Hermes Agent is a personal agent; Windsurf is a ide / editor: different tools for different jobs. Here is what each is for, how they differ, and when to run each (or both). Vote for your favorite.
Either way, you pay for the model calls. A median coding-agent day on our gateway is 95 requests and 8.6 million tokens. The table prices every step at one model’s rate.
Hermes Agent runs on Standard Compute, where each step goes to the cheapest model that can do it: routine steps go to efficient open models, hard ones to frontier models such as Claude Fable 5.1 or GPT-6 Astra.
| Model | Typical day | Busy day |
|---|---|---|
| Claude Opus 5.5 | $7.34 | $59.10 |
| Claude Sonnet 5.5 | $3.67 | $29.55 |
| GPT-6 Luna | $0.23 | $2.43 |
Fixed monthly plans from $19. Eligible new accounts can try $0.25 of compute first, no card. Trial terms
Pick a winner in each category. You can change your vote anytime. 1 vote cast so far.
HermesWindsurfChoose Hermes Agent if you are power users who want a long-running personal agent that learns and compounds. Choose Windsurf if you are developers who want an affordable AI editor with agentic capabilities.
In our editorial scoring, Hermes Agent leads in 3 of six categories (autonomy, reliability and value), while Windsurf leads in 2 (speed and ease of use). On price, Hermes Agent runs free (mit) / models via standard compute and is open source; Windsurf runs free / $20 pro / $200 max (as devin desktop) and is proprietary.
Across 1 community votes on this matchup, Hermes Agent currently leads in 1 of six categories. Cast your own vote above to move the needle.
What it costs to run Hermes
Best API for Hermes →
6 options compared, with prices and limits
Standard Compute sends each step to the cheapest model that can do it, on providers we vet for price, uptime and speed. Plans start at $19 a month, and eligible new accounts can try $0.25 of compute with no card. Choose your agent below to connect.
See the trial and activation steps →
More on Hermes: How Much Does Hermes Agent Cost to Run? · How do I use Gemini in Hermes Agent?
Hermes Agent is Nous Research's open-source autonomous agent, released in February 2026 under the MIT license. Its defining feature is a built-in learning loop: after completing complex tasks it writes its own reusable skills, improves them with use, and builds persistent cross-session memory of you and your projects. It runs self-hosted (from a $5 VPS to a GPU cluster), works with 200+ models, and is reachable from the CLI or 20+ messaging platforms including Telegram, Discord, Slack, and WhatsApp.
Windsurf began as Codeium's AI-first code editor, known for its Cascade agent. Cognition (the company behind Devin) bought it in 2025, and since June 2026 it ships as Devin Desktop, "the next generation of Windsurf": an agent command center with a built-in VS Code-style IDE; windsurf.com now redirects there. Plans are shared with Devin: Free, Pro at $20 a month and Max at $200, each with a usage allowance that refreshes daily and weekly, and extra usage billed at API prices.
Hermes Agent runs on Standard Compute
