# deer-flow vs Hermes Agent
_Autonomous Agents · independent comparison_

> deer-flow and Hermes Agent are both open-source autonomous agents you can self-host for free. Hermes Agent has wider GitHub adoption — 248k stars vs 83k. Neither is universally better — pick by fit.

## Side by side

**deer-flow**
- Open source · Agent · 83k★ · Python · MIT · active today
- Best for: Orchestrating sub-agents, memory, and sandboxes through one extensible skill system.
- Avoid if: You built on DeerFlow 1.x — version 2 is a ground-up rewrite that shares no code.
- [listing](https://agentsearchengine.app/agents/deer-flow) · [official](https://deerflow.tech)

**Hermes Agent**
- Open source · Agent · 248k★ · Python · MIT · active today
- Best for: People who want a persistent personal agent on their own server that improves the more it is used.
- Avoid if: You want a sandboxed assistant; it runs shell commands on the machine it is installed on.
- [listing](https://agentsearchengine.app/agents/hermes-agent) · [official](https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com)

## Key differences

- Hermes Agent has wider GitHub adoption — 248k stars vs 83k.

## Which to choose

**Choose deer-flow if:** Orchestrating sub-agents, memory, and sandboxes through one extensible skill system.

**Choose Hermes Agent if:** People who want a persistent personal agent on their own server that improves the more it is used.

## FAQ

**What's the main difference between deer-flow and Hermes Agent?**
Hermes Agent has wider GitHub adoption — 248k stars vs 83k.

**Is deer-flow or Hermes Agent better?**
Neither is universally better. deer-flow is the stronger fit for Orchestrating sub-agents, memory, and sandboxes through one extensible skill system; Hermes Agent for People who want a persistent personal agent on their own server that improves the more it is used. Use the side-by-side specs to decide by your own constraints.

**Is deer-flow or Hermes Agent free?**
deer-flow is free to run and self-host; Hermes Agent is free to run and self-host. Both are free to self-host — you only pay for the infrastructure and any model or API usage.

**Which is more popular, deer-flow or Hermes Agent?**
By GitHub stars — a proxy for open-source adoption — Hermes Agent is ahead (248k vs 83k). Stars measure attention, not necessarily the better fit for you.

---
Source: [Agent Search Engine](https://agentsearchengine.app) — https://agentsearchengine.app/compare/deer-flow-vs-hermes-agent