In this guide, I’ll walk you through the easiest way to migrate your OpenClaw AI agent from one server to another. Whether you’re escaping surprise AWS bills or just upgrading to a better VPS, this beginner-friendly method lets your agent do most of the heavy lifting for you. We also have a full video walkthrough below if you prefer visual guidance.
Why Migrate? The AWS Free Tier Trap
If you started your OpenClaw journey on an Amazon EC2 instance, you’re not alone. The M7i Flex Large with 8 GB of RAM was a popular recommendation across YouTube tutorials. It sounds great on paper — plenty of memory, and it’s on the free tier. But here’s the catch: AWS’s free tier isn’t truly free forever.
There are countless horror stories on Reddit and AWS forums of users getting hit with unexpected charges after their free credits run out. Some bills climb to $100 per month or more, often from forgotten resources like NAT gateways, Elastic IP addresses, or EBS volumes running in the background. AWS even has an official guide on avoiding unexpected charges after the free tier expires — which tells you how common this problem is.
The moment I heard about these billing surprises, I knew it was time to move.
Choosing a Cheaper VPS
The good news is you don’t need 8 GB of RAM for a personal AI assistant. That kind of spec is overkill — it’s more suited for gaming servers handling hundreds of concurrent users. For OpenClaw running as a personal agent, 2 GB of RAM is more than enough.
I switched to Zeabur at just $2 per month for a VPS with 2 GB of memory and full server access. Providers like Contabo and Hostinger also offer affordable OpenClaw-ready VPS options if you want alternatives. The point is: you can run a fully functional AI agent for the price of a coffee.
Step 1: Ask Your Agent to Build a Migration Package
Here’s the best part — you can get your OpenClaw agent to handle the migration for you. The key is crafting the right prompt. Here’s what I told my agent:
“I want to migrate you to another server. Can you compress your working directory and the OpenClaw directory, then create a document on what you’ve deployed and worked on so we can migrate?”
Within about 2 minutes, my agent created a zip file containing the full working directory, all config and state files, and even a markdown migration guide. Basically everything you need in one neat package.
Step 2: Transfer Your Credentials and Upload
Next, you’ll need the credentials for your new server — the IP address, username (usually “ubuntu”), and SSH password. A quick security note: ideally you should store sensitive credentials in an .env file rather than pasting them directly into chat. But once your agent has the connection details, it can upload the migration zip to the new server automatically.
The upload process took about a minute in my case. Once it’s done, you’ll find the zip file sitting in your new server’s file directory.
Step 3: Install and Relaunch on the New Server
With your files transferred, you just need to make sure OpenClaw is installed on the new server. Run the standard installation command — if you type openclaw and get “command not found,” just reinstall it. Don’t worry, nothing gets wiped since your full directory is already migrated. You just need the software to launch it again.
Then start the gateway and check your config files. You can do this manually or simply ask your agent to handle it. Once everything checks out, migration is complete and you’ll see your new server’s IP address ready to go.
Pro Tip: Use Termius and Verify with Tree
If you’re a beginner, I highly recommend using Termius as your terminal app. It gives you a visual file browser alongside the terminal, making it much easier to see your entire OpenClaw directory structure and verify files are in place.
For extra peace of mind, run a tree command on your old server before migrating and take a screenshot. Then run the same command on your new server after migration. Compare the two to make sure nothing is missing. It’s a simple manual check that can save you headaches.
Limitations to Keep in Mind
This zip-and-transfer method works great for straightforward OpenClaw setups — if you’re a beginner with a simple agent configuration, it’s the fastest and easiest approach. However, if you’re running a more advanced setup with complex cron jobs, multiple sub-agents, or a sophisticated architecture, you may need to handle some steps manually to ensure nothing gets lost in translation.
For most beginners though, this method covers everything you need. The whole process takes under 10 minutes and your agent does most of the work.
Wrapping Up
Migrating your OpenClaw agent doesn’t have to be scary or complicated. The combination of letting your agent package itself up, transferring to an affordable VPS, and doing a quick verification check makes the whole process surprisingly painless. If you’re still on an AWS free tier instance, I’d seriously consider making the switch before any surprise bills show up.
Got questions or a better migration approach? Drop them in the comments below, or join the Boxmining Discord community where we share AI tools and tips daily.