# The Hermes Playbook > Run Hermes Agent on infrastructure you control with models, profiles, Bot Screen, messaging, schedules, skills and explicit approval gates. Canonical page (authoritative, may be newer than this text): https://www.ential.com/playbooks/hermes --- All playbooks AGENTS Updated October 2026 Your own chief of staff. Open source. Run it where you choose. Hermes is an open-source AI agent you can run on your own machine or server. This playbook covers the current v0.21.5 release, local models, profiles, Bot Screen, messaging, subscription and API options, and the automations that run Ential and the Drake household. [Start reading](#what-is-hermes) Ryan Drake Founder, Ential · Updated October 2026 · 8 min read Listen Read with… WHAT'S INSIDE 01 What Is Hermes? 02 Why It Matters 03 Hermes vs Claude Cowork 04 What The Latest Release Added 05 How To Get Started 06 The Setup 07 The Model Strategy 08 Your Business On Autopilot 09 Your Personal Life On Autopilot 10 Have It Installed For You ## 01. What Is Hermes? AN OPEN-SOURCE AI AGENT THAT LIVES ON YOUR MACHINE AND ACTUALLY DOES THE WORK. Every AI tool you use in a temporary thread starts with a context problem. Hermes is built around persistence. It is an open-source agent that runs on your machine or server, takes real action through tools, and reports back through the terminal, desktop or a messaging gateway spanning 21+ platforms when native and plugin channels are counted together. The difference from a normal AI assistant is agency. A chatbot answers a question and forgets you. Hermes holds context about you, your business, and your family, then runs recurring work on a schedule without being asked. Think of it less as a tool and more as a chief of staff that never sleeps. Everything in this playbook is a real, running Hermes setup. At Ential it shows up as Donna: the assistant that runs the morning brief, triages the pipeline, plans date night, and keeps the books honest. By the end you will have the same operating pattern on infrastructure you choose. "Your agent. Your machine. Your rules. Your choice of model provider." Runs 24/7 on your own computer or a server Connects to email, calendar, CRM, project tools, and messaging apps Runs recurring jobs on a schedule (briefs, reviews, reminders) Supports subscriptions, API providers and local open models Self-hosted runtime. Model and connector choices still determine where data goes Extensible with skills for anything you do more than once #### Official documentation [Hermes Agent documentation](https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs) [Hermes Agent GitHub](https://github.com/NousResearch/hermes-agent) ### Unlock the Other 9 Chapters Free with your email. Each new playbook lands in your inbox the day it ships. Email address Unlock the Playbook You also join Workflow, the Ential newsletter. Unsubscribe anytime. 02 Why It Matters 03 Hermes vs Claude Cowork 04 What The Latest Release Added 05 How To Get Started 06 The Setup 07 The Model Strategy 08 Your Business On Autopilot 09 Your Personal Life On Autopilot 10 Have It Installed For You ## Choose The Right Agent Start with the job, the interface you will actually use, and the data boundary you can defend. Prices and access below are current as at 4 October 2026. AGENT BEST FOR INTERFACE RUNS WHERE AUTONOMY ACCESS AND PRICE DATA AND CONTROL [Grok Bot](/playbooks/grok-bot) Cloud teams and software work Bot app, desktop and connected tools A shared cloud computer Always on, specialist bots can hand work off Cursor Pro from US$20/mo or SuperGrok from US$30/mo Vendor-hosted, bots share the computer and its signed-in sessions [Instinct](/playbooks/instinct) Personal errands, shopping and persistent chases Text, phone call and one continuing conversation Instinct-managed phones and computers Persistent personal operator with proactive follow-up Private access, no public first-party price as at 4 Oct 2026 Vendor-hosted, broad optional access to personal apps and device context [HermesReading now](/playbooks/hermes) A custom agent you can operate and extend yourself Terminal, desktop and 21+ messaging platforms Your Mac, Linux machine, server or supported cloud host Schedules, subagents, skills, memory and multi-profile teams Open source, model, subscription and hosting costs are separate Self-hosted by default, control depends on the model and connectors you choose [ChatGPT Dots](/playbooks/chatgpt-dots) Ongoing knowledge work inside the ChatGPT ecosystem ChatGPT, Slack, Teams, voice and limited SMS beta OpenAI cloud computer plus connected environments Always-on primary dot that learns from feedback and delegates work First dot included with eligible Pro or Business Premium plans OpenAI-hosted, permissions and approval boundaries require active review [Meta Muse](/playbooks/meta-muse) Personal assistance and small-business back-office work Muse app, Mac and connected business services Meta cloud systems with optional Mac connectors Background goals, calls, browsing and connector-driven tasks Free limited tier, Power US$20/mo, Maximum US$100/mo Meta-hosted, connector permissions are optional and revocable SKIP THE BUILD ## Have Donna Installed In Your Life And Business Donna is this exact Hermes setup, done for you. We install and tune your models, your channels, your business tools, and the personal automations that matter, around how you actually work, until it just runs. Your models and channels wired up and signed in Business tools connected: inbox, calendar, CRM, the books Personal automations set: briefs, reviews, date night, reminders Tuned until it just works, then it runs on autopilot $3,990 to set up, plus $99 a month to keep her running. An executive assistant costs $85,000 a year. Donna’s first year costs roughly 4 weeks of one, and she never resigns. See what Donna can do ## More Playbooks View all AGENTS ### The Grok Bot Playbook Read playbook AGENTS ### The Instinct Playbook Read playbook AGENTS ### The ChatGPT Dots Playbook Read playbook --- Ential Pty Ltd (ABN 30 408 729 275) · hello@ential.com · https://www.ential.com