Hermes Agent vs OpenClaw: 3-Month Comeback to Top, Did the "Horse Raisers" Realiy Win This Time?
Nizwo Hermes Column tracks the latest Hermes Agent updates. Follow us to master Hermes.
The most lively showdown in the open-source AI Agent circle in 2026
In February 2026, Nous Research open-sourced Hermes Agent (nickname "raising horses").
Launched for only 3 months, GitHub stars surged to 142,000+ (as of May 11, 2026).
Over the same period, OpenClaw (nickname "raising shrimp") GitHub stars: 370,000+.
"Horse raisers" say: Hermes is the future of Agents; OpenClaw is just a transition.
"Shrimp raisers" say: OpenClaw's ecosystem crushes; Hermes is just a toy.
Who's right and who's wrong? This article gives you an analysis that doesn't take sides.
One-sentence positioning: Head-on clash of two philosophies
| Comparison | Hermes Agent (Horse) | OpenClaw (Shrimp) |
|---|---|---|
| Core bet | Cognitive depth: Agent gets smarter with use | Connection breadth: Agent connects to all platforms and tools |
| Central abstraction | Self-evolving Agent (learning loop is core) | Message Gateway (Gateway is core) |
| Developer | Nous Research (USA, raised $50M) | Peter Steinberger founded, now handed to independent foundation |
| Open-source license | MIT | MIT |
| Language stack | Python | TypeScript (Node.js) |
| GitHub Stars | 142,000+ (2026-05-11) | 370,000+ (2026-05-11) |
| Core metaphor | "Chief architect's assistant" — deep layers, learns, gets smarter the more you use it | "Swiss Army Knife" — wide functionality, many integrations, works out of the box |
Simply put:
- OpenClaw is a "universal toolbox + mascot lobster execution-style Agent" — You define what it does, it does it, the wider the integration the more useful.
- Hermes Agent is a "self-iterating apprentice" — Emphasizes long-term memory and self-evolution, suitable for long-term companionship.
Underlying architecture comparison: Gateway-first vs Agent-first
This is the most fundamental difference between the two, determining the direction of all subsequent features.
OpenClaw architecture: Gateway is the center of everything
Telegram / WhatsApp / iMessage / Discord / Slack / 50+ platforms
↓
OpenClaw Gateway (persistent Node.js process)
↓
Agent runtime (shared memory space)
↓
Tool calls (browser/terminal/file system/...)
Features: - Gateway is an independent process, persistently running, doesn't depend on whether Agent is online - Supports 50+ messaging platforms (WhatsApp, Telegram, Discord, Slack, Signal, iMessage, ...) - Cron scheduled tasks managed by Gateway, precise to second-level - Heartbeat managed by Agent process itself, periodic pulse
Advantages: Wide ecosystem, many integrations, enterprise-grade stable
Disadvantages: Agent itself isn't "smart," relies on humans writing Skills
Hermes Agent architecture: Agent-first, self-evolution closed loop
User message
↓
Hermes Agent (Python process, with built-in learning loop)
↓
[Execute → Evaluate → Abstract → Store] ← This is the core!
↓
Long-term memory (cross-session persistent)
↓
Tool calls (browser/terminal/file system/...)
Features: - E-A-S closed loop (Execution → Assessment → Abstraction → Storage) - Cross-session memory: Things learned this time can be used in the next session - Self-generating Skills: Autonomous generation of Skills from experience and continuous optimization - Serverless deployment: Can run on $5 VPS, can also run on GPU clusters
Advantages: Gets smarter with use, good long-term companionship effect
Disadvantages: Ecosystem not as wide as OpenClaw yet, requires some configuration threshold
Core capability comparison
1. Messaging platform support
| Number of platforms | OpenClaw | Hermes Agent |
|---|---|---|
| Official support | 50+ | 10+ |
| Mainstream platforms | WhatsApp, Telegram, Discord, Slack, Signal, iMessage, Google Chat, ... | Telegram, Discord, Slack, WhatsApp (partial) |
| Winner | OpenClaw (crushing advantage) |
Conclusion: If you need to integrate many chat platforms, OpenClaw is the only choice.
2. Memory system
| Comparison | OpenClaw | Hermes Agent |
|---|---|---|
| Memory type | In-session memory + long-term memory (MEMORY.md) | Cross-session long-term memory + E-A-S learning loop |
| Memory persistence | Local files (MEMORY.md, memory/YYYY-MM-DD.md) | Database (supports SQLite, PostgreSQL, vector database) |
| Self-learning ability | Weak (requires human to manually update MEMORY.md) | Strong (automatically learns from experience) |
| Winner | Hermes Agent |
Conclusion: If you need Agent to "get smarter the more you use it," Hermes Agent is clearly stronger.
3. Tool calls and ecosystem
| Comparison | OpenClaw | Hermes Agent |
|---|---|---|
| Number of tools | 100+ (including Skill market) | 30+ (growing rapidly) |
| Tool quality | Mixed (community contributions) | High (Nous Research oficial maintenance) |
| Custom tools | Supported (write Skill) | Supported (write Python functions) |
| MCP support | Supported | Supported |
| Winner | OpenClaw (wide ecosystem) |
4. Deployment methods
| Comparison | OpenClaw | Hermes Agent |
|---|---|---|
| Local deployment | Supported (Node.js) | Supported (Python) |
| Serverless | Not supported | Supported (VPS/GPU cluster) |
| Minimum config | Needs computer or server always on | $5 VPS is enough |
| Docker support | Supported | Supported |
| Winner | Hermes Agent (flexible deployment) |
5. Security
| Comparison | OpenClaw | Hermes Agent |
|---|---|---|
| Sandbox execution | Supported (optional) | Supported (default) |
| Permission control | Fine-grained (can configure each tool's permissions) | Medium (being improved) |
| Data privacy | Local runtime, data doesn't leave home | Local runtime, data doesn't leave home |
| Winner | OpenClaw (enterprise-grade permission control) |
Token consumption comparison: Who saves more money?
According to OpenRouter application Token consumption ranking (May 9, 2026 data):
| Rank | Agent | Daily Token consumption | Relative to OpenClaw |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hermes Agent | 271B (271 billion) | 110.6% |
| 2 | OpenClaw | 245B | 100% |
| 3 | Kilo Code | 149B | 60.8% |
| 4 | Claude Code | 79.2B | 32.3% |
Unexpected finding: Hermes Agent's Token consumption is actualy higher than OpenClaw!
Reason analysis: 1. Hermes' E-A-S closed loop requires multiple LLM calls (execute → evaluate → abstract → store) 2. Hermes' context window is controlled better (<30K tokens), but number of calls is high 3. OpenClaw's Gateway architecture can reuse context, reducing redundant calls
Cost conclusion: Single-task cost of Hermes might be higher, but the "smartness" improvement from long-term use may justify this cost.
Selection advice: Which one should you use?
Choose OpenClaw, if you:
✅ Need to integrate many chat platforms (WhatsApp/Telegram/Discord/Slack/...) ✅ Want out-of-the-box use, don't want to spend time configuring ✅ Need enterprise-grade permission control and security ✅ Ecosystem breadth is most important (100+ tools vs 30+ tools) ✅ Don't want to write code, use ready-made Skills
Choose Hermes Agent, if you:
✅ Want a long-term AI companion that "gets smarter the more you use it" ✅ Need to do complex reasoning, programming, project management tasks ✅ Hope Agent autonomous learns from experience (instead of forever relying on humans writing Skills) ✅ Need flexible deployment (Serverless, VPS, GPU cluster) ✅ Don't mind configuration threshold, willing to spend time "raising" it
Use both (Wang Yuquan's strategy)
According to the previous article, Wang Yuquan is using both Agents simultaneously:
- OpenClaw: Research workflow automation (material collection, first draft generation)
- Hermes Agent: Deep analysis, complex reasoning
This strategy is worth referencing: Not "choose one or the other," but "use different Agents for different tasks."
Can Hermes Agent replace OpenClaw?
Short answer: No.
Long answer:
The two have different positionings; they are not a replacement relationship, but a complementary relationship.
Hermes Agent comes with hermes-claw-migrate command, one-click import of OpenClaw's settings, memories, skills, and API keys.
This means: You can run both simultaneously, or migrate from OpenClaw to Hermes, almost zero cost.
Nous Research's oficial attitude is also: Hermes Agent is a "next-generation" rewrite of OpenClaw, but not a forced replacement.
Relationship with Nizwo
Nizwo is an Agent Computer, OpenClaw and Hermes Agent are both applications that run on Nizwo.
Nizwo hardware
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Run OpenClaw or Hermes Agent (or run both simultaneously)
↓
Call cloud large models (GPT-5.5 / Claude 4.7 / Gemini 3.5 / ...)
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Complete tasks
Nizwo's value: Gives you a computer dedicated to running Agents, 7×24 online, data stays local, not bound to any big-tech company.
Regardless of whether you choose OpenClaw or Hermes Agent, you need a hardware device that is always online and keeps data from leaving home — this is Nizwo.
Something is happening
The competition between OpenClaw and Hermes Agent is essentially a clash of two AI philosophies:
- OpenClaw philosophy: AI is a tool; the wider the better
- Hermes philosophy: AI is a companion; the smarter the better
In 2026, this contest doesn't have a result yet. But what can be confirmed is: Agents are rapidly evolving, from "execution tools" to "collaborative partners."
Nizwo's value lies precisely here: Gives you a computer dedicated to running Agents, regardless of how Agents evolve, it is the hardware foundation that keeps them "always online."
Nizwo Hermes Column tracks the latest Hermes Agent updates. Follow us to master Hermes.
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