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Matt compares OpenClaw and Hermes Agent as open source assistants you can run on a server and contact through chat apps. His recommendation favors Hermes for a personal assistant and recurring work, while OpenClaw suits people who want a web dashboard, ready-made skills and more provider configuration.
The main distinction is how each handles skills. Matt says Hermes Curator, introduced in version .12 in April 2026, automatically records solutions and maintains skills from the agent's work. OpenClaw's Skill Workshop arrived in June 2026 and requires approval for each new skill. He presents OpenClaw's ClawHub catalog as its advantage for getting started with existing integrations. Hermes is CLI first; its dashboard is an optional install.
The hosting discussion covers Hostinger VPS templates and self-hosted installs on Linux or macOS hardware, including a Mac mini or Raspberry Pi. Matt describes the hardware route as more technical. Both support Ollama for local models, alongside hosted model providers.
Costs depend on the server and model chosen. Matt argues that Hermes can reduce spending on repeated tasks through saved skills, rather than lower per-turn model prices. He also discusses reported vulnerabilities in both projects, sandbox options and the risks of granting an agent access to a daily-use computer. His advice is to keep versions updated and choose trusted skill publishers.
