01 Executive summary
Infra is cheap; the product is setup, isolation, security, maintenance, workflow tuning, and an operator who keeps these agent boxes alive. You get a 24/7 private agent on your VPS — we do not markup tokens (BYOK).
| Item | v1 policy |
|---|---|
| Positioning | Cloud-agent operator — not “I host bots” |
| Default provider | DigitalOcean (US + Toronto) |
| Canada / US fallbacks | OVH Canada · Hetzner US · Lightsail if AWS-native |
| Default size | 2 vCPU / 4 GB (API-based agents) |
| Stack | Ubuntu · Docker Compose · Caddy · Tailscale · SQLite |
| Avoid v1 | Render, Railway, Heroku for always-on private agents |
| Pricing | $750 setup + $149/mo care + infra at cost |
02 What you are buying
Included in managed hosting
- Dedicated Linux server in your chosen US or Canadian region
- Agent platform installation (OpenClaw or Hermes Agent) and baseline configuration
- Secure remote administration (Tailscale; no public admin ports)
- Messaging channel connection within agreed scope (e.g. one Telegram bot)
- BYOK setup: your API keys stored only on your server
- OS security updates and agent patch upgrades (snapshot before change)
- Daily backup of agent state and configuration (retention per tier)
- Uptime monitoring and operator alerts
- Included monthly support time for break-fix and small config changes
Typically not included (add-ons)
- New custom skills, CRM integrations, or large automation projects
- Unlimited feature development
- Model/API spend (you pay providers directly)
- Extra messaging channels beyond your tier
- Formal compliance certifications unless separately contracted
You create AI provider accounts and set spending limits. We configure the server to use your keys only. Token invoices go to you, not through us.
03 Architecture (high level)
Principle: One organization → one server → one agent trust boundary.
04 Infrastructure decisions
★ = recommended default
4.1 Cloud provider
| Option | US | Canada | 4 GB / mo (approx.) | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ★ DigitalOcean | NYC, SFO, … | Toronto | ~$24 (+ backup) | Default — simple, predictable |
| Hetzner US | Ashburn, Hillsboro | — | ~$14–25 | Cheap US fallback |
| OVHcloud Canada | US DCs | Yes | ~$6–12 | Canada value |
| AWS Lightsail | AWS regions | Via AWS | ~$20–40 | Only if client uses AWS |
| Vultr | Many metros | Toronto | ~$24–40 | Fine; not v1 standard |
| Avoid v1 | Render, Railway, Heroku | — | $32–135+ | Bad margin for private agents |
DO backups add ~20% (weekly) or 30% (daily) to Droplet cost. Default DB: SQLite on box — skip managed Postgres unless required.
4.2 Server size (DigitalOcean)
| Profile | Spec | Droplet | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lean | 1 vCPU / 2 GB | ~$12 | Light chat, tight budget |
| ★ Default | 2 vCPU / 4 GB | ~$24 | API-based agents, cron |
| Serious | 4 vCPU / 8 GB | ~$48 | Browser automation, heavy cron |
4.3 Region
| Client | ★ Region |
|---|---|
| Canada | Toronto |
| US East / Central | New York (NJ) |
| US West | SFO / LAX / Seattle |
4.4 Agent platform
| Platform | Fit |
|---|---|
| OpenClaw | Broad channels, security audit CLI, WhatsApp/Telegram |
| Hermes Agent | Skills, cron, delegation (Nous stack) |
One primary platform per server. Switching platforms is a migration project.
4.5 Admin access & backups
| Topic | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Admin | ★ Tailscale (default); gateway on localhost; DM pairing |
| Backups | ★ Daily automated — 7d (Managed), 14–30d (Pro/Priority); snapshot before upgrades |
05 Alternatives comparison
| Alternative | Price signal | vs this offering |
|---|---|---|
| DIY cheap VPS | ~$5–15/mo infra | You own security and incidents |
| DIY Mac mini (home) | $799–1,399 USD · $1,099–1,999 CAD | One-time hardware; power, uptime, and ops on you |
| AWS EC2 Mac (mac2-m2.metal) | ~$474/mo instance · ~$508/mo all-in | 24h-minimum Dedicated Host; stop ≠ release; heavy setup |
| MyClaw-style SaaS | ~$33–66+/mo | Faster deploy; less region/control |
| Hostinger 1-click | Low intro pricing | Renewals; bundled AI credits |
| Dedicated private cloud-agent | ~$15–40 infra + care | Your server, your keys, named operator |
06 Pricing (USD · CAD in estimate)
Infrastructure is typically pass-through at cost. Toggle USD / CAD in Build your package to update your estimate; bind final currency in contract.
One-time setup (paired with care tier)
Setup fee is fixed per package below; click care tier to update estimate.
Monthly care tiers
Click a tier — setup and monthly care update in your estimate.
- Setup $750–$1,250
- Caddy, Docker/Coolify, Tailscale
- Backups, uptime, handoff docs
- Typical infra $8–$36/mo
- Setup $1,500–$2,500
- Richer alerting, quarterly review
- Optional managed DB integration
- Typical infra $36–$80/mo
- Setup $3k–$5k
- Managed DB, Better Stack class monitoring
- Runbook, business-hours response
- Typical infra $80–$180/mo
Infrastructure pass-through (typical, incl. weekly backup on DO)
| RAM | DigitalOcean | Hetzner US | OVH CA |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 GB | ~$14 | ~$8 | ~$7 |
| 4 GB | ~$29 | ~$17 | ~$7–12 |
| 8 GB | ~$58 | ~$30 | ~$14 |
Optional: +10% handling on infra for single-invoice billing.
Add-ons
Toggle optional items — they update your estimate below.
Add-on menu (integrations, hardening, emergency $150/hr) — see markdown doc. Custom work quoted separately.
07 Default proposal package
| Component | Choice |
|---|---|
| Provider | DigitalOcean |
| Region | Toronto (CA) or NYC / SFO (US) |
| Size | 2 vCPU / 4 GB |
| Stack | Docker Compose · Caddy · Tailscale · SQLite |
| Platform | OpenClaw or Hermes (per discovery) |
| Keys | BYOK |
| Care | Private Cloud Agent Setup — $149/mo |
| Setup | $750 |
| Infra | ~$29/mo pass-through (DO 4GB + backup) |
08 Onboarding (~1 week)
- Discovery — channels, tools, region, risk tolerance
- Provision and harden VPS
- Install agent, BYOK, channel pairing
- Handoff session and support expectations
09 Responsibilities
Client
- API keys and provider billing
- Approve pairing / allowlists
- Primary contact for changes
- Approve expanded tool scope
Operator
- Patches and agreed upgrades
- Backups and monitoring
- Included monthly support hours
- Document material config changes
10 Build your package
Click options below — your estimate updates at the end of the page.
11 Your estimate
Based on your selections above. API usage is billed separately (BYOK).
Configuration
Cost breakdown
12 References
Planning aid only—bind scope and pricing in a signed agreement.