The Tool Desk
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If OpenClaw runs as Bluehost’s packaged Unmanaged VPS application, do not use the steps below. That application has its own version-specific guide, with different credential storage and restart steps.
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Bluehost documents two deployment paths, and they differ in where configuration and the API key live. Identify yours before you change anything.
| Area | Self-installed OpenClaw | Bluehost Unmanaged VPS application |
|---|---|---|
| Setup entry point | Conversational onboarding, or editing ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json |
Bluehost’s service-specific procedure for OpenClaw 2026.8.2 (0965053) |
| Credential storage | Provider configuration, entered by pasting the key or through an external secret provider | Key placed in /etc/default/openclaw and attached through OpenClaw’s SecretRef flags |
| Model setup | Exact model ID entered manually, or set in the config file | Models fetched from https://gateway.ai.bluehost.com/v1/models, filtered to chat-capable models, and merged into the bluehost-ai-credits provider |
| Restart and verification | Send a test agent message and check the status line | Restart the service, then query the configuration to confirm the loaded model list |
| Assumed environment | Your own installation | Root SSH access, a service user named openclaw, and EnvironmentFile=-/etc/default/openclaw in the service unit (the leading hyphen tells systemd the file is optional) |
Do not mix the two procedures. Paths, the service user, and the restart method in the packaged guide apply only to that deployment.
Connect a self-installed OpenClaw
Use these steps when you installed OpenClaw yourself. They follow Bluehost’s self-install connection guide, last updated September 16, 2026.
- Connect to the server over SSH and run
openclawfor first-time setup. Follow the onboarding prompts until the workspace and gateway are initialized and you reach model-provider setup. - Choose More…, then Custom Provider.
- Enter
https://gateway.ai.bluehost.comas the API base URL, then provide your Bluehost AI Credits API key. OpenClaw offers a paste option and an external secret-provider option; choose the one that fits how your installation stores credentials. - Select OpenAI-compatible (Uses /chat/completions). Bluehost says not to choose the Responses-compatible or Anthropic-compatible modes for this gateway.
- Enter the exact model ID from Bluehost’s current AI Models and Credit Pricing listing. Model IDs shown as examples in tutorials, including this one, can be out of date, so copy the ID from the live listing.
- Complete setup when the verification prompt appears. Hand off to the agent, send a test message, and confirm that the status line shows the custom provider and model and that the agent replies.
Editing an existing configuration
If OpenClaw is already installed, Bluehost also documents adding the provider directly in ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json. The entry goes under models.providers.bluehost-ai-credits, with api set to openai-completions and your model ID listed. Then set agents.defaults.model.primary to bluehost-ai-credits/MODEL_ID, replacing MODEL_ID with the real ID. Treat this as Bluehost’s sample configuration and compare it with your installed OpenClaw version before you save changes.
Connect the Bluehost Unmanaged VPS application
This procedure is specific to OpenClaw 2026.8.2 (0965053), as documented in Bluehost’s application guide updated September 23, 2026. If your installed version differs, check whether the guide still applies before you follow it.
Store the key where the service can read it
The guide assumes root SSH access and places the key in /etc/default/openclaw. It then exports the key for the setup shell so the setup commands can use it. Keep the file readable only as your server policy requires.
Attach the key with SecretRef and set a default model
The guide attaches the API key through OpenClaw’s SecretRef flags rather than writing the key value into the provider JSON. It retrieves models from the gateway, keeps the chat-capable ones, merges them into the bluehost-ai-credits provider, and sets a default model.
Restart and confirm the loaded models
Restart the openclaw service so it reads the environment file and SecretRef setup. The guide also provides a configuration query for listing the models OpenClaw has loaded. Use it to confirm the provider is present with the expected models.
Avoid the literal-variable mistake
The guide warns that writing a literal value such as env:BLUEHOST_AI_CREDITS_KEY into the provider JSON does not resolve the environment variable. OpenClaw sends that text as the key, and the gateway can reject it with HTTP 401. The guide also cautions that placing the key directly in shell commands can leave it in your command history. Use the SecretRef method the guide documents instead.
Refresh the model list when the catalog changes
Bluehost recommends refreshing the fetched model list when new models are added, because the catalog changes over time.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Troubleshooting
- Self-install verification fails: check the gateway URL, confirm that OpenAI-compatible
/chat/completionsmode is selected, and compare the model ID character by character with Bluehost’s current catalog. - Setup completes but the agent does not respond: send a new agent message and confirm the status line shows the custom provider and model you chose.
- A model that appears in the list fails: Bluehost cautions that some listed gateway models may not be usable yet. Try another model from the current catalog, then refresh the list.
- HTTP 401 on the VPS application: the key is likely being sent as literal text. Confirm the SecretRef method is in place and that the service restarted after you added the environment file.
- Models missing on the VPS application: rerun the model retrieval, then use the configuration query to confirm the provider’s model list.
Credits, eligibility, and current prices
AI Credits are a prepaid balance. Requests draw down the balance through Bluehost’s AI Gateway using a single API key, and each model consumes credits at its own rate. Bluehost’s AI Credits overview (updated September 16, 2026) lists the service as available on Self-Managed VPS and VDS plans. If your OpenClaw runs on the Unmanaged VPS application, confirm in the Bluehost Portal that your plan qualifies before you buy.
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Bluehost’s overview publishes a rate of $0.010 per credit in 2026. Its listed packs are below, with the per-credit figure calculated from each listed price:
| Pack (credits) | Listed price | Price per credit |
|---|---|---|
| 500 | $5 | $0.010 |
| 1,000 | $10 | $0.010 |
| 5,000 | $50 | $0.010 |
| 10,000 | $100 | $0.010 |
These prices are a snapshot from Bluehost’s 2026 overview, not a quote. Bluehost warns that prices can change, so check the AI Tooling tab in the Bluehost Portal before purchasing. The figures also say nothing about how many credits a particular OpenClaw workload will use.
Credits are prepaid rather than a recurring subscription. Bluehost says a balance expires 12 months after the most recent purchase, and a new purchase resets that 12-month window for the whole balance. Unused credits are non-refundable. Confirm current terms before you buy.
Quick Recap
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