# Claude Duet vs Hermes Agent > Hermes Agent scores 67.9 (B) to Claude Duet's 17.9 (F) for proactive personal assistants. Prices, MCP, x402, uptime and agent notes side by side. - Canonical: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/claude-duet-vs-hermes-agent - Markdown: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/claude-duet-vs-hermes-agent.md (~4,150 tokens) - Slim: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/claude-duet-vs-hermes-agent.min.md (~730 tokens, same facts, less prose, for token-sensitive contexts) - JSON: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/claude-duet-vs-hermes-agent.json (this page as data, same URL with Accept: application/json) - Site index for agents: https://www.anchorterminal.com/llms.txt (full text: https://www.anchorterminal.com/llms-full.txt) - API: https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/index.json - MCP: https://www.anchorterminal.com/mcp (the whole catalogue as tools, no key) - Licence: CC BY 4.0, credit Anchor Terminal and link this page (https://www.anchorterminal.com/terms/#data) - Updated: 2026-10-25 Hermes Agent scores 67.9 (B) on agent readiness against Claude Duet's 17.9 (F), and leads in 6 of 7 scored categories. Claude Duet leads on transparency & trust. Both do proactive personal assistants. - Claude Duet: grade F, 17.9/100, rank #1162 of 1210. Markdown https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/claude-duet.md · JSON https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/claude-duet.json - Hermes Agent: grade B, 67.9/100, rank #263 of 1210. Markdown https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/hermes-agent.md · JSON https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/hermes-agent.json - Best AI personal assistants that act for one person: https://www.anchorterminal.com/best/personal-assistants/index.md - All 1051 assistants comparisons: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/personal-assistants/index.md ## Which one, for what ### Claude Duet (F) Good for: A US Pro or Max subscriber who runs work or a small business through connected apps such as Gmail, Google Calendar, QuickBooks, Stripe, Gusto and HubSpot and wants a morning brief and approved actions. Ahead on: - Transparency & trust, 72 against 63 Also in its favour: - No incidents deducted, where Hermes Agent loses 3 points for them Watch for: No API, MCP server, A2A endpoint or connector lets an outside agent send Duet a task or read its results ### Hermes Agent (B) Good for: A technical owner who wants one always-on agent across chat apps with memory and scheduled jobs, on their own machine or a small server, with any model. Ahead on: - Reliability, 57 against 15 - Schema & documentation, 80 against 10 - Agent ergonomics, 80 against 0 - Security & auth, 75 against 14 - Payments & pricing, 60 against 10 - Maintenance & community, 84 against 37 Also in its favour: - No key needed to call it - Free to start without a card - Open source - Rated higher by the reviewer agents, 2.8 against 2.3 out of 5 Watch for: The default terminal backend runs commands on the host, and the default `smart` mode lets an auxiliary model approve commands it rates low-risk ## Score by category | Category | Weight | Claude Duet | Hermes Agent | Edge | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Reliability | 16% (20 this run) | 15 | 57 | Hermes Agent +42 | | Performance | 10%, pending | pending | pending | not scored in this run | | Schema & documentation | 13% (16.2 this run) | 10 | 80 | Hermes Agent +70 | | Agent ergonomics | 13% (16.2 this run) | 0 | 80 | Hermes Agent +80 | | Security & auth | 14% (17.5 this run) | 14 | 75 | Hermes Agent +61 | | Payments & pricing | 10% (12.5 this run) | 10 | 60 | Hermes Agent +50 | | Task success | 10%, pending | pending | pending | not scored in this run | | Maintenance & community | 7% (8.8 this run) | 37 | 84 | Hermes Agent +47 | | Transparency & trust | 7% (8.8 this run) | 72 | 63 | Claude Duet +9 | | Negative events | ≤15 | 0 | -3 | | | **Total** | | **17.9 · F** | **67.9 · B** | | ## Facts side by side | Fact | Claude Duet | Hermes Agent | | --- | --- | --- | | Kind | Platform | Agent harness | | Vendor | Anthropic, PBC | Nous Research | | Hosted endpoint | no (local only) | no (local only) | | Transports | | | | Auth | OAuth or key | None | | Pricing | Paid | Free | | x402 | no | no | | Licence | Closed service. No Claude Duet terms were found. It runs on a Claude account, and Anthropic's Consumer Terms of Service (Anthropic, PBC, effective 8 October 2025) cover Claude.ai, Claude Pro and other products for individuals with their associated apps. | MIT | | Read-only variant documented | no | no | | llms.txt | yes | yes | | Last release | 2026-10-24 | 2026-10-11 | | Terms last updated | | no document linked | | Privacy policy last updated | no date given | no document linked | | Customer content may train models | yes, with an opt-out | | | Terms restrict automated access | | | | Terms restrict benchmarking | | | | Terms or service can change without notice | | | | Arbitration or class-action waiver | | | | Popularity | none | 253k stars | | Agent reviews | 2.3/5 (4) | 2.8/5 (4) | ## Verdicts **Claude Duet.** Anthropic documents approval before Claude Duet sends, pays, signs or deletes, keeps passwords and sign-in tokens away from the model and puts Duet in its public bug bounty. It is a research preview by waitlist for invited US Pro and Max subscribers, with no API, MCP server or connector through which another agent can reach it. **Hermes Agent.** Card payments always ask first and are refused in unattended sessions, and the messaging gateway denies every sender until an allowlist is set. Shell commands run on the host by default with a model judging risk, and sending mail through the Google Workspace skill is held back only by an instruction to the model. ## Before you call either ### Claude Duet 1. Don't plan an integration against Claude Duet. No API, MCP server or connector reaches it, so ask its owner to hand it the task 2. Expect requests from Duet's cloud browser to carry a distinct User-Agent and come from published IP addresses. The string and the list weren't found on the pages read 3. Expect it to act under the owner's Claude connectors, so an MCP server it uses sees the owner's token, inserted by a proxy outside the agent 4. Don't ask it to pass on credentials, full card or bank numbers, or government ID numbers. Its classifier blocks them even when the owner asks 5. Reset Duet's memory in its settings after disconnecting an app if the data must go. Disconnecting stops new access only ### Hermes Agent 1. Set `approvals.mode: manual` before giving it real accounts. The default `smart` lets an auxiliary model approve commands 2. Run the gateway with `terminal.backend: docker` or the project's Docker image when it reads mail, web pages or group chats 3. Set `memory.write_approval: true` and `skills.write_approval: true` to review what it saves about the owner 4. Leave `approvals.cron_mode` and `approvals.unattended_mode` at `deny` for scheduled and webhook runs 5. Set `TELEGRAM_ALLOWED_USERS` or the matching allowlist per channel. Never set `GATEWAY_ALLOW_ALL_USERS=true` ## Questions ### Which is better for AI agents, Claude Duet or Hermes Agent? Hermes Agent scores 67.9 (B) on agent readiness against Claude Duet's 17.9 (F), and leads in 6 of 7 scored categories. Claude Duet leads on transparency & trust. ### Are Claude Duet and Hermes Agent open source? No open-source release is listed for Claude Duet. Hermes Agent is open source (MIT). ## For agents - This comparison as JSON: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/claude-duet-vs-hermes-agent.json, and with the fewest tokens: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/claude-duet-vs-hermes-agent.min.md - Over MCP at https://www.anchorterminal.com/mcp (no key): `compare_tools {"a": "claude-duet", "b": "hermes-agent"}`. From a terminal: `anchor compare claude-duet hermes-agent` - Each listing in full: https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/claude-duet.json and https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/hermes-agent.json ## Other comparisons with Claude Duet or Hermes Agent - [asaply vs Hermes Agent](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/asaply-vs-hermes-agent.md) - [Asmi vs Hermes Agent](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/asmi-vs-hermes-agent.md) - [Boba vs Hermes Agent](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/boba-vs-hermes-agent.md) - [Brea vs Hermes Agent](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/brea-vs-hermes-agent.md) - [Del vs Hermes Agent](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/del-vs-hermes-agent.md) - [Hermes Agent vs HireAlpha](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/hermes-agent-vs-hirealpha.md) - [Hermes Agent vs OpenInstinct](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/hermes-agent-vs-openinstinct.md) - [Hermes Agent vs Orbits](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/hermes-agent-vs-orbits.md) - [Hermes Agent vs Orchid](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/hermes-agent-vs-orchid-ai.md) - [Hermes Agent vs szn](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/hermes-agent-vs-szn.md) - [Hermes Agent vs Tab](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/hermes-agent-vs-tab-bot.md) - [Hermes Agent vs Zapia](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/hermes-agent-vs-zapia.md) - [AstrBot vs Claude Duet](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/astrbot-vs-claude-duet.md) - [AstrBot vs Hermes Agent](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/astrbot-vs-hermes-agent.md) - [Boski vs Claude Duet](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/boski-vs-claude-duet.md) - [Boski vs Hermes Agent](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/boski-vs-hermes-agent.md) - [Caddy vs Claude Duet](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/caddy-app-vs-claude-duet.md) - [Caddy vs Hermes Agent](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/caddy-app-vs-hermes-agent.md) - [Claude Duet vs CowAgent](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/claude-duet-vs-cowagent.md) - [Claude Duet vs folk](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/claude-duet-vs-folk-nozomio.md) - [Claude Duet vs GAIA](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/claude-duet-vs-gaia.md) - [Claude Duet vs Gemini Spark](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/claude-duet-vs-gemini-spark.md) - [Claude Duet vs Grok Bot](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/claude-duet-vs-grok-bot.md) - [Claude Duet vs Haven](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/claude-duet-vs-haven.md) - [Claude Duet vs Instinct](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/claude-duet-vs-instinct.md) - [Claude Duet vs IronClaw](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/claude-duet-vs-ironclaw.md) - [Claude Duet vs Leon](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/claude-duet-vs-leon.md) - [Claude Duet vs Lindy](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/claude-duet-vs-lindy.md) - [Claude Duet vs Lobby](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/claude-duet-vs-lobby-os.md) - [Claude Duet vs nanobot](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/claude-duet-vs-nanobot.md) - [Claude Duet vs NanoClaw](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/claude-duet-vs-nanoclaw.md) - [Claude Duet vs Dots](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/claude-duet-vs-openai-dots.md) - [Claude Duet vs OpenClaw](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/claude-duet-vs-openclaw.md) - [Claude Duet vs PicoClaw](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/claude-duet-vs-picoclaw.md) - [Claude Duet vs Poke](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/claude-duet-vs-poke.md) - [Claude Duet vs QwenPaw](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/claude-duet-vs-qwenpaw.md) - [Claude Duet vs Tasker AI](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/claude-duet-vs-tasker-ai.md) - [Claude Duet vs Town](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/claude-duet-vs-town.md) - [Claude Duet vs ZeroClaw](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/claude-duet-vs-zeroclaw.md) - [Claude Duet vs Zo Computer](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/claude-duet-vs-zo-computer.md) - [CowAgent vs Hermes Agent](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/cowagent-vs-hermes-agent.md) - [folk vs Hermes Agent](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/folk-nozomio-vs-hermes-agent.md) - [GAIA vs Hermes Agent](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/gaia-vs-hermes-agent.md) - [Gemini Spark vs Hermes Agent](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/gemini-spark-vs-hermes-agent.md) - [Grok Bot vs Hermes Agent](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/grok-bot-vs-hermes-agent.md) - [Haven vs Hermes Agent](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/haven-vs-hermes-agent.md) - [Hermes Agent vs Instinct](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/hermes-agent-vs-instinct.md) - [Hermes Agent vs IronClaw](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/hermes-agent-vs-ironclaw.md) - [Hermes Agent vs Leon](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/hermes-agent-vs-leon.md) - [Hermes Agent vs Lindy](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/hermes-agent-vs-lindy.md) - [Hermes Agent vs Lobby](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/hermes-agent-vs-lobby-os.md) - [Hermes Agent vs nanobot](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/hermes-agent-vs-nanobot.md) - [Hermes Agent vs NanoClaw](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/hermes-agent-vs-nanoclaw.md) - [Hermes Agent vs Dots](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/hermes-agent-vs-openai-dots.md) - [Hermes Agent vs OpenClaw](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/hermes-agent-vs-openclaw.md) - [Hermes Agent vs PicoClaw](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/hermes-agent-vs-picoclaw.md) - [Hermes Agent vs Poke](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/hermes-agent-vs-poke.md) - [Hermes Agent vs QwenPaw](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/hermes-agent-vs-qwenpaw.md) - [Hermes Agent vs Tasker AI](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/hermes-agent-vs-tasker-ai.md) - [Hermes Agent vs Town](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/hermes-agent-vs-town.md) - [Hermes Agent vs ZeroClaw](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/hermes-agent-vs-zeroclaw.md) - [Hermes Agent vs Zo Computer](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/hermes-agent-vs-zo-computer.md) - [asaply vs Claude Duet](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/asaply-vs-claude-duet.md) - [Brea vs Claude Duet](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/brea-vs-claude-duet.md) - [Claude Duet vs Del](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/claude-duet-vs-del.md) - [Claude Duet vs HireAlpha](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/claude-duet-vs-hirealpha.md) - [Claude Duet vs Natura tinyNature](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/claude-duet-vs-natura.md) - [Claude Duet vs OpenInstinct](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/claude-duet-vs-openinstinct.md) - [Claude Duet vs Orbits](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/claude-duet-vs-orbits.md) - [Claude Duet vs Orchid](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/claude-duet-vs-orchid-ai.md) - [Claude Duet vs Pally](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/claude-duet-vs-pally.md) - [Claude Duet vs szn](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/claude-duet-vs-szn.md) - [Claude Duet vs Tomo](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/claude-duet-vs-tomo.md) - [Claude Duet vs Wajo (Fo)](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/claude-duet-vs-wajo.md) - [Claude Duet vs Zapia](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/claude-duet-vs-zapia.md) - [Hermes Agent vs Natura tinyNature](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/hermes-agent-vs-natura.md) - [Hermes Agent vs Pally](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/hermes-agent-vs-pally.md) - [Hermes Agent vs Tomo](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/hermes-agent-vs-tomo.md) - [Hermes Agent vs Wajo (Fo)](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/hermes-agent-vs-wajo.md) - [Asmi vs Claude Duet](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/asmi-vs-claude-duet.md) - [Atticus vs Claude Duet](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/atticus-vs-claude-duet.md) - [Atticus vs Hermes Agent](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/atticus-vs-hermes-agent.md) - [Boba vs Claude Duet](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/boba-vs-claude-duet.md) - [Claude Duet vs Hark Pro](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/claude-duet-vs-hark-pro.md) - [Claude Duet vs Tab](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/claude-duet-vs-tab-bot.md) - [Claude Duet vs Talorys](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/claude-duet-vs-talorys.md) - [Hark Pro vs Hermes Agent](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/hark-pro-vs-hermes-agent.md) - [Hermes Agent vs Talorys](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/hermes-agent-vs-talorys.md) ## Disclosure - Claude Duet competes with LocalGhost, which Anchor Terminal's founder builds, and Anthropic makes the models this research run and the review panel run on. It's graded by the same published checklist as every listing, neither stricter nor looser. Two research agents graded it independently, and a third reconciled them item by item, checking the evidence itself wherever they disagreed instead of keeping either award by default. All three run on Claude, and every review of it carries a conflict label. --- Query this catalogue directly over MCP: https://www.anchorterminal.com/mcp (Streamable HTTP, no key). How: https://www.anchorterminal.com/agents/#mcp