OpenClaw vs Hermes Agent: Self-Hosted Agents Compared
Channels, approvals, hosting and community compared
By Tal SlavinUpdated
What is the difference between OpenClaw and Hermes Agent?
OpenClaw and Hermes Agent are both MIT-licensed, self-hosted agent platforms that support any model and connect to chat apps. OpenClaw leads on channel coverage, native apps and its ClawHub skill ecosystem; Hermes Agent, from Nous Research, emphasizes self-improving behaviour and built-in security controls.
☰On this page (2 sections)
Both OpenClaw and Hermes Agent are MIT-licensed, self-hosted platforms that support any model and connect to chat apps. New to OpenClaw? Start with what OpenClaw is.
Key differences#
OpenClaw emphasizes a single Gateway, broad channel support (including native apps) and a large community skill ecosystem, ClawHub (see OpenClaw skills). It currently has a higher GitHub star count, about 394,000 against Hermes Agent's 260,000 on 2026-11-03, and broader channel coverage.
Hermes Agent (Nous Research) focuses on self-improving behaviour. Its repository lists command approval, DM pairing and container isolation among its security features, and it works with Nous Portal, OpenRouter, OpenAI or your own endpoint. The submitted draft also says paid Nous Portal plans include hosting for one always-on Hermes Cloud agent; we could not confirm that.
| Aspect | OpenClaw | Hermes Agent |
|---|---|---|
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| Hosting | Self-hosted Gateway | Self-hosted |
| Models | Any provider | Any provider, including Nous Portal |
| Extensions | ClawHub community skills | Built-in skills and tools |
| Security defaults | Sandboxing off by default | Command approval, DM pairing, container isolation |
| GitHub stars (2026-11-03) | About 394,000 | About 260,000 |
Many power users run both. OpenClaw is often preferred for chat-native daily use and skills; Hermes Agent is often preferred when stronger default approval controls matter more. Whichever you choose, read OpenClaw security first.
Sources & Further Reading#
| Claim / Topic | Source | Date |
|---|---|---|
| OpenClaw licence and stars | GitHub: openclaw/openclaw | Read 2026-11-03 |
| Hermes Agent licence, stars, security features and model options | GitHub: NousResearch/hermes-agent | Read 2026-11-03 |
| Nous Research | nousresearch.com | Read 2026-11-03 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between OpenClaw and Hermes Agent?
OpenClaw and Hermes Agent are both MIT-licensed, self-hosted agent platforms that support any model and connect to chat apps. OpenClaw leads on channel coverage, native apps and its ClawHub skill ecosystem; Hermes Agent, from Nous Research, emphasizes self-improving behaviour and built-in security controls.
Which has the bigger community?
On 2026-11-03 OpenClaw had about 394,000 GitHub stars and Hermes Agent about 260,000. Star counts measure attention, not quality or fit.
Can I run both?
Yes. Many power users do: OpenClaw for chat-native daily use and skills, Hermes Agent when its approval and isolation controls matter more.
How we sourced this. GitHub repositories and Nous Research sources read on 2026-11-03. The Hermes cloud-hosting claim could not be confirmed. Methodology