Self-Hosted vs Managed: Which Office Claws Plan Is Right for You?

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Apr 07, 20262 mins read
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Two Plans, One Goal

Office Claws offers two pricing tiers designed for different needs. Both give you the same powerful desktop app with a pixel-art office, real-time chat, and multi-agent support. The difference is in who manages the infrastructure.

Self-Hosted — $4.99/month

The self-hosted plan is built for developers who want full control over their infrastructure.

What You Provide

  • DigitalOcean API Token — We provision droplets on your account, so you see and control every resource
  • Tailscale Auth Key — For encrypted networking between your desktop and your agents
  • AI API Key — From OpenAI, Anthropic, or any supported provider

What You Get

  • Complete transparency over your cloud resources
  • Additional agents are free — you only pay DigitalOcean directly for the droplets
  • Full data sovereignty — everything runs on your infrastructure
  • Perfect for power users running 3+ agents

Best For

Solo developers, tech leads, and anyone comfortable with DigitalOcean who wants the lowest possible cost per agent.

Managed — $14.99/month

The managed plan removes infrastructure complexity entirely. We handle the VPS, you focus on your agents.

What You Provide

  • Tailscale Auth Key — For secure networking
  • AI API Key — Your choice of provider

What You Get

  • Managed VPS with 2GB RAM (Standard) or 4GB RAM (Performance at $29.99/mo)
  • No DigitalOcean account needed
  • Priority support
  • We handle provisioning, monitoring, and infrastructure maintenance

Best For

Product managers, non-technical users, and anyone who wants AI agents without touching cloud infrastructure.

Quick Comparison

FeatureSelf-Hosted ($4.99)Managed ($14.99)
Desktop appYesYes
Pixel-art officeYesYes
Real-time chatYesYes
Additional agentsFree$14.99/mo each
Your own DO accountRequiredNot needed
Priority supportNoYes
Infrastructure controlFullManaged

Our Recommendation

Start with Managed if you want the fastest path to your first AI agent. You can always switch to Self-Hosted later once you are comfortable with the product and want more control.

Start with Self-Hosted if you already have a DigitalOcean account and plan to run multiple agents — the cost savings add up quickly.

Early Adopter Pricing

For our first 100 users, we are offering reduced pricing:

  • Self-Hosted: $2.99/mo (normally $4.99)
  • Managed: $9.99/mo (normally $14.99)

These prices lock in for as long as you maintain your subscription.

Author

Office Claws Team

Building the future of AI agent management at Office Claws. Sharing insights on infrastructure, security, and developer experience.

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