# GAIA vs Town > GAIA and Town score within a point of each other for proactive personal assistants, 49.5 and 48.7 out of 100. Prices, MCP, x402, uptime and agent notes side by side. - Canonical: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/gaia-vs-town - Markdown: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/gaia-vs-town.md (~3,400 tokens) - Slim: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/gaia-vs-town.min.md (~680 tokens, same facts, less prose, for token-sensitive contexts) - JSON: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/gaia-vs-town.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 - Updated: 2026-10-13 GAIA and Town score within a point of each other on agent readiness, 49.5 (D) and 48.7 (D). Town leads on security & auth and payments & pricing. Both do proactive personal assistants. - GAIA: grade D, 49.5/100, rank #816 of 1010. Markdown https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/gaia.md · JSON https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/gaia.json - Town: grade D, 48.7/100, rank #834 of 1010. Markdown https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/town.md · JSON https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/town.json - Best AI personal assistants that act for one person: https://www.anchorterminal.com/best/personal-assistants/index.md - All 834 assistants comparisons: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/personal-assistants/index.md ## Which one, for what ### GAIA (D) Good for: It suits one person who wants mail triage, meeting briefs, todos and scheduled workflows from one assistant reachable on WhatsApp, Telegram, Slack, Discord or iMessage, and who wants to read the source. Ahead on: - Reliability, 67 against 35 - Schema & documentation, 51 against 33 - Agent ergonomics, 54 against 49 - Maintenance & community, 78 against 60 Watch for: The default approval mode in the source is `always_allow`, commented as nothing gated, while the privacy policy and the 26 August release notes say destructive actions wait for approval. ### Town (D) Good for: An owner who wants a mail and calendar assistant whose routines other systems can trigger. Ahead on: - Security & auth, 79 against 54 - Payments & pricing, 30 against 20 Also in its favour: - Free to start without a card - No incidents deducted, where GAIA loses 5 points for them Watch for: The privacy policy describes training with an opt-out and the trust page says training is opt-in. ## Score by category | Category | Weight | GAIA | Town | Edge | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Reliability | 16% (20 this run) | 67 | 35 | GAIA +32 | | Performance | 10%, pending | pending | pending | not scored in this run | | Schema & documentation | 13% (16.2 this run) | 51 | 33 | GAIA +18 | | Agent ergonomics | 13% (16.2 this run) | 54 | 49 | GAIA +5 | | Security & auth | 14% (17.5 this run) | 54 | 79 | Town +25 | | Payments & pricing | 10% (12.5 this run) | 20 | 30 | Town +10 | | Task success | 10%, pending | pending | pending | not scored in this run | | Maintenance & community | 7% (8.8 this run) | 78 | 60 | GAIA +18 | | Transparency & trust | 7% (8.8 this run) | 60 | 63 | Town +3 | | Negative events | ≤15 | -5 | 0 | | | **Total** | | **49.5 · D** | **48.7 · D** | | ## Facts side by side | Fact | GAIA | Town | | --- | --- | --- | | Kind | Platform | Platform | | Vendor | The Experience Company | Town.com, Inc. | | Hosted endpoint | no (local only) | no (local only) | | Transports | | HTTP | | Auth | OAuth | OAuth or key | | Pricing | Paid | Freemium | | x402 | no | no | | Licence | PolyForm-Noncommercial-1.0.0 | Closed service under Town's Terms of Service (Town.com, Inc., updated 21 July 2026). | | Read-only variant documented | no | yes | | llms.txt | yes | no | | Last release | 2026-09-14 | 2026-10-10 | | Terms last updated | 2026-08-14 | | | Privacy policy last updated | 2026-08-07 | | | Customer content may train models | not found in the text | | | Terms restrict automated access | yes | | | Terms restrict benchmarking | not found in the text | | | Terms or service can change without notice | yes | | | Arbitration or class-action waiver | yes | | | Popularity | 308 stars | none | ## Verdicts **GAIA.** GAIA's source is public, so its approval gate, memory store and token handling can be read. Three approval modes and per-tool overrides exist, but the default mode in the source runs every action unasked, which the privacy policy and release notes do not say. Pro costs $30 a month and self-hosting is limited to noncommercial use. **Town.** Town is a hosted assistant that works across the owner's mail, calendar and work apps, and other systems can start its routines through per-routine webhooks with rotatable secrets, idempotency keys and documented errors. A caller can't read a run's result. The privacy policy and trust page disagree on whether training is on by default. ## Before you call either ### GAIA 1. Set Settings > Approvals to Always ask or Auto before connecting mail. The default in the source runs every action, including send and delete, without asking. 2. Expect no public API on the hosted service. The backend turns off its OpenAPI document in production, so reach GAIA through its apps, bots or CLI. 3. Check the plan before relying on the hosted service. The README and docs describe a Free plan, and the pricing page says GAIA is a paid product. 4. For self-hosting, prepare Docker, Node.js 20, a WorkOS account and a model key first, and confirm the use is noncommercial under the licence. 5. Add outside tools as MCP servers by URL on the Integrations page. GAIA asks before adding a server in every approval mode. ### Town 1. Start a Town routine with POST to its webhook URL, Authorization Bearer whsec_ secret, and application/json or text/plain. Expect 202 only. 2. Send X-Town-Idempotency-Key with a stable event id on every retry so Town doesn't start a second run. 3. Treat 404 as wrong secret, disabled endpoint or missing endpoint alike, and ask the owner to check Routine Settings rather than retrying. 4. Send account_email only if the owner allowed the override. It must match a connected account in full and can't widen the routine's scope. 5. Ask the owner to keep routines that act on webhook input in approval-required mode, as Town's own docs advise. ## Questions ### Which is better for AI agents, GAIA or Town? GAIA and Town score within a point of each other on agent readiness, 49.5 (D) and 48.7 (D). Town leads on security & auth and payments & pricing. ## For agents - This comparison as JSON: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/gaia-vs-town.json, and with the fewest tokens: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/gaia-vs-town.min.md - Over MCP at https://www.anchorterminal.com/mcp (no key): `compare_tools {"a": "gaia", "b": "town"}`. From a terminal: `anchor compare gaia town` - Each listing in full: https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/gaia.json and https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/town.json ## Other comparisons with GAIA or Town - [asaply vs GAIA](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/asaply-vs-gaia.md) - [asaply vs Town](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/asaply-vs-town.md) - [Asmi vs GAIA](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/asmi-vs-gaia.md) - [Asmi vs Town](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/asmi-vs-town.md) - [Boba vs GAIA](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/boba-vs-gaia.md) - [Boba vs Town](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/boba-vs-town.md) - [Brea vs GAIA](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/brea-vs-gaia.md) - [Brea vs Town](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/brea-vs-town.md) - [Del vs GAIA](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/del-vs-gaia.md) - [Del vs Town](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/del-vs-town.md) - [GAIA vs HireAlpha](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/gaia-vs-hirealpha.md) - [GAIA vs OpenInstinct](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/gaia-vs-openinstinct.md) - [GAIA vs Orbits](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/gaia-vs-orbits.md) - [GAIA vs Orchid](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/gaia-vs-orchid-ai.md) - [GAIA vs szn](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/gaia-vs-szn.md) - [GAIA vs Tab](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/gaia-vs-tab-bot.md) - [GAIA vs Zapia](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/gaia-vs-zapia.md) - [HireAlpha vs Town](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/hirealpha-vs-town.md) - [OpenInstinct vs Town](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/openinstinct-vs-town.md) - [Orbits vs Town](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/orbits-vs-town.md) - [Orchid vs Town](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/orchid-ai-vs-town.md) - [szn vs Town](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/szn-vs-town.md) - [Tab vs Town](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/tab-bot-vs-town.md) - [Town vs Zapia](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/town-vs-zapia.md) - [AstrBot vs GAIA](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/astrbot-vs-gaia.md) - [AstrBot vs Town](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/astrbot-vs-town.md) - [Boski vs GAIA](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/boski-vs-gaia.md) - [Boski vs Town](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/boski-vs-town.md) - [Caddy vs GAIA](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/caddy-app-vs-gaia.md) - [Caddy vs Town](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/caddy-app-vs-town.md) - [CowAgent vs GAIA](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/cowagent-vs-gaia.md) - [CowAgent vs Town](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/cowagent-vs-town.md) - [folk vs GAIA](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/folk-nozomio-vs-gaia.md) - [folk vs Town](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/folk-nozomio-vs-town.md) - [GAIA vs Gemini Spark](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/gaia-vs-gemini-spark.md) - [GAIA vs Grok Bot](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/gaia-vs-grok-bot.md) - [GAIA vs Haven](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/gaia-vs-haven.md) - [GAIA vs Hermes Agent](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/gaia-vs-hermes-agent.md) - [GAIA vs Instinct](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/gaia-vs-instinct.md) - [GAIA vs IronClaw](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/gaia-vs-ironclaw.md) - [GAIA vs Leon](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/gaia-vs-leon.md) - [GAIA vs Lindy](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/gaia-vs-lindy.md) - [GAIA vs nanobot](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/gaia-vs-nanobot.md) - [GAIA vs NanoClaw](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/gaia-vs-nanoclaw.md) - [GAIA vs Dots](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/gaia-vs-openai-dots.md) - [GAIA vs OpenClaw](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/gaia-vs-openclaw.md) - [GAIA vs PicoClaw](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/gaia-vs-picoclaw.md) - [GAIA vs Poke](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/gaia-vs-poke.md) - [GAIA vs QwenPaw](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/gaia-vs-qwenpaw.md) - [GAIA vs ZeroClaw](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/gaia-vs-zeroclaw.md) - [GAIA vs Zo Computer](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/gaia-vs-zo-computer.md) - [Gemini Spark vs Town](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/gemini-spark-vs-town.md) - [Grok Bot vs Town](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/grok-bot-vs-town.md) - [Haven vs Town](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/haven-vs-town.md) - [Hermes Agent vs Town](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/hermes-agent-vs-town.md) - [Instinct vs Town](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/instinct-vs-town.md) - [IronClaw vs Town](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/ironclaw-vs-town.md) - [Leon vs Town](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/leon-vs-town.md) - [Lindy vs Town](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/lindy-vs-town.md) - [nanobot vs Town](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/nanobot-vs-town.md) - [NanoClaw vs Town](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/nanoclaw-vs-town.md) - [Dots vs Town](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/openai-dots-vs-town.md) - [OpenClaw vs Town](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/openclaw-vs-town.md) - [PicoClaw vs Town](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/picoclaw-vs-town.md) - [Poke vs Town](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/poke-vs-town.md) - [QwenPaw vs Town](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/qwenpaw-vs-town.md) - [Town vs ZeroClaw](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/town-vs-zeroclaw.md) - [Town vs Zo Computer](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/town-vs-zo-computer.md) - [GAIA vs Natura tinyNature](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/gaia-vs-natura.md) - [GAIA vs Pally](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/gaia-vs-pally.md) - [GAIA vs Tomo](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/gaia-vs-tomo.md) - [GAIA vs Wajo (Fo)](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/gaia-vs-wajo.md) - [Natura tinyNature vs Town](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/natura-vs-town.md) - [Pally vs Town](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/pally-vs-town.md) - [Tomo vs Town](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/tomo-vs-town.md) - [Town vs Wajo (Fo)](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/town-vs-wajo.md) - [GAIA vs Talorys](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/gaia-vs-talorys.md) - [Talorys vs Town](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/talorys-vs-town.md) ## Disclosure - Town competes with LocalGhost, which Anchor Terminal's founder builds. 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.