# Vellum vs Hermes Agent > Personal AI assistant vs open-source self-hosted agent framework > Last updated: May 21, 2026 > Comparison: https://www.vellum.ai/compare-assistants/vellum-vs-hermes-agent ## Overview Vellum is a personal AI assistant that runs as a native Mac app on your machine or in Vellum Cloud, with iOS, web app, voice, email, Telegram, Slack, and Microsoft Teams surfaces that share one memory. Hermes Agent is an open-source CLI-based agent framework from Nous Research that you self-host on your own infrastructure. ## The contenders ### Vellum Website: https://vellum.ai Vellum is a personal AI assistant that runs as a native Mac app on your own machine or in Vellum Cloud, with iOS, web, Slack, and Telegram surfaces in sync across both. It builds a persistent, structured memory of your work and people automatically, and executes real actions across 50+ services through managed OAuth. Why choose Vellum: - Runs as a native Mac app on your own machine or in Vellum Cloud, with iOS, web, Slack, and Telegram surfaces in sync across both - Persistent, structured memory that builds itself as you go, with no uploading, tagging, or training required - One-click managed OAuth across 50+ services like Google, Slack, Notion, GitHub, and Linear, executing real actions on your behalf - Free Base plan, with Pro from $50/mo for pay-as-you-go credits, configurable compute and storage, and your assistant's own email and subdomain ### Hermes Agent Website: https://github.com/NousResearch/hermes-agent Hermes Agent is an open-source autonomous agent by Nous Research. It runs on your own server or VPS and is free to use under the MIT license. Why choose Hermes Agent: - Fully self-hosted meaning your data stays on your own server - MIT licensed and free, with an active open-source community - Supports 200+ models via OpenRouter and self-hosted endpoints - Gateway mode connects to Telegram, Slack, Discord, and 15+ messaging platforms ## The scorecard ### channels Vellum: 7 native surfaces, one memory iOS, native Mac app, web app, voice, email, Telegram, Slack, and Microsoft Teams. Every surface shares one memory. Vellum runs natively on Mac, iOS, web app, voice, email, Telegram, Slack, and Microsoft Teams. Every surface shares the same memory and thread history, so you can start a task on your Mac and pick it up on your phone or in a chat. Hermes Agent: CLI and terminal-first CLI and terminal-first with an optional web UI. No native mobile or messaging surfaces. ### hosting Vellum: On-device, managed cloud, or self-hosted Run on-device as a native Mac app, on Vellum's managed cloud, or self-host on your own VPS. Vellum gives you the full range: run the native Mac app entirely on your own hardware, use Vellum Cloud for managed uptime and cross-device sync, or self-host on your own VPS for full infrastructure control. Hermes Agent: Self-hosted infrastructure only Self-hosted only. You provision and manage the infrastructure end to end. ### integrations Vellum: 50+ managed OAuth integrations Native agent skills plus 1-click integrations with 50+ services through managed OAuth. Vellum connects to 50+ services through managed OAuth: Google, Slack, Notion, GitHub, Linear, and more. Your assistant acts in real services on your behalf without you handling tokens or API keys. Hermes Agent: BYO API keys with manual configuration Manual configuration required for every connector, key, and orchestration step you want to use. ### memory Vellum: Persistent, structured personal memory Builds a persistent, structured memory of your work and people that gets sharper with every conversation and correction. Vellum builds a structured memory graph of your projects, people, and preferences across every surface. It compounds over time through use and explicit corrections, so each conversation picks up where the last left off. Hermes Agent: Flat memory files, no managed layer Agent-curated flat memory files with no managed persistence. Long-term memory depends on what you wire up. ### modularity Vellum: Adapts to you personally Builds its own skills, learns your tone, and adapts based on what you reward and correct. Vellum adapts at the individual level: it learns your communication style, builds custom skills from your instructions, and updates its behavior based on your feedback. Each assistant is shaped by the specific person using it. Hermes Agent: Fixed agent loop Customization happens through code changes. The core agent loop itself is fixed. ### open-source Vellum: Open source under MIT Open source under MIT license. Full codebase available on GitHub. Vellum is open source under the MIT license. The full codebase is on GitHub and can be self-hosted, audited, and extended. Hermes Agent: MIT-licensed open source Open source under MIT license. Full codebase available on GitHub. ### pricing Vellum: Free Base, Pro from $50/mo Free Base with 10 free credits + referral credits. Pro from $50/mo with configurable compute, storage, and assistant email. Vellum offers a free Base plan with 10 credits and a referral credit system. Pro starts at $50/mo and comes with configurable compute, configurable storage, and a personal assistant email and subdomain. Hermes Agent: Open source, infrastructure costs apply Free codebase, but you pay for infrastructure, model API usage, and ongoing maintenance to keep it running. ### privacy Vellum: Local or cloud, always yours Run locally on Mac, in Vellum Cloud, or self-host. Vellum never has access to your data on any deployment path. Vellum gives you three deployment paths: native Mac app on your own hardware, Vellum Cloud with per-customer isolation, or self-hosted on your own infrastructure. On every path, Vellum never has access to your data. Hermes Agent: Self-hostable, provider-dependent Self-hostable, but your data passes through whatever model provider you wire up. Privacy depends on your stack. ### schedules Vellum: Built-in scheduling, always running Built-in scheduling for daily briefings, weekly reports, and hourly checks that just run on a cadence. Vellum has native scheduling for recurring tasks: daily briefings, weekly reports, hourly checks. Scheduled tasks run in the cloud whether or not you have a session open. Hermes Agent: No native scheduler No native scheduling. Bolt on cron or an external orchestrator. ### security Vellum: Isolated credential vault Credentials live in an isolated vault and never enter the language model, so prompt injection can't exfiltrate keys. Vellum stores every connected service credential in an isolated vault that never touches the LLM inference layer. Prompt injection attacks cannot reach your API keys or OAuth tokens. Hermes Agent: Credentials passed to the model API keys flow directly into model context for tool calls, with no isolation between credentials and LLM input. ### setup Vellum: Up in 5 to 10 minutes Up and running in 5 to 10 minutes: Web app and/or download the Mac app, sign in, connect your tools. No terminal needed. Vellum setup takes 5 to 10 minutes: use the Web app and/or download the Mac app, create an account, and connect your tools via one-click OAuth. No terminal, no config files, no infrastructure to provision. Hermes Agent: DIY install and configuration Multi-hour setup: clone the repo, configure the environment, set up API keys, and host the runtime yourself. ### storage Vellum: Storage Vellum Cloud: 3 GB RAM and 4 GB storage by default. Mac app runs on standard Mac hardware. Hermes Agent: Storage Self-hosted. Resource needs scale with model size and tool load. No official minimum specs published. ## Where they split ### Always-on hosting Hermes can run on a VPS 24/7, but uptime, security patches, and API key rotation are entirely on you. Vellum is fully managed cloud. No server to provision, no uptime to watch. Background tasks and scheduled jobs execute whether you're at your desk or asleep, and you wake up to work that already shipped. ### Works across every surface Hermes connects via CLI and a gateway to Telegram, Discord, Slack, and 15+ messaging platforms, but there's no native desktop or mobile app. Vellum has a native MacOS app, iOS app, web dashboard, Slack, Telegram, and a full CLI. Every surface shares the same memory and identity, so you can switch from desktop to phone without losing a beat. ### Memory that compounds Hermes has persistent memory via MEMORY.md and SQLite, with 8 pluggable backends that are file-based and require configuration. Vellum memory is structured around concepts, relationships, and summaries that the assistant proactively grows without you managing any files. There is granular access to this memory system for those who want extra fine tuning of their assistant’s memory. It's consistent across every surface and deepens every session. ### Data privacy and control Hermes is self-hosted meaning your data stays on your own server, which is a genuine advantage for users who want full sovereignty. Vellum can be self hosted or ran on managed cloud infrastructure with per-customer isolation, encryption at rest, configurable retention, and BYOK model keys. For teams that need SOC 2 alignment or compliance documentation, that's more operational assurance than self-managing a VPS. ## Lingering questions ### When should I choose Vellum over Hermes Agent? Choose Vellum if you want a personal AI assistant that works out of the box across native Mac app, iOS, web app, voice, email, Telegram, and Slack, with persistent memory and managed credentials. No VPS to provision, no API keys to rotate, no terminal required. Vellum is built for every human, with native apps on every major surface and 24/7 background execution in Vellum Cloud. ### When does Hermes Agent make more sense? Hermes Agent is an open-source CLI-based agent framework from Nous Research that you self-host on your own infrastructure. If you specifically want to run your own server, choose your own models, and build directly on the open-source AI ecosystem, Hermes covers that use case. Vellum runs as a native Mac app on your machine or in Vellum Cloud and gives you the same data-ownership guarantee without the infrastructure work. ### How much does Vellum and Hermes Agent cost? Hermes Agent is MIT licensed and free to download. In practice you pay for the VPS that hosts it (typically $5 to $15 per month) and LLM API costs (typically $2 to $60 per month depending on usage and model). Vellum offers a free Base plan, plus Pro from $50/mo with pay-as-you-go credits, configurable compute and storage, and your assistant's own email and subdomain. For most people the all-in cost of running and maintaining Hermes plus model fees lands close to a Vellum Pro plan, without the operational overhead. ### How long does Vellum and Hermes Agent setup take? Vellum takes 5 to 10 minutes. Download the Mac app, sign in, and the setup wizard walks you through connecting your tools. Hermes requires provisioning a server, configuring a YAML file, and setting up API keys for each provider and integration. For non-technical users, that setup can take hours. ### How does memory work in Vellum vs Hermes Agent? Vellum builds a structured, persistent memory of your work, people, and patterns automatically across every session. The assistant manages its own understanding of you, and that memory stays consistent across native Mac app, iOS, web app, voice, email, Telegram, and Slack. Hermes curates MEMORY.md and USER.md files each session, backed by SQLite, which gives you visibility into what the model knows but puts the curation burden on you. ### What integrations do Vellum and Hermes Agent support? Vellum connects to 50+ services through managed OAuth with one-click setup and no API keys to handle, including Google Workspace, Slack, Notion, GitHub, Linear, X, and Telegram. Hermes integrates via manually configured API keys and MCP servers, so each service requires its own setup and ongoing key rotation. ### What surfaces does Vellum vs Hermes Agent work on? Vellum runs as a native Mac app, an iOS app, and a web app, with voice, email, Telegram, and Slack surfaces that all share the same memory and identity. Hermes works through a CLI and a gateway mode that routes messages from Telegram, Discord, Slack, WhatsApp, Signal, and 15+ other platforms, with no native desktop or mobile app. ### Where does my data live with Vellum vs Hermes Agent? With Vellum, your data lives on Vellum Cloud with per-customer isolation, encryption at rest, configurable retention, and custom LLM credentials so model API keys stay under your control. Vellum never has access to your data on any deployment path, whether you run the native Mac app on your machine or use Vellum Cloud. With Hermes, your data stays on whatever server you self-host on, and uptime, backups, security patches, and credential rotation are your responsibility. ### Is Vellum open source? Can I self-host it? Yes. Vellum is open source and you can run it as a native Mac app on your own machine. The full Vellum experience also includes Vellum Cloud for 24/7 background execution, the OAuth credential vault, and managed infrastructure on the Pro plan from $50/mo. Either path gives you the same assistant, memory, and identity. ### Can I use Vellum and Hermes Agent at the same time? Technically yes. Some developers run Vellum as their daily-driver personal assistant across surfaces and use Hermes for specific technical workflows. Most people find one assistant handles everything they need. If you are unsure where to start, Vellum is the faster path to a working assistant. ### Is Vellum or Hermes Agent better for non-technical users? Vellum is built for every human, with native Mac app, iOS, web app, voice, email, Telegram, and Slack surfaces. No terminal, no server, no API keys, and no daemon to maintain. Hermes Agent is a CLI-based framework that assumes Python, a terminal, and host administration. --- Full comparison index: https://www.vellum.ai/compare-assistants Try Vellum: https://www.vellum.ai