Compare/Head to head

Coworker vs Hermes Agent

Same facts, side by side: starting price, free tier, MCP, API and what each one is actually built for.

Starting price

Coworker

Free Free tier

Free, open-source desktop app for running a small team of AI coworkers on your own computer, with reviewed memory, skills, plain-language schedules and approval gates, reachable from Telegram or Discord. No subscription; you only pay for a cloud model if you choose one. Best for recruiters and agency owners who want a private desktop assistant without self-hosting a server.

Where Coworker fits

  • Recruiters who want a private desktop AI assistant
  • Agency owners testing AI coworkers without a monthly seat fee
  • Teams that want local models so data stays on the machine

Hermes Agent

Quote Free tier

Hermes Agent is Nous Research's open-source personal agent and OpenClaw's main rival. It runs on your own machine, remembers what it learns and turns finished work into reusable skills. Free under MIT; model costs are yours, or bundled through an optional Nous Portal plan.

Where Hermes Agent fits

  • Technical recruiters who want a self-hosted agent that improves over time
  • Agency owners automating research and outreach routines
  • Teams that want model choice without vendor lock-in

At a glance

DetailCoworkerHermes Agent
Starting priceFreeQuote
Free tier✓Yes✓Yes
MCP server–No–No
Public API–No–No
Listed underAI assistantsAI assistants

Where they pull apart

Coworker

Stands out: It is a normal desktop app rather than a server you have to host, and it runs entirely on local models through Ollama or LM Studio if you want candidate data to stay on your machine. Every memory change, browser task and consequential action waits for your approval.

Watch out: It is a young one-developer project at version 0.7 with a small user base, the installers are not code-signed so Mac and Windows warn on first launch, and you install updates by hand. Recruiting skills are not built in, so you add or write your own.

Not the right fit for

  • Teams that need a supported, code-signed app
  • Anyone wanting ready-made recruiting workflows
  • Shared team use across many machines without setup

Hermes Agent

Stands out: Hermes is built to get better the longer it runs: every solved task can become a saved skill, and its memory carries across restarts. Five sandbox options make it easier to test safely than most self-hosted agents.

Watch out: Like any self-hosted agent, you set it up and keep it secure. Nous advises isolating deployments, never exposing them publicly and reviewing third-party skills, which matters if it touches candidate or client data.

Not the right fit for

  • Users who want a polished hosted app
  • Teams with nobody to own setup and security

Pros and cons

Coworker

  • Free and open source with no subscription
  • Runs fully on local models if you want
  • Approval gates on memory, browser and actions
  • Young one-developer project
  • Installers are not code-signed
  • No built-in recruiting skills

Hermes Agent

  • Free and open source under MIT
  • Writes reusable skills from completed work
  • Five sandbox options for safer runs
  • Self-hosted, so setup and security are on you
  • Model and tool costs vary with usage
  • Business edition still being built out

What each one costs

Coworker

Free

Coworker is free and open source under the Apache 2.0 license, with no subscription. Your cost is any cloud model you connect with your own key; local models through Ollama or LM Studio cost nothing to run. The developer offers paid setup and customisation for teams. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 23 Oct 2026

Hermes Agent

Quote

Hermes Agent is free and open source under the MIT license; you can run it with your own model provider at no charge from Nous. The optional Nous Portal adds model and tool credits: Free ($0, free models only), Plus ($20/mo, $22 in monthly credits), Super ($100/mo, $110 in credits) and Ultra ($200/mo, $220 in credits). Model providers and hosted services you connect bill separately. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 16 Oct 2026

Common questions

Can you try Coworker or Hermes Agent for free?
Coworker and Hermes Agent carry a free tier on our listing.

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Editorial listings, never paid rankings. Prices checked 23 Oct 2026. Confirm current terms on the vendor site. Spot an error?