# AppuBot vs Hermes Agent: open-source agent or desktop app Source: https://appubot.com/compare/hermes-agent By Sarthak Gupta. Published 2026-10-29, updated 2026-10-29. **The short answer:** Hermes Agent is a free, open-source agent from Nous Research that runs on your computer, a server or Hermes Cloud, learns skills as it works, and talks to you through Telegram, Discord, Slack, WhatsApp, Signal or email. It mostly calls models through API keys or a Nous Portal subscription. AppuBot is a desktop app for many bots that work in the apps on your computer, using Claude Code, Codex and other agents with the plans you already pay for, free during early access. Pick Hermes for an open, hackable agent; pick AppuBot for desktop work. ## At a glance | | AppuBot | Hermes Agent | | --- | --- | --- | | Price | Free during early access | Free and open source; Hermes Cloud and Nous Portal are paid | | Made by | Sarthak Gupta | Nous Research | | Runs | Desktop app on Mac, Windows and Linux | Terminal, Hermes Desktop (Mac, Windows), a server, Docker or Hermes Cloud | | AI | Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, Grok, Copilot, OpenCode with your plans | API keys, OpenRouter, Nous Portal (300+ models), ChatGPT or SuperGrok sign-in, local models | | Claude plan | Pro or Max, through Claude Code | Claude Max with extra usage credits, or an API key | | Talk to it | Desktop app, Telegram, voice | Telegram, Discord, Slack, WhatsApp, Signal, email and more | | Using your apps | Computer use in any desktop app | Browser automation, vision and terminal commands | _Hermes Agent facts from Nous Research’s site, docs and Nous Portal, checked 29 October 2026._ ## What is Hermes Agent? Hermes Agent is Nous Research's open-source agent, "one agent, one memory, every surface". It learns your projects, writes its own skills from what worked, schedules reports and briefings in plain language, and starts isolated subagents for parallel work. Its tools include web search, browser automation, vision, image generation and text-to-speech, and its commands can run locally, in Docker, over SSH or in cloud sandboxes. You install it with one terminal command or download Hermes Desktop, connect a model provider, and talk to it in the app, the terminal or a messaging app. For an agent that is always on, **Hermes Cloud** hosts one for you, billed daily from Nous credit, with models and tools on top. ## Which AI can each use? Hermes calls models directly. Nous recommends its own **Nous Portal** subscription, one login for 300+ models plus a tool gateway; it also takes API keys, OpenRouter and local models, and can sign in with ChatGPT or SuperGrok. A Claude plan works only on **Max with extra usage credits**; otherwise you need an Anthropic API key. AppuBot runs the agents themselves: [Claude Code](https://appubot.com/agents/claude-code) uses a plain Claude Pro or Max plan, [Codex](https://appubot.com/agents/codex) your ChatGPT plan, and [GitHub Copilot](https://appubot.com/agents/github-copilot), [Cursor](https://appubot.com/agents/cursor), [Grok](https://appubot.com/agents/grok) and [OpenCode](https://appubot.com/agents/opencode) their own sign-ins. No API keys. ## Where AppuBot is different - **It works in your desktop apps.** A bot opens Excel, Numbers, Finder or your accounting software, reads the window and clicks and types, with a pointer you can watch and take over. See [computer use](https://appubot.com/features/computer-use). - **Many bots, set up on screen.** Each has a name, look, job, folder, memory and its own Telegram bot; agent, model and approvals are picked from menus. - **Approvals you choose per bot.** Approve for me asks before anything important; Full access doesn’t. See [approvals](https://appubot.com/features/approvals). - **Teach mode.** Do a task once and the bot saves it as a skill. See [teach mode](https://appubot.com/features/teach). ## Where Hermes is stronger - **Open source** and free for any use, from a well-known AI lab. - **More chat apps** (WhatsApp, Signal, Discord, Slack, email) and a terminal interface for people who live there. - **More places to run it**: a server, Docker, SSH or Hermes Cloud, so it can stay on without your laptop. - **Self-improving skills** written as it works, and fallback to backup models when a provider fails. ## Who should pick which? Pick **Hermes Agent** if you are comfortable with a terminal, want an open agent you can run anywhere and shape yourself, and reach it from many chat apps. Pick **AppuBot** if your work happens in desktop apps, you want several bots set up in minutes, and you want to use the Claude or ChatGPT plan you already have, reachable on [Telegram](https://appubot.com/features/telegram). ## Questions ### Is Hermes Agent free? Yes. Hermes Agent is free and open source; you pay your model provider, and Hermes Cloud or a Nous Portal subscription if you use them. AppuBot is free during early access. ### Can Hermes Agent use my Claude Pro plan? Not as its own model: Hermes takes a Claude plan only on Max with extra usage credits, otherwise an Anthropic API key. AppuBot runs Claude Code with a Pro or Max plan. ### Does Hermes Agent have a desktop app? Yes. Nous Research offers Hermes Desktop for Mac and Windows, alongside the terminal and messaging apps. ### Can AppuBot learn skills like Hermes? Yes, in its own way: teach mode saves a task you show a bot as a skill, and bots keep a memory you can read and edit. ## Sources Facts about other products as of 2026-10-29. - [Hermes Agent (Nous Research)](https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/) - [Hermes Agent docs: AI providers](https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/integrations/providers) - [Hermes Agent docs: FAQ](https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/reference/faq) - [Hermes Cloud (Nous Portal)](https://portal.nousresearch.com/cloud)