How Hermes gets into Messages
Hermes Agent’s messaging gateway supports iMessage in two ways. BlueBubbles is a free, open-source server you run on a Mac that stays on, signed in to Messages with your Apple ID. Photon is a managed service that handles the iMessage line for you; its free tier uses a shared pool of numbers, and a paid Business tier gives you a dedicated one.
Either way, your agent shows up as a conversation in Messages on every Apple device you own, including Apple Watch. For quick questions, that convenience is hard to beat.
iMessage and Herald side by side
| Feature | Herald | iMessage (gateway) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $12.99 once | BlueBubbles is free; Photon has a free tier and a paid Business tier |
| What you need | Herald, and npx herald-setup on the computer | An always-on Mac with BlueBubbles, or a Photon account and a phone number |
| Formatting | Markdown, code blocks with Copy, HTML and SVG preview | Plain text: Markdown is stripped |
| Streaming replies | Yes | No |
| Approvals | Approval cards, optional push | /approve and /deny in the chat |
| Voice | Voice notes, on-device wake word, read-aloud | Photon: transcription and spoken replies. BlueBubbles: audio as attachments |
| Reactions and typing | Live tool activity and presence dots | Tapbacks and typing (BlueBubbles needs its Private API helper) |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, CarPlay and Android | iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Watch, through Messages |
| Where messages travel | Phone straight to your computer | Through Apple’s iMessage service, and Photon’s servers if you use Photon |
Stay with iMessage if…
- You want your agent in the Messages app you already use, on iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Watch.
- You mostly send quick questions and short replies, where plain text is fine.
- You already have a Mac that stays on, or you’re happy with Photon’s free shared line.
- You want people you trust to text the same agent. Hermes sends new senders a pairing code that you approve.
Add Herald when…
- You want replies with formatting, code blocks you can copy and HTML or SVG previews, streamed as they are written.
- You want approval cards before risky tool runs, with an optional push.
- You run several bots or computers and want them all in one roster, with group chats where bots talk to each other.
- You want to talk hands-free with “Hey Herald”, or by voice in CarPlay.
- You don’t want to keep a Mac signed in to Messages just for your agent.
Set up iMessage with BlueBubbles
- Install BlueBubbles Server
On a Mac that stays on, install it from bluebubbles.app, sign in with your Apple ID and choose a connection method.
- Copy the server URL and password
Find both in BlueBubbles Server → Settings → API.
- Connect Hermes
Choose BlueBubbles (iMessage) and enter the URL and password.
hermes gateway setup - Approve yourself and start
Message your iMessage line, approve the pairing code you get back, then start the gateway.
hermes pairing approve bluebubbles <code> hermes gateway run
Photon, and adding Herald
Rather not run a Mac relay? Photon’s setup is hermes photon setup --phone <your number>, or pick Photon iMessage in hermes gateway setup. It signs you in, creates a project and prints the iMessage number you text to reach your agent.
Herald doesn’t need the gateway at all. On the computer running Hermes, npx herald-setup sets a dashboard username and password, starts hermes serve if needed, uses Tailscale when it is installed and prints a QR code to scan. Your iMessage line keeps working alongside it.
Price
BlueBubbles is free, and Photon’s shared-line tier is free to start, with a paid Business tier for a dedicated number. Herald is $12.99 once, with no subscription; one App Store purchase covers iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and CarPlay.
Questions
Do I need a Mac for iMessage with Hermes?
For BlueBubbles, yes: a Mac that stays on and is signed in to Messages. Photon is a managed alternative that needs no Mac relay.
Why do Hermes replies look plain in iMessage?
The gateway strips Markdown for clean plain-text delivery, and replies arrive whole rather than streaming. Herald renders Markdown and code blocks and streams replies as they are written.
Does Herald work on Apple Watch like Messages does?
Herald’s Watch app shows your roster, each bot’s status, the latest message and Hermes Pet. Replying happens on the iPhone or by voice in CarPlay. If you want to reply from your wrist, Messages through the gateway does that well.
Can I keep iMessage and use Herald?
Yes. They run side by side: Herald talks to Hermes directly, and the gateway keeps handling iMessage.
