Choose DeployHermes if
- You want agents working while your computer is off, without keeping a machine running.
- You would rather sign up than install a runtime and keep it updated.
- You want a hosted task board, decisions and a workspace run receipt.
All comparisonsCompare
DeployHermes vs self-hosting OpenClaw
OpenClaw is open-source software you can run on your computer or cloud infrastructure. DeployHermes is a hosted workspace built on it. Same engine, different amount of work for you.
Checked on Nov 11, 2026 · Sources
The short answer
Self-hosting OpenClaw has no software license fee and lets you choose where to run it. DeployHermes costs $99 a month and manages the runtime, task board and decisions for you. If you enjoy operating your own stack, self-host. If you want a hosted workspace, start here.
Choose Self-hosting OpenClaw if
- You want the source under the MIT license, to read, fork and change.
- You want to choose where state, memory and credentials are stored.
- You need chat apps beyond the web and Telegram, or you run local models.
At a glance
DeployHermes is better on 2 of 8 topics, Self-hosting OpenClaw on 5, and 1 is a tie. Topics where self-hosting wins are marked on its side.
| Topic | DeployHermes | Self-hosting OpenClaw |
|---|---|---|
| Setup | Better here: DeployHermes. Nothing to install. Sign up, connect your AI, add an agent. | A one-line installer, then onboarding. The npm path needs Node 24.16.0+ on 24.x or 26.1.0+. |
| Price | $99 a month for the workspace, plus your own model usage. | Better here: self-hosting. The software is MIT licensed and free. The OpenClaw Foundation lists no paid tier, hosted service or token. You pay for your hardware and your model usage. |
| Source code | A hosted service. You use it, you do not change the runtime. | Better here: self-hosting. MIT license, so you can read, fork and modify everything. |
| Where your data lives | Execution uses a private runtime. Workspace records, memory and encrypted credentials are stored in our hosted Convex control plane. | Better here: self-hosting. On infrastructure you manage; prompts still go to the model providers and chat platforms you configure. |
| Working while you are away | Better here: DeployHermes. A private server per workspace that keeps working while your computer is off. | Runs on your computer, a cloud server or VPS that you provision and operate. |
| Chat apps | The web app and Telegram. | Better here: self-hosting. Discord, iMessage, Slack, Teams, Telegram, WhatsApp, Google Chat, Signal and 20+ more. |
| AI providers | ChatGPT, Grok or OpenRouter sign-in, or an API key for Claude, Gemini, OpenRouter and others. A Claude or Gemini subscription cannot be used here. | Better here: self-hosting. Hosted and local providers. Models and harnesses are plugins you can swap, and local models work. |
| Approvals and records | Approval gates, decisions and a receipt for every run, built in. | Built-in exec approvals and allowlists. Host tools need separately configured sandboxing. |
Sources
Claims about Self-hosting OpenClaw come from the pages below, read on Nov 11, 2026. Projects change, so check them before you decide.
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