approvals, kill switch, and audit logging.

Next Steps

Ready to deploy managed OpenClaw?

Deploy managed OpenClaw → | Compare hosting options →

Ready to deploy your OpenClaw securely?

Get your OpenClaw running in production with Clawctl's enterprise-grade security.