How to Connect OpenClaw to Telegram (Self-Hosted vs Managed)

OpenClaw is one of the most capable open-source AI agents available today. It connects to models like Claude, GPT-4, or any OpenRouter-compatible model and runs autonomously inside your favorite chat apps, including Telegram.

But getting it connected to Telegram isn't always straightforward. This guide walks you through both options: doing it yourself, and letting a managed platform handle it for you.

What You'll Need (Either Way)

Before anything else, you need:

• A Telegram Bot Token. Create a bot via @BotFather on Telegram, copy the token it gives you
• An AI provider API key. From OpenAI, Anthropic, or OpenRouter (OpenRouter is recommended since it gives you access to many models with one key)

Option 1: Self-Hosted (Manual Setup)

This is the full DIY route. You run OpenClaw on your own server.

What you need:

• A Linux VPS (Ubuntu 24.04 recommended, minimum 1GB RAM)
• Basic SSH and terminal experience

Steps:

1. Spin up a VPS on any provider. Hetzner, DigitalOcean, Vultr, etc.

2. SSH into your server and install dependencies

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

3. Clone the OpenClaw repository

git clone https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw
cd openclaw

4. Create your config file. Add your Telegram bot token, AI provider API key, and set Telegram as your channel.

5. Start OpenClaw and wrap it in systemd so it auto-restarts on crash or reboot:

sudo systemctl enable openclaw
sudo systemctl start openclaw

6. Test it. Open Telegram, message your bot, and confirm it responds.

What you're signing up for:

• Manual updates every time OpenClaw releases a new version
• Debugging when the process silently crashes
• Managing your own uptime and monitoring
• Keeping your API keys secured on the server

It works well if you enjoy the ops side. But it's real ongoing maintenance.

Option 2: Managed via Clawdtopia

Clawdtopia is a managed OpenClaw platform that handles all the infrastructure for you. You bring your credentials, it handles everything else.

Steps:

1. Sign up at clawdtopia.com
2. Enter your Telegram Bot Token and AI provider API key. Your keys go directly to your dedicated OpenClaw instance and are never stored on Clawdtopia's servers
3. Your OpenClaw agent is live on Telegram. No SSH, no server config, no process manager

That's it.

What's included at $39/month:

• 1 dedicated OpenClaw instance (not shared)
• Telegram, Discord, and Slack support
• Custom domain + SSL
• Config editor via dashboard
• Logs and monitoring
• Email support
• BYO API keys (OpenRouter supported)

Need more agents? Each additional instance is +$39/month. No long-term contracts.

Self-Hosted vs Managed: Side by Side

	Self-Hosted	Clawdtopia
Setup time	30–60 min	~5 min
Monthly cost	~$5–10 (VPS only)	$39/month
Maintenance	You handle it	Fully managed
Dedicated instance	✅	✅
Uptime monitoring	DIY	Included
API key security	Stored on your server	Never stored
Best for	Devs who want full control	Devs who want it just working

Which Should You Choose?

Go self-hosted if:

• You're comfortable managing Linux servers
• You want full customization and control
• You're happy maintaining it long-term

Go with Clawdtopia if:

• You want your agent live in minutes
• You'd rather spend time building, not managing infrastructure
• You want dedicated instances with proper monitoring out of the box

Get Started

Ready to connect OpenClaw to Telegram without the server headache?

Deploy your first OpenClaw agent at clawdtopia.com. No setup required. Your dedicated AI agent on Telegram, live in minutes.