head to head · open source
Hermes Agent vs n8n
Hermes Agent has 246,618 GitHub stars, 51,659 forks, 41,784 open issues and last shipped today. n8n has 205,086 stars, 60,753 forks, 1,143 open issues and last shipped today. Hermes Agent leads on adoption by 20% (246,618 vs 205,086 stars). Hermes Agent is written in Python under MIT; n8n is written in TypeScript under a custom or non-standard licence. Hermes Agent has attracted 21% as many forks as stars, n8n 30%. Hermes Agent was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee. The two share 1 topic tag (ai), so they are genuine substitutes rather than adjacent tools.
Two open source projects, one decision. Both are free and self-hostable — the differences are community size, license terms, language stack and release pace.
← all 13541 open source comparisons
Side by side
| Hermes Agent | n8n | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 247K | ★ 205K |
| License | MIT | Custom / other |
| Written in | Python | TypeScript |
| Last push | 2026-09-18 | 2026-09-18 |
| Forks | ⑂ 52K | ⑂ 61K |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick Hermes Agent if
- You weight community size — 247K stars and counting
- You want the MIT license terms
- Your stack matches Python
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick n8n if
- You want the n8n feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the Custom / other license terms
- Your stack matches TypeScript
- You evaluated both and n8n fits your workflow better
About Hermes Agent
Hermes Agent is a desktop AI agent developed by Nous Research that maintains persistent memory and self improving capabilities across sessions and platforms. It operates as a local first, cross platform interface for LLMs, integrating with multiple model providers and deployment environments without vendor lock in. The agent implements a closed learning loop where it curates its own memory, creates and refines skills from experience, and supports cross session recall via full text search and summarization.
read the full Hermes Agent overview →
About n8n
n8n is a visual workflow automation platform built in TypeScript that combines a drag and drop editor with custom code execution. It lives in the integration and automation ecosystem, positioned as an open alternative to proprietary services like Zapier. Users design multi step workflows—called “n8n flows”—that connect apps, services, and custom logic to automate repetitive tasks.
More in AI & Machine Learning
Related comparisons
More AI Interaction & Interfaces projects
Compare either of these against the rest of the AI Interaction & Interfaces field.
Frequently asked questions
Is Hermes Agent or n8n more popular?
Hermes Agent has 246,618 GitHub stars and n8n has 205,086. Hermes Agent has the larger community by that measure.
Are Hermes Agent and n8n free?
Both are open source. Hermes Agent is licensed under MIT, and n8n has no licence declared in this registry. Both are free to self-host.
What is the difference between Hermes Agent and n8n?
Hermes Agent is written in Python and n8n in TypeScript. The practical differences are community size, licence terms, language stack and release cadence — all compared in the table above.
Which should I choose, Hermes Agent or n8n?
Choose Hermes Agent if you want the larger community (246,618 stars) or its MIT licence terms. Choose n8n if its feature set, stack or Custom / other licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.