How to Install Moltbot (Clawdbot) on a Veerhost VPS (Docker)

Estimated reading: 4 minutes

Moltbot (formerly Clawdbot) is a self-hosted personal AI assistant platform that can connect to multiple messaging channels (WhatsApp, Telegram, Slack, Discord, and more). This guide shows how to deploy Moltbot on your Veerhost VPS using Docker.

Requirements

What you need

  • A Veerhost VPS (Ubuntu/Debian recommended)
  • Root access (or a sudo user)
  • A domain is optional (IP access works fine)

Optional (for AI integrations)

  • OpenAI API key (optional)
  • Anthropic API key (optional)

Installation Option 1: Install on a New Veerhost VPS (Recommended)

Step 1: Connect to your VPS

Use SSH from your computer:

  • Connect to your VPS IP using the credentials from your Veerhost VPS details.

Step 2: Update your server

Run system updates to ensure packages are current before installing Docker.

Step 3: Install Docker + Docker Compose

Install Docker Engine and Docker Compose on your VPS.

Step 4: Create a Moltbot project folder

Create a folder such as:

  • /opt/moltbot

Step 5: Create your environment file

Inside the project folder, create an environment file (commonly .env) and add:

Required:

  • MOLTBOT_GATEWAY_TOKEN (generate a strong token and save it)

Optional:

  • OPENAI_API_KEY (optional)
  • ANTHROPIC_API_KEY (optional)

Important: Store your MOLTBOT_GATEWAY_TOKEN securely. You’ll need it to access and pair the Moltbot web interface.

Step 6: Deploy Moltbot using Docker Compose

Create a Docker Compose configuration for Moltbot (using the official container image and recommended ports), then start the stack using Docker Compose.

Step 7: Confirm the container is running

Check container status and logs to ensure Moltbot started successfully and the web port is exposed.

Installation Option 2: Install on an Existing Veerhost VPS

Step 1: Check if Docker is installed

If Docker is already installed, confirm Docker and Compose are available and working.

Step 2: Prepare a project directory

Use a dedicated folder for easier upgrades:

  • /opt/moltbot

Step 3: Configure environment variables

Add your required token and any optional API keys in your .env file.

Step 4: Deploy and verify

Start the containers and confirm the status is healthy and “running”.

Accessing Moltbot

Find your web interface port

Your Compose file will define the port for the web interface. Once running, access Moltbot using:

  • http://YOUR-VPS-IP:PORT

Tip: If you’re using a firewall, ensure the web interface port is allowed (and allow 80/443 if you later put it behind a reverse proxy).

Post-Installation Setup

Step 1: Add your Gateway Token

Open the Moltbot web interface and go to Overview.

  • Paste your MOLTBOT_GATEWAY_TOKEN
  • Click Connect
    You should see a “Connected” status when authentication succeeds.

Step 2: Connect Messaging Channels (Example: WhatsApp)

Open the RAW configuration editor

Go to:

  • Settings → Config
  • Open the RAW configuration editor

Add WhatsApp channel configuration

Add a WhatsApp section like this:

“channels”: {
“whatsapp”: {
“dmPolicy”: “allowlist”,
“allowFrom”: [
“[INSERT-YOUR-PHONE-NUMBER_HERE]”
],
“groupPolicy”: “allowlist”,
“mediaMaxMb”: 50,
“debounceMs”: 0
}
},

Important: Replace the phone number with your real number in international format (example: +1234567890).

Apply and update

  • Click Apply
  • Click Update

Pair WhatsApp

Go to Channels and select Show QR.
On your phone:

  • WhatsApp → Settings → Linked devices → Link a device
  • Scan the QR code

Note: If you see an error like a stream/login failure, return to Settings → Config, click Update, then check Channels again.

Step 3: Configure Your AI Model Provider (Optional)

Add a default OpenAI model

If you set OPENAI_API_KEY, you can specify a default model in the RAW config:

“agents”: {
“defaults”: {
“model”: {
“primary”: “openai/gpt-4o”
},
“maxConcurrent”: 4
},
“subagents”: {
“maxConcurrent”: 8
}
},

Note: Change the model name based on what you want to use and what your provider supports.

Apply and update

  • Click Apply
  • Click Update

Managing Your Moltbot Instance

View logs

Use Docker to view container logs when troubleshooting startup issues, connection problems, or channel pairing failures.

Update Moltbot

To upgrade Moltbot:

  • Pull the latest image
  • Recreate/restart containers using Docker Compose
    This updates the service while keeping your configuration and environment variables.

Security Notes

Keep credentials private

  • Do not share MOLTBOT_GATEWAY_TOKEN
  • Never publish API keys (OpenAI/Anthropic)
  • Avoid committing .env files into Git repositories

Recommended hardening

  • Use a firewall and only open required ports
  • Use HTTPS via a reverse proxy if exposing Moltbot publicly
  • Keep your VPS updated regularly
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