You've got three real options. The right one depends on one thing: how much control you need over your data and systems.
Option 1
Fast, managed, flexible
We deploy OpenClaw on a dedicated virtual server in the cloud. You get your own environment (not shared hosting), with encryption and standard security hardening.
Why people choose it
Trade-off
Your AI lives outside your building. That means:
Best for: most teams that want speed, simplicity, and don't have strict "data must stay inside" requirements.
Option 2
Your building, your rules
We install OpenClaw on a machine inside your office/network. That can be a small server, a workstation, or an existing IT box that's always on.
Why people choose it
Best for: clinics, law firms, finance, insurance, government, or anyone handling sensitive customer data.
Option 3
OpenClaw + LLM running locally
This is the "nothing leaves the building" setup.
OpenClaw is the agent framework that routes conversations, calls tools, and applies your business rules. The "brain" (LLM) can be:
If you want zero customer text going to any third-party model, you run the LLM locally.
Why teams still do it
What it costs
Running an LLM on-prem typically requires a GPU machine. Depending on the model size and speed you want, expect a real hardware investment (often $3K–$10K+).
Best for: strict compliance, sensitive IP, regulated industries, or teams that simply want maximum control.
A VPS is "your server in the cloud." It's great. But cloud deployments will always struggle with a few things — because they're outside your network.
Without complicated plumbing
On-prem OpenClaw can connect directly to systems that should never be exposed publicly:
With a VPS, you can reach some of this — but usually only after adding VPNs, network tunnels, IP allowlists, reverse proxies, and security exceptions. On-prem just talks to them natively.
If OpenClaw runs inside your network
Cloud setups can be secure too — but you're always managing risk across more layers: cloud providers, internet exposure, network routing, and third-party dependencies.
And easier to prove
For many teams, the hardest part isn't security — it's proving it during audits. On-prem gives you a clean story:
"Data never leaves our environment."
"Access is governed by our internal policies."
"Logs and retention are under our control."
That's a lot easier than explaining vendors, subprocessors, regions, and model providers.
When paired with local LLM
If you run both OpenClaw + the LLM locally, you're not paying per token or per conversation. Your costs are mostly:
Appealing for high-volume support teams where "per message" pricing becomes a tax.
OpenClaw is designed to be owned
You can host it where you want, move it when you want, and keep your workflows and data. Many SaaS "AI agent" tools feel easy — until you want to:
On-prem (and open architecture) keeps you in control.
If you want
If you want
If you want
We'll help you figure out the right setup for your team.