OpenClaw vs Hermes Agent for self-hosting
Short answer (checked 4 Oct 2026): both run on a Linux server you manage, and neither project's docs publish a minimum RAM or disk. OpenClaw needs Node 24.16+ or 26.1+ and its DigitalOcean guide uses 1 vCPU / 1 GB (about $6 a month). Hermes Agent installs Python 3.14 itself and ships a Docker image. Sources: OpenClaw guide, Hermes docs.
Both are open-source personal agents you can run on your own Linux server. This page compares only what the projects' own pages say. We have not run either, so it says nothing about which works better.
| OpenClaw | Hermes Agent | |
|---|---|---|
| Official repo | openclaw/openclaw | NousResearch/hermes-agent |
| Run requirements | Node 24.16+ or 26.1+; macOS, Linux or Windows | Linux, macOS (Apple Silicon), WSL2 or Windows; installer provides Python 3.14; Docker image |
| RAM or disk minimum published | None found; DigitalOcean guide uses 1 GB with swap | None found on the installation page |
| Server cost to start (4 Oct 2026) | DigitalOcean 1 GiB plan $6.00/mo, as in its guide | No official size; the cheapest plans we checked start at $6.00/mo |
Stars, release dates and commit dates are left out on purpose. Stars, releases and commit dates change often, and the data our tools returned was a cached copy of unknown age, so we do not print them. Open the repository for current numbers.
What it costs to host either one
The server part is the same kind of cost for both: a small Linux VPS. The model API part depends on the model you pick and how much you use. Monthly cost = VPS price + token usage x model price; worked examples with Anthropic's published prices are on the OpenClaw cost page and the Hermes Agent cost page. If you want the plan list first, see VPS specs and cost.
Not covered: NanoClaw and other projects (see the VPS specs page for NanoClaw's requirements), security hardening, and how well either agent works. How we check facts: editorial policy.