Switch from Hermes Agent to Task Machine
Hermes Agent coordinates named agent profiles through a Kanban board. Task Machine gives people and agents shared Tasks with plans, review and an Inbox for decisions.
Prefer the side-by-side comparison?Why people switch
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Boards trust one host
The Kanban docs use a trusted local-user model and describe the board as single-host by design. That boundary matters when you want to move shared work beyond your own installation.
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Workflow routing is unfinished
Kanban reserves workflow-template routing fields for a future version. Its documented kernel ignores those fields for routing, so do not treat them as an executable workflow definition.
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Scheduled work needs upkeep
For a self-hosted installation, agent-backed scheduled jobs need a running gateway. A scheduler tick skips them when the gateway is down.
What maps to what
Every answer links to its source and shows when we last checked it. The oldest check on this page was November 15, 2026.
| Area | In Hermes Agent | In Task Machine |
|---|---|---|
| Tasks |
In Hermes Agent
Kanban cards assign work to a named agent profile and keep comments and dependencies. People and agents can both add comments. |
In Task Machine
A person or an agent owns each Task. Its plan, discussion, decisions, runs and history stay together, so people and agents hand work over on the same record. |
| Recurring work |
In Hermes Agent
Cron jobs run once or recur, with their own instructions, skills and delivery settings. You can pause, edit or resume a job. |
In Task Machine
Start a Task or Workflow once or on a repeat in your timezone. A recurring job keeps one stable root Task and gives each occurrence its own status and history. |
| Approval |
In Hermes Agent
Manual mode prompts for dangerous commands. You can keep permanent allowlist entries, and messaging approvals show the command in the chat. |
In Task Machine
Consequential decisions land in your Inbox with context. Set each agent's actions to Ask first or Automatic, and add a Human approval step before publishing a report. |
| Memory |
In Hermes Agent
Persistent notes and user preferences carry across sessions. Journey commands and the desktop panel let you inspect, edit or delete learned notes. |
In Task Machine
Agents carry relevant lessons from your corrections into later work. Notes belong to an agent, Project, Goal, Team or workspace, and you can read, correct and restore them. |
| Connections |
In Hermes Agent
A curated Model Context Protocol catalog and custom local or remote servers make external tools available to the agent. |
In Task Machine
Install a service from the Connectors catalog or add a custom connection through an API, a command-line tool or Model Context Protocol. Assign it to the agents that need it. |
| Hosting |
In Hermes Agent
Use the local desktop or terminal agent, or choose optional Hermes Cloud for a hosted instance with a persistent workspace and dashboard. |
In Task Machine
Run agents in Managed Cloud with nothing to install, or connect a Local Worker on a computer you control for local files, tools and accounts. |
| Pricing |
In Hermes Agent
The MIT-licensed agent is free. Model providers and optional hosted services have their own pricing, so the free core is not an all-in hosted service price. |
In Task Machine
Usage based, from $29 a month before tax. The whole payment becomes usage that your workspace shares, with no base fee. |
A fact we cannot find or cannot check is left out, and prices can change after the date shown. Task Machine publishes this comparison and is an interested party. Hermes Agent is named only to identify it, and there is no relationship between the two companies. Has something changed? Tell us.
You may stay with Hermes Agent if
You may stay with Hermes Agent by Nous Research if you want a free MIT-licensed agent you can run yourself and reach through desktop, terminal or messaging apps. Its Kanban board already coordinates specialist profiles through dependencies and review. Keep a working installation if that fits your jobs, rather than rebuilding just to add agents.
What you give up
You move from Hermes's own interfaces and files to a workspace where Tasks and Inbox hold the work. Task Machine's docs do not describe importing Hermes boards, session histories or skill files. Rebuilding instructions, reconnecting tools and checking each handoff takes time. Keep Hermes for jobs that still depend on its messaging interfaces.
There is no trial. Your first payment funds usage, and unsuccessful attempts still consume it. Read Billing before moving a recurring job.
How the switch works
- Keep a backup of your Hermes data directory, as its home page recommends. Use the Desktop board control's export option for each board you need, and retain original project files. Save the memory and user-preference files as reference material, not as an automatic import.
- Create your workspace and connect the services one selected job needs. Put reviewed reference material in the Library, keeping credentials in Vault. Use Managed Cloud or set up a separate Local Worker, rather than pointing Task Machine at Hermes as a worker.
- Recreate that job as a Task, or use a Playbook and adapt its Workflow. Translate profile instructions and dependency handoffs into explicit Workflow steps, with named outputs and checks.
- Start with Supervised autonomy. Test copied inputs and put a Human approval before sending, publishing or changing an external record. Compare the result with your old job before allowing live actions.
- Before enabling the replacement's schedule, pause the corresponding Hermes cron job. Pausing prevents future scheduled fires but does not stop a run already executing, so let that run finish or handle it separately before switching live writes.
Common questions
Can I bring my Hermes data with me?
Keep the data-directory backup and board exports as your archive. Review the useful instructions and notes, then put reference material in the Library. Task Machine's docs do not describe importing Hermes's board or session formats.
How do the costs compare?
The Hermes core is free, with model providers and optional hosting priced separately. Task Machine's pricing is usage based, from $29 a month before tax, with no base fee and no trial. Compare the usage of one representative job, including execution and connections, rather than assuming the move saves money. You keep 100% of your revenue, Task Machine takes no cut, and never custodies your accounts.
Will Task Machine run my existing Hermes agent?
No. Recreate its responsibilities in Task Machine agents. A Local Worker connects your computer to Task Machine, not your Hermes installation. Keep Hermes running separately only for jobs you have not moved.
Do I need to move everything at once?
Move one recurring report or review first. Keep the old job's instructions and archive until the replacement has produced an acceptable result. Use Hermes's pause control before the replacement starts making live changes, and check for an existing run separately.