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How to run a Python script 24/7 (without leaving your PC on)

1 min readUpdated Nov 4, 2026Copy link

Monitors, scrapers, notifiers and bots all have the same problem at home: they stop when the PC sleeps. Moved to a server, the script keeps running when your computer is off.

1. Make the script loop on its own #

A script that runs once and exits will just stop on a server too. Give it a main loop, and catch errors so one bad request doesn't end it:

import time, traceback

def check():
    # your work: call an API, check a page, send an alert...
    print("checked", flush=True)

while True:
    try:
        check()
    except Exception:
        traceback.print_exc()
    time.sleep(300)  # every 5 minutes

Use print(..., flush=True) (or the logging module) so lines show up in the console straight away instead of waiting in a buffer.

2. Keep keys in .env #

Put API keys and passwords in a .env file, not in the code:

API_KEY=your-key

Load them with python-dotenv: from dotenv import load_dotenv, load_dotenv(), then os.getenv("API_KEY").

3. List your packages #

Create requirements.txt with one package per line, for example:

requests==2.32.3
python-dotenv==1.0.1

Pin the versions you tested with. The server installs this list every time it starts. More in How to install packages.

4. Run it on ESN #

1. Create a server with the Python bot type on any bot plans (from $0.50/month).
2. In Files, upload your script, requirements.txt and .env to the top folder.
3. In Startup, set Main Python File to your script's name (default main.py) and pick Python 3.12 or 3.13 in the Docker Image box.
4. Press Start in Console. You'll see the packages install, then your script's output.

The panel may keep saying Starting for a script that never prints a "ready" line. That's fine; the console output shows it's running.

What fits, and what doesn't #

• Good fits: Discord, Telegram, Slack and Twitch bots, price or stock monitors, RSS-to-Discord posters, scheduled reports, small scrapers that respect the site's rules.
• Needs more: a script that drives a full browser (Selenium, Playwright) needs much more RAM than a plain script; start with a 1 GB plan or more.
• Once a day only? A loop with a long sleep works, or use the panel's Schedules to restart it at a set time.

FAQ #

How do I keep a Python script running when my PC is off?

Run it on a server instead of your computer. Add a main loop with error handling, upload it to a Python bot server and press Start; it keeps running while your PC is off.

Why don't I see my script's output in the console?

Python buffers output. Use print(..., flush=True) or the logging module so lines appear right away.

Still stuck? Use the live chat on the panel or ask in the ESN Systems Discord. Last updated November 4, 2026.