Hermes Agent vs Pi is a clash of philosophies. Pi, by Mario Zechner, is a deliberately minimal open-source agent: four core tools and a short system prompt, with everything else added through extensions. Hermes is the opposite: a full-featured agent with memory, skills, 60+ tools, scheduling and 20+ messaging platforms out of the box. In the video below I explain why Hermes changed AI agents for me. Here’s how they compare.
Key takeaways
- Pi: minimal by design — read, write, edit, bash, plus extensions.
- Hermes: batteries included — memory, skills, cron, messaging, plugins.
- Both are open source and free to run.
- Pick Pi for control and simplicity, Hermes for out-of-the-box automation.
Hermes Agent vs Pi at a glance
| Hermes Agent at a glance | |
|---|---|
| Made by | Nous Research |
| Type | Always-on, general-purpose personal agent |
| Price | Free and open source; pay only for models (free ones available) |
| Lives in | Terminal, Hermes Desktop, 20+ messaging apps, a VPS or Hermes Cloud |
| Strengths | Memory, self-made skills, 60+ tools, cron jobs, sub-agents, plugins, any model |
| Latest | v0.22 “Threshold” — keyless setup, connectors, one-click local models, 600-plugin catalogue |
| Pi at a glance | |
|---|---|
| Made by | Mario Zechner (creator of libGDX) |
| Type | Minimal open-source terminal coding agent |
| Licence | MIT |
| Core | Four tools — read, write, edit and bash — and a short system prompt |
| Extensions | Everything else is opt-in via TypeScript extensions |
| Install | npm package @mariozechner/pi-coding-agent |
| Logins | API keys for many providers, plus subscription logins such as ChatGPT, Claude and GitHub Copilot |
Two philosophies
Pi’s idea is that a small, transparent core is easier to understand, trust and extend: you start with four tools and add exactly what you need with TypeScript extensions. It’s popular with developers who want to know exactly what their agent is doing — and its components are used in other projects; Zechner has said OpenClaw uses them as its agent engine.
Hermes’ idea is that most people want an agent that works out of the box: memory that learns them, skills it writes itself, scheduled jobs, 20+ messaging platforms and a catalogue of 600 plugins. Since v0.22 you can even set it up through a chat with no API key.
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Head-to-head
| Hermes Agent | Pi | |
|---|---|---|
| Core design | Full-featured | Minimal core + extensions |
| Built-in tools | 60+ | Four (read, write, edit, bash) |
| Memory and skills | Built in | Via extensions |
| Scheduling and messaging | Built in | Via extensions |
| Main use | General automation and personal tasks | Coding and custom agents |
| Licence | Open source | MIT |
Who should choose Pi
- Developers who want a small, auditable agent.
- People building their own custom agent on solid components.
- Anyone who prefers adding features deliberately.
Who should choose Hermes
- Business owners who want automation working today.
- Anyone who wants an agent on their phone via Telegram or WhatsApp.
- People who want memory and scheduled jobs without building them.
For the coding angle specifically, see Hermes Agent vs Pi coding agent.
Pi and OpenClaw
One interesting detail: Pi’s components show up inside other agents. Mario Zechner has said OpenClaw uses Pi’s parts as its agent engine. That says a lot about the quality of Pi’s design — small, well-built pieces that other projects can build on.
Extending Pi vs extending Hermes
In Pi, you add capabilities by writing TypeScript extensions — powerful if you’re a developer, a barrier if you’re not. In Hermes, you add capabilities by installing plugins from a catalogue of 600, connecting apps through connectors, adding MCP servers, or simply asking Hermes to write a skill for a job you just did together. That difference is a big part of why non-developers tend to prefer Hermes.
Using them together
You don’t have to choose. A developer might use Pi as a fast, transparent coding agent in the terminal and Hermes as the always-on agent that runs the resulting scripts, sends reports and handles personal tasks. Both are free, so trying both costs nothing but a little time.
Best choice by type of user
- Developers who love minimal tools: Pi.
- Business owners and creators: Hermes.
- Builders making their own agents: Pi’s components are a strong base.
- Anyone who wants an assistant on their phone: Hermes, with 20+ messaging platforms.
Whichever you choose, start with one real job, keep approvals on for anything risky, and expand once it’s working reliably. The best agent is the one you actually use every day, and the fastest way to find it is to test it on your own work rather than reading feature lists.
Getting started with each
For Pi, install it from npm, sign in with a subscription or API key, and try a coding task in a project folder. For Hermes, install the desktop app or CLI, follow the setup chat, connect Telegram and schedule one daily job. Trying both on a real task for a week is the fastest way to see which philosophy suits you.
The bottom line on Hermes Agent vs Pi
In Hermes Agent vs Pi, Pi is the minimal, hackable agent and Hermes is the complete, ready-to-run one. Choose by how much you want built for you.
Both projects show how much the open-source agent world has grown. Pi proves that a small, well-designed core can power serious tools, including other agents. Hermes proves that an agent can be both powerful and approachable, with memory, skills and scheduling ready to go. Whichever philosophy suits you, both are free, so the best next step is simply to try one on a real task this week.
About Julian Goldie
I’m Julian Goldie — I test new AI agents almost every day for 432K+ YouTube subscribers and run Hermes, OpenClaw, OpenCode, Claude and Codex side by side in my own Agent OS. Claim your free strategy session or join the AI Profit Boardroom.
FAQ: hermes agent vs pi
What is Pi?
A minimal open-source agent by Mario Zechner with four core tools (read, write, edit, bash) and a TypeScript extension system.
Is Hermes better than Pi?
For out-of-the-box automation, memory and messaging, Hermes; for a small, customisable core, Pi.
Are both free?
Yes — both are open source; you pay only for models.
Does OpenClaw use Pi?
Mario Zechner has said OpenClaw uses Pi’s components as its agent engine.
How do I install Pi?
Via npm: @mariozechner/pi-coding-agent.
Is Pi good for beginners?
It’s best for developers comfortable in the terminal; Hermes is easier for non-developers.
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Last updated October 2026. This page is a living guide to hermes agent vs pi — the facts here move fast and it is updated as they do.