Herald and Hermes-Relay side by side
| Feature | Herald | Hermes-Relay |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $12.99 once on Google Play | Free |
| Devices | Android, plus iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and CarPlay | Android 8.0 or later, plus a desktop CLI for your computers |
| What it connects to | Hermes through hermes serve, with dashboard sign-in | The Hermes dashboard and gateway, plus an optional Relay plugin |
| Pairing | npx herald-setup prints a QR code | Find Hermes on your LAN, or scan QR codes from the dashboard’s Relay page |
| Voice | On-device wake word, hands-free conversation, read-aloud | Hands-free voice through your server; an experimental realtime engine with the plugin |
| Android integration | Share sheet and a Hermes Pet ongoing notification | Voice overlay over other apps; can be your digital assistant |
| Phone control | No | Sideload build only, with accessibility permission |
| Terminal | No; Bot Screen shows a bot’s Linux desktop | Terminal and TUI with the plugin |
| Several computers in one roster | Yes | Not described in its listing |
| Group chats across computers | Yes | Not described in its listing |
| Push notifications | Optional, with the hermes-bot-push plugin | With the Relay plugin |
| Managing Hermes | Model per bot, plugins, skills, MCP, kanban and schedules | Models, provider keys, profiles, skills and automations |
Choose Hermes-Relay if…
- You want a free, MIT-licensed Android app. It had 4.6 stars on Google Play when we checked.
- You want to start with plain Hermes: chat, sessions, management and standard voice use the unmodified dashboard and gateway.
- You want a terminal and TUI on your phone, or a desktop CLI that gives Hermes tools on another machine with your consent.
- You want Hermes as your Android digital assistant, or a voice overlay you can bring up over other apps.
- You want Hermes to operate your phone. That needs the sideload build from GitHub and accessibility permission; the Google Play build can’t tap, type or swipe.
Choose Herald if…
- You run Hermes on more than one computer and want every bot in one roster.
- You want group chats where bots @mention each other, even across computers.
- You want a wake word that runs on the phone: say “Hey Herald” and talk.
- You also use an iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch or CarPlay. Herald runs on all of them, and the App Store version is a separate purchase.
- You want approvals, kanban and schedules in one app.
Setup and requirements
Hermes-Relay starts from the Hermes dashboard, hermes dashboard. Without its plugin, you choose Find Hermes on LAN or type the dashboard address, normally on port 9119. For the full experience you install the Hermes-Relay plugin on the host, refresh the dashboard and scan two QR codes from its Relay page: one adds the standard connection, the other grants a time-limited Relay session for the extra features you approve. For remote access, its site recommends Tailscale.
Herald needs one command on the computer, npx herald-setup. It secures the dashboard with a username and password, starts hermes serve if needed, uses Tailscale when it is installed and prints a QR code. Push needs the hermes-bot-push plugin; chat doesn’t.
Price
Hermes-Relay is free and open source. Herald costs $12.99 once on Google Play, with no subscription or in-app purchases. The App Store version is a separate purchase covering iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and CarPlay.
Questions
Does Hermes-Relay need its plugin?
No. Standard Hermes works without it. The plugin adds the terminal, notifications, media handoff, enhanced voice, Relay sessions and desktop tools.
What’s the difference between its Google Play and sideload builds?
The Google Play build has chat, voice, sessions, management, notifications and, with the plugin, the terminal. Device control, which lets Hermes read the screen, tap and type, is only in the signed sideload build on GitHub.
Is Hermes-Relay the same as “Hermes Relay” in the Hermes docs?
No. Hermes’s documentation describes an experimental connector system called Hermes Relay that fronts chat platforms. Hermes-Relay by Axiom-Labs is a separate community Android app.
Can I use both apps?
Yes. Both talk to the Hermes on your computer, so you can keep Hermes-Relay for its terminal or assistant features and use Herald day to day, or the other way round.
