Skip to content
GhostRDP
  • Automation
  • Linux VPS
  • Ubuntu 24.04

Telegram and Discord bot hosting on a VPS

A Telegram or Discord bot runs well on a GhostRDP Linux VPS Basic plan with 2 vCPU and 6 GB RAM in Germany or the Netherlands, from €5.99/mo.

This guide runs a Python bot (python-telegram-bot or discord.py) as a systemd service, so it starts on boot and comes back after a crash. Node.js bots follow the same pattern with node instead of python.

Order Basic · €5.99/moInstall steps

  • Always online

    A service that restarts by itself and survives reboots.

  • Python or Node.js

    Same setup for python-telegram-bot, discord.py or discord.js.

  • No open ports

    Polling bots only make outgoing connections.

Plans for Telegram and Discord bots

A chat bot needs very little. Basic runs several bots at once; pick a bigger plan for large Discord bots with many servers or heavy tasks like music or AI.

  • Linux VPS Basic

    Recommended

    €5.99/mo

    €5.09/mo billed yearly, save €10/year

    • 2 vCPU
    • 6 GB ECC RAM
    • 40 GB NVMe
    • 1 Gbps port
    Order Basic

  • Linux VPS Standard

    €12.99/mo

    €11.04/mo billed yearly, save €23/year

    • 4 vCPU
    • 8 GB ECC RAM
    • 70 GB NVMe
    • 1 Gbps port
    Order Standard

  • Linux VPS Pro

    €25.99/mo

    €22.09/mo billed yearly, save €46/year

    • 6 vCPU
    • 12 GB ECC RAM
    • 90 GB NVMe
    • 1 Gbps port
    Order Pro

What you need

  • Operating system
    Linux VPS with Ubuntu 24.04
  • Minimum resources
    1 vCPU and 512 MB RAM for a small bot
  • Bot token
    From @BotFather on Telegram, or the Discord Developer Portal (Bot tab)

Official site: core.telegram.org/bots

How to install Telegram and Discord bots

Written for Ubuntu 24.04 from the official instructions. Run the commands as root and replace YOUR_SERVER_IP with your server's address.

  1. 1

    Connect to your server over SSH

    Use the IP address and root password from your welcome email (the server page has a Copy SSH command button). Windows 10 and 11, macOS and Linux all include an SSH client in the terminal.

    Shell
    ssh root@YOUR_SERVER_IP
  2. 2

    Update the system

    Install the latest security updates before you add anything else.

    Shell
    apt update && apt -y upgrade
  3. 3

    Install Python and create a bot user

    Run the bot as its own user, not as root.

    Shell
    apt install -y python3-venv
useradd -m -s /bin/bash bot
sudo -u bot mkdir -p /home/bot/app
sudo -u bot python3 -m venv /home/bot/venv
  4. 4

    Install the bot library

    Install the one you use.

    Shell
    # Telegram
sudo -u bot /home/bot/venv/bin/pip install python-telegram-bot

# Discord
sudo -u bot /home/bot/venv/bin/pip install discord.py
  5. 5

    Add your code and token

    Upload your bot with scp, or write this minimal Telegram bot that answers /start. Put the token in an .env file that only the bot user can read.

    Shell
    cat > /home/bot/app/bot.py <<'EOF'
import os
from telegram import Update
from telegram.ext import Application, CommandHandler, ContextTypes

async def start(update: Update, context: ContextTypes.DEFAULT_TYPE):
    await update.message.reply_text("Hello, I'm online.")

app = Application.builder().token(os.environ["BOT_TOKEN"]).build()
app.add_handler(CommandHandler("start", start))
app.run_polling()
EOF
echo 'BOT_TOKEN=paste-your-token-here' > /home/bot/app/.env
chmod 600 /home/bot/app/.env
chown -R bot:bot /home/bot/app
  6. 6

    Run it as a service

    systemd loads the token from .env, starts the bot on boot and restarts it after a crash.

    Shell
    cat > /etc/systemd/system/chatbot.service <<'EOF'
[Unit]
Description=Chat bot
After=network-online.target
Wants=network-online.target

[Service]
User=bot
WorkingDirectory=/home/bot/app
EnvironmentFile=/home/bot/app/.env
ExecStart=/home/bot/venv/bin/python /home/bot/app/bot.py
Restart=always
RestartSec=5

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target
EOF
systemctl daemon-reload
systemctl enable --now chatbot
journalctl -u chatbot -f

After installing

  • Test it
    Send /start to your bot in Telegram. For Discord, invite the bot from the Developer Portal (OAuth2 > URL Generator) and check it shows as online.
  • Open ports
    None for long polling (Telegram) or the Discord gateway. Only webhook bots need an open port and HTTPS.
  • Updating
    Upload the new code and run systemctl restart chatbot.

Telegram and Discord bots questions

Which plan do I need for a Telegram or Discord bot?

The Basic Linux VPS is plenty for most bots, including several bots on one server.

Polling or webhooks for Telegram?

Polling is simplest: no domain, no certificate and no open port. Webhooks need a domain with HTTPS pointing at your server.

Can I host a Node.js bot instead?

Yes. Install Node.js, then use the same service file with ExecStart set to your node command (for example /usr/bin/node /home/bot/app/index.js).

What happens if the bot crashes?

systemd restarts it 5 seconds later, and starts it again after a reboot.

Stuck on a step? Our team answers on live chat and in tickets.

Related apps

More on GhostRDP

Run Telegram and Discord bots on your own server.

Online in minutes. Pay with crypto, no ID needed.

Choose a plan