AWS Free Tier Clawdbot Tutorial: Zero-Cost Personal AI Bot Guide

This article details how to use AWS Free Tier to run Clawdbot. Following this tutorial, you can build your own AI robot at zero cost.

You will learn:

• What Clawdbot is and how it works
• How to apply for and configure a free AWS EC2 instance
• Installing Clawdbot using a one-click script
• Configuring Exa MCP skill to give the bot web search capabilities

What is Clawdbot?

Clawdbot is an intelligent Discord/Telegram bot framework based on the Claude model. It is not just a chatbot but an AI Agent with long-term memory capable of executing complex tasks. Through the MCP (Model Context Protocol), Clawdbot can easily extend its capabilities, such as web search, code execution, database access, etc. Compared to the official Claude web version, Clawdbot offers more flexible customization and private deployment options, making data safer and interactions more personalized.

Prerequisites

Before starting, please ensure you have the following tools and accounts ready:

1. AWS Account: A valid Amazon Web Services account is required (credit card verification needed for registration, but no charge within the free tier).
2. SSH Terminal: Mac/Linux users use Terminal directly; Windows users are recommended to use PowerShell or Git Bash.
3. Telegram or Discord Account: Used to interact with your bot.
4. Anthropic API Key (Optional): Although the installation process has a guide, it is recommended to prepare it in advance.

1. AWS Deployment Process

First, we need to create a free EC2 instance on AWS. This is the carrier for the robot.

1. Log in to the AWS Console.
2. Search for EC2 in the top search bar and click to enter the EC2 Dashboard.
3. Click the orange Launch Instance button.
4. Configure Instance Details:
   • Name: Fill in arbitrarily (e.g., Clawdbot-Server).
   • OS Images: Select Ubuntu (Recommend Server 22.04 LTS or 24.04 LTS).
   • Instance Type: Enter “free” in the search box and select a type that supports the free tier.
     • Usually t2.micro (1 vCPU, 1GB RAM) or t3.micro.
     • Key Point: Make sure to confirm the Free tier eligible green tag.
   • Key pair:
     • To simplify the process, you can select “Proceed without a key pair” because we will connect directly using the AWS web console.
     • Advanced Users: Recommended to create a key pair for local SSH connection.
5. Network Settings: Keep default.
6. Click Launch Instance on the right sidebar to start the instance.

Cost Tip: AWS Free Tier usually provides 750 hours of t2.micro or t3.micro usage per month, which is enough to run one instance 24/7.

2. Connect to Server

Instance startup takes a few minutes; you can connect once the status becomes Running.

1. In the EC2 dashboard list, check the instance you just created.
2. Click the Connect button in the top right corner.
3. Under the “EC2 Instance Connect” tab, keep the default username ubuntu.
4. Click Connect again in the bottom right corner.
5. A new browser window will pop up showing a terminal interface with a black background, meaning you have successfully logged into the server.

3. One-Command Installation of Clawdbot

After entering the terminal, the installation process is very simple. We use the official one-click installation script.

1. Visit claud.bot official website to get the latest script, or use the command below directly.
2. Paste the following command into the AWS terminal and press Enter:

curl -fsSL https://claud.bot/install.sh | bash

The script will automatically perform the following operations:

• Detect system environment
• Install necessary dependency libraries (Node.js, Python, etc.)
• Download Clawdbot core files
• Configure system services

The whole process usually takes less than two minutes.

4. Configuration and Activation

After installation, the terminal will automatically enter the interactive wizard:

1. Risk Disclaimer: Read and type y to agree to the risk disclaimer (involving file system access permissions, etc.).
2. Start Mode: Recommend selecting Quick Start.
3. Subscription Settings:
   • If you have an Anthropic API Key, you can select the relevant option.
   • Recommend selecting Anthropic Max or other provided subscription plans.
4. Token Settings:
   • The system will prompt you to visit an authentication link in your local browser.
   • Follow the on-screen prompts to get the Token, copy and paste it back into the server terminal.
5. Model Selection: Recommend selecting Opus 4.5 Latest (if available) or Sonnet 3.5 for the best intelligent experience.

5. Configure Skills (Optional)

The installation wizard will then ask if you want to configure preset skills. Skills are the core extension capabilities of Clawdbot.

Common recommended configurations:

• Memory: Must enable, allowing the bot to remember previous conversations.
• Hooks: Recommended to enable for automated tasks.
• Homebrew / Node / System Tools: Beginners can skip first and add later when needed.

6. Hatch: Giving the Bot Identity

Next is the Hatch phase, where you need to inject a soul into the bot.

• Set Name: e.g., “Jarvis” or “Cortana”.
• Set Persona:
  • Example: “You are a professional full-stack engineer assistant, good at explaining complex programming concepts with a humorous tone.”
• Other Info: Keep it simple; these settings constitute the bot’s “Soul”.

The system will also ask for your time zone, desired interaction style (formal/casual), etc.

7. Channel Pairing and First Skill

Channel Pairing

Clawdbot needs to connect to a frontend chat interface.

1. Select Telegram or Discord in the installation wizard.
2. The system will generate a Pairing Code.
3. Find the corresponding Clawdbot official Bot on Telegram/Discord (the wizard will provide the link).
4. Send the pairing code to the Bot, and the connection is completed instantly.

Install First Skill: Exa MCP

To prevent the bot from being “offline”, it is recommended to install the Exa MCP skill. Exa is a search engine designed specifically for AI.

1. Conversational Installation: Say directly to your bot:

   “Create a skill relying on this MCP to search the web.”

2. Manual Installation: Refer to Exa MCP Official Documentation or check our OpenCode MCP Configuration Guide to learn more about MCP protocol details.

Capabilities brought by Exa Skill:

• Web Search: Real-time search of Google/Bing results.
• Deep Search: Deep crawling of web content for analysis.

FAQ

Q1: Is the AWS Free Tier really completely free?

A: Yes, as long as you use eligible instances (like t2.micro or t3.micro) and have the Free tier eligible tag, the monthly 750 hours quota is enough to run one instance. However, please pay attention to data transfer fees (usually 100GB free outbound transfer per month), which is hard to exceed for normal personal use.

Q2: Can I close the browser window?

A: Clawdbot runs as a system service. Once installed and started, you can safely close the SSH terminal window, and the bot will continue to run in the background 24/7.

Q3: What if the bot responds slowly?

A: t2.micro instances have limited performance. If response lag is felt, try restarting the instance or check if too many memory-intensive skills are installed. For text-only interaction, the free instance is usually sufficient.

Now, your Clawdbot is ready! Enjoy the fun of evolving with your private AI assistant. If you are interested in the MCP protocol and want to further extend the robot’s capabilities, welcome to read the Clawdbot Guide Analysis.