Managed Hosting FAQ
Pricing & Billing
What’s included?
Your first hosted bot starts on a 7-day Pro trial. After that, Pro is $39.99 per active bot / month equivalent, billed prorated by active minutes. The fee covers hosting, a private server for each bot, updates, support, and day-to-day care. The only additional cost is your model usage through your own AI key.
How does billing work?
Your first bot starts on a 7-day Pro trial. If you keep the subscription active, billing begins after the trial and then tracks active runtime. If you cancel before paid billing begins, the hosted trial bot is removed after the trial ends.
Do you offer refunds?
Cancel anytime, no refunds for partial months.
Are there any hidden costs?
No. The only additional cost beyond hosted bot pricing is your model usage, which you pay directly to your provider through your own AI key.
Technical
How does auto-deploy work?
After signup, your hosted bot is deployed and becomes available in web chat. You can add Telegram after that if you want an external messaging channel.
Can I use Tailscale with a hosted bot?
Yes. Paid hosted bots can join your own Tailscale tailnet for private resource access and private web chat. This is optional and additive. Public web chat still uses Cloudflare, and Telegram stays public-only.
Does Tailscale change how Telegram works?
No. Telegram stays on the public path. You can have private tailnet web chat and public Telegram on the same bot.
Where is my data stored?
On your bot’s dedicated server. Your data is yours.
Do you have access to my conversations?
Only for support purposes, and only when you explicitly grant access.
What happens if there’s an outage?
We watch the service around the clock and respond to issues automatically. You’ll be notified of any significant outages.
Can I make web chat private without turning the whole bot private?
Yes. You can choose:
- public web only
- private web only
- public and private web together
- web disabled
That choice does not make Telegram private. Telegram is still public-only in this release.
Can I export my data?
Yes. Request a full export anytime via support.
What AI models are supported?
OpenClaw supports multiple AI providers. Configure your preferred provider and model in your control panel.
Setup
How long does setup take?
Auto-deployed after signup. The fastest path is your AI key plus web chat, then Telegram if you want.
What do I need to provide?
- Your AI provider API key (configure in your control panel)
- Telegram access if you want an external messaging app now
- Tailscale OAuth credentials if you want private networking
- Any custom requirements
Can I use my existing AI provider account?
Yes. Choose the AI provider you want and set it up in your control panel.
Support
What’s covered by support?
- Configuration questions
- Troubleshooting issues
- Feature guidance
- Best practices
- Upgrade assistance
What’s NOT covered?
- Custom development
- Third-party integrations (beyond standard platforms)
How do I contact support?
Use portal support tickets, support chat, or email [email protected].
What happens when support replies?
You get an email from [email protected] with a direct link back to the exact ticket in your customer portal.
Can I see usage minutes and cost so far?
Yes. The dashboard shows minutes and accrued hosted cost so far for the current period, and the billing page expands usage by month and by bot.
Comparison
How is this different from self-hosting?
| Self-Hosted | Managed |
|---|---|
| You manage servers | We handle the hosting |
| You handle updates | Automatic updates |
| You troubleshoot | We help when things break |
| Community support | Email & chat support |
| Your time invested | Much less setup work |
Is managed more expensive?
Often not! When you factor in time spent on maintenance, troubleshooting, and updates, managed hosting (with tiered pricing) is often more economical than self-hosting.
Can I switch from self-hosted to managed?
Yes! We can migrate your existing deployment. Contact support.
Can I switch from managed to self-hosted?
Yes. Export your data and deploy on your own server. We provide migration guides.
Do custom domains work with private tailnet chat?
No. Custom domains apply only to the public web path. Tailnet-only chat uses the private *.ts.net URL on your customer-owned tailnet.