How to Install Moltbot on a VPS (Step-by-Step Guide)

If you want Moltbot to run 24/7, stay online permanently, and be accessible from anywhere, deploying it on a VPS is the most reliable solution.
Local setups are fine for testing, but once you need stability, uptime, and remote access, a VPS-based deployment becomes the real answer.

In this guide, you’ll learn how to install Moltbot on a VPS step by step — from server setup to long-running background service configuration.

We’ll use LightNode VPS as the example environment because it’s:

• Hourly billing (perfect for testing and experiments)
• Fast deployment (server ready in minutes)
• NVMe SSD + stable network
• Global locations
• Full root access for customization

👉Visit LightNode Moltbot VPS

Why Deploy Moltbot on a VPS?

Running Moltbot on a VPS gives you:

• 24/7 uptime – no laptop shutdown issues
• Stable public IP – easier integrations and webhooks
• Remote management – access from anywhere
• Better performance – dedicated CPU/RAM resources
• Scalability – upgrade resources anytime

This turns Moltbot into a real long-term AI system, not just a local experiment.

Step 1: Create a VPS (LightNode Example)

1. Go to LightNode:
   👉 https://go.lightnode.com?ref=fa725d7f&id=58
2. Choose a VPS location
3. Select configuration (recommended minimum):
   • CPU: 1 vCPU
   • RAM: 2GB
   • Storage: 20GB NVMe SSD
4. Choose OS:
   • Ubuntu 22.04 LTS (recommended)
5. Create the server
6. Copy your server IP, username, and password

Step 2: Connect to Your VPS

On Mac / Linux

ssh root@YOUR_SERVER_IP

On Windows (PowerShell)

ssh root@YOUR_SERVER_IP

After login, update system:

apt update && apt upgrade -y

Step 3: Install Required Dependencies

apt install -y git curl wget build-essential python3 python3-pip python3-venv

Verify Python:

python3 --version

Step 4: Create Moltbot Environment

mkdir /opt/moltbot
cd /opt/moltbot
python3 -m venv venv
source venv/bin/activate

Step 5: Install Moltbot

⚠️ Replace repository URL with the official Moltbot repo if different

git clone https://github.com/moltbot/moltbot.git .
pip install -r requirements.txt

Step 6: Configure Moltbot

Create config file:

cp .env.example .env
nano .env

Example configuration:

BOT_NAME=moltbot
API_KEY=your_api_key_here
MODEL_PROVIDER=openai
MODEL_NAME=gpt-4o-mini
PORT=8080
HOST=0.0.0.0

Save with:

CTRL + X → Y → Enter

Step 7: Test Moltbot Manually

python main.py

If successful, you should see logs indicating Moltbot is running.

Stop test:

CTRL + C

Step 8: Run Moltbot as a Background Service (systemd)

Create service file:

nano /etc/systemd/system/moltbot.service

Paste:

[Unit]
Description=Moltbot AI Service
After=network.target

[Service]
Type=simple
User=root
WorkingDirectory=/opt/moltbot
ExecStart=/opt/moltbot/venv/bin/python main.py
Restart=always

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

Enable and start:

systemctl daemon-reload
systemctl enable moltbot
systemctl start moltbot

Check status:

systemctl status moltbot

Step 9: Open Firewall Port

ufw allow 8080
ufw reload

Access Moltbot:

http://YOUR_SERVER_IP:8080

Step 10: (Optional) Add Nginx + Domain + HTTPS

Install Nginx:

apt install -y nginx

Create config:

nano /etc/nginx/sites-available/moltbot

server {
    listen 80;
    server_name yourdomain.com;

    location / {
        proxy_pass http://127.0.0.1:8080;
        proxy_set_header Host $host;
        proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
    }
}

Enable:

ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/moltbot /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/
nginx -t
systemctl restart nginx

Install SSL:

apt install -y certbot python3-certbot-nginx
certbot --nginx -d yourdomain.com

Now Moltbot runs on HTTPS.

Architecture Overview

User → Domain → Nginx → Moltbot Service → AI Model API
                    ↑
                 systemd daemon

Why LightNode VPS Works Well for Moltbot

LightNode is especially suitable for AI bots and agent systems because:

• Hourly billing = low-risk testing

• Global deployment = low-latency access

• NVMe SSD = fast model/data IO

• Stable IP = webhook + API friendly

• VPS control = full customization

👉Visit LightNode Moltbot VPS

FAQ

What is Moltbot?

Moltbot is a self-hosted AI bot system that can run as a long-term service and integrate with different platforms and APIs.

Can I run Moltbot locally instead of a VPS?

Yes, but local setups are unstable for 24/7 operation. VPS is better for uptime, reliability, and remote access.

How much VPS resource does Moltbot need?

Minimum: 1 vCPU + 2GB RAM.
Recommended for production: 2 vCPU + 4GB RAM.

Is LightNode good for AI bots?

Yes. Hourly billing, fast provisioning, NVMe storage, and global nodes make it ideal for AI bot hosting.

How do I restart Moltbot if it crashes?

systemd auto-restarts it automatically:

systemctl restart moltbot

Can I connect Moltbot to Telegram / Discord?

Yes. Moltbot can be integrated with messaging platforms via API/webhooks.