Hermes Agent

What is Hermes Agent?

Hermes Agent is an open-source AI agent from Nous Research that runs on your own machine or in the cloud and keeps a persistent memory of your projects and preferences. It can write reusable skills from experience, run scheduled tasks in plain language, split work into isolated subagents, browse the web, generate images, and handle voice. You reach the same agent from a terminal, a desktop app for macOS, Windows and Linux, or messaging platforms such as Telegram, Discord, Slack, WhatsApp, Signal and email. Code and tool execution can run in local, Docker, SSH, Singularity or Modal backends. The software is free under the MIT license, and you can bring any model provider or use Nous Portal, a subscription that bundles credits for 300+ models and a Tool Gateway for search, image generation, speech and cloud browsing. Portal tiers are named Free, Plus, Super and Ultra; check the official site for their prices, which are not listed.

Use cases

• Run an agent from Telegram or Slack
• Schedule reports and backups in plain language
• Delegate tasks to isolated subagents
• Automate browser and web research
• Build reusable skills from past work
• Edit files and run terminal commands

Who it's for

• Developers
• Power users
• Teams running always-on agents
• AI enthusiasts

Why use Hermes Agent

• The agent is free and MIT licensed, so you pay only for the model and tools you choose.
• One agent with one memory is reachable from the terminal, desktop app and chat apps, so context follows you.
• Saved conversations, memories and skills remain after you stop the agent, so you can pick up where you left off.
• Sandbox backends and Blank Slate setup let you restrict what the agent can touch.
• Importing existing setups from tools like Claude Code, Codex CLI or Cursor reduces switching effort.

Hermes Agent features

• Persistent memory across sessions
• Skills system compatible with the agentskills.io standard
• Natural-language cron scheduling
• Isolated subagents with their own terminals
• Web search, browser automation and vision
• Image generation and text-to-speech
• Five sandbox backends: local, Docker, SSH, Singularity and Modal
• Messaging gateway for Telegram, Discord, Slack, WhatsApp, Signal and email
• Automatic checkpoints with rollback
• Context files such as AGENTS.md and CLAUDE.md
• Nous Portal subscription for models and tools

Hermes Agent integrations

• Telegram
• Discord
• Slack
• WhatsApp
• Signal
• Docker
• Modal
• OpenRouter
• FAL
• Browser Use
• OpenAI
• Anthropic

How to get started with Hermes Agent

1. Install with the one-line script, or download the Hermes Desktop installer for macOS or Windows.
2. Run hermes setup and choose a provider: Nous Portal login, your own API keys, or a custom local endpoint.
3. Start a chat from the terminal or desktop app, and connect messaging platforms with the gateway setup if you want an always-on bot.
4. Add skills, scheduled tasks and subagents as your workflows grow, and let Hermes save what it learns.

Hermes Agent limitations

• Model providers and optional hosted services charge separately from the free software
• Tasks that need an active agent do not run while a local agent is stopped
• Nous Portal tier prices are not listed; check the official site
• Native Windows setup of separate tool accounts is described as the roughest part without Portal

Hermes Agent pricing

Hermes Agent is open source, so you can use and self-host it for free.

Hermes Agent plans

• Hermes Agent

  Free

  MIT license; model providers charge separately

  • Persistent memory
  • Skills and scheduling
  • Desktop app and CLI
  • Bring your own provider

• Nous Portal Plus

  Price on vendor site

  • Monthly credits for Hermes Agent
  • 200+ models
  • Built-in tool use

• Nous Portal Super

  Price on vendor site

  • Monthly credits for Hermes Agent
  • 200+ models
  • Built-in tool use

• Nous Portal Ultra

  Price on vendor site

  • Monthly credits for Hermes Agent
  • 200+ models
  • Built-in tool use

Plans as listed on the official pricing page on 24 Oct 2026. Prices can change and may vary by country or exclude tax. Check the official pricing page.

Hermes Agent alternatives

The main Hermes Agent alternatives listed on Debuly are OpenClaw, Claude Code, Cursor, Open Interpreter, goose and OpenClacky. The table compares pricing and platforms; order is A–Z.

1. 

   Claude Code

   Anthropic's coding agent that fixes bugs, writes tests and runs migrations from your terminal, IDE, desktop app, web or Slack.

   CodingAutomation and agentsDeveloper platforms
   PaidVisit Claude Code (official site)
2. 

   Cursor

   AI code editor and coding agent with cloud agents, Bugbot code review and multi-provider models, sold with Grok and X plans.

   CodingAutomation and agentsDeveloper platforms
   FreemiumVisit Cursor (official site)
3. 

   goose

   Open source AI agent that runs on your machine as a desktop app, CLI or API and connects to tools through MCP extensions.

   Automation and agentsCodingDeveloper platforms
   Open sourceVisit goose (official site)
4. 

   Open Interpreter

   Open-source terminal coding agent, built in Rust on Codex, that emulates the agent harness suited to each low-cost model.

   CodingAutomation and agentsDeveloper platforms
   Open sourceVisit Open Interpreter (official site)
5. 

   OpenClacky

   MIT-licensed AI agent platform with a web UI, CLI, memory, evolving Skills and browser automation that runs on your own model key.

   Automation and agentsCodingProductivity
   Open sourceVisit OpenClacky (official site)
6. 

   OpenClaw

   Open-source personal AI assistant that runs on your own devices and takes actions for you through WhatsApp, Telegram, Slack, Discord and other chat apps.

   Automation and agentsChat assistantsProductivity
   Open sourceVisit OpenClaw (official site)

Hermes Agent FAQ

Sources & verification

Facts on this page come from the official sources below, each with the date we read it. Written by Debuly; the vendor did not review this page.

Image credits

• Logo: from web-assets.nousresearch.com · fetched 23 Oct 2026 · Vendor trademark, used only to identify the product; removed on request
• Cover: none collected yet, so a generated tile is shown.

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