head to head · open source
Hermes Agent vs Ptero
Hermes Agent has 246,492 GitHub stars, 51,615 forks, 41,784 open issues and last shipped yesterday. Ptero has 1,256 stars, 14 forks, 0 open issues and last shipped 3 days ago. Hermes Agent leads on adoption by 19,525% (246,492 vs 1,256 stars). Hermes Agent is written in Python under MIT; Ptero is written in PHP under Apache-2.0. Hermes Agent has attracted 21% as many forks as stars, Ptero 1%. 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.
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Side by side
| Hermes Agent | Ptero | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 246K | ★ 1.3K |
| License | MIT | Apache-2.0 |
| Written in | Python | PHP |
| Last push | 2026-09-17 | 2026-09-15 |
| Forks | ⑂ 52K | ⑂ 14 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick Hermes Agent if
- You weight community size — 246K stars and counting
- You want the MIT license terms
- Your stack matches Python
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick Ptero if
- You want the Ptero feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the Apache-2.0 license terms
- Your stack matches PHP
- You evaluated both and Ptero 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 Ptero
Ptero is a free, open source AI chat platform that provides access to multiple large language models through a single, clean interface. It is designed for developers, students, and creators who value privacy and simplicity, and it requires no signup to use. The project lives in the PHP and JavaScript ecosystem: the frontend is built with JavaScript, HTML, and CSS, while the backend uses PHP and a REST API, primarily for its WordPress integration. It sits in the AI and Machine Learning category, specifically under AI Interaction and Interfaces.
read the full Ptero overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is Hermes Agent or Ptero more popular?
Hermes Agent has 246,492 GitHub stars and Ptero has 1,256. Hermes Agent has the larger community by that measure.
Are Hermes Agent and Ptero free?
Both are open source. Hermes Agent is licensed under MIT and Ptero under Apache-2.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between Hermes Agent and Ptero?
Hermes Agent is written in Python and Ptero in PHP. 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 Ptero?
Choose Hermes Agent if you want the larger community (246,492 stars) or its MIT licence terms. Choose Ptero if its feature set, stack or Apache-2.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.