Hermes vs ChatGPT is not a choice between talking and acting: both can perform tasks. Choose ChatGPT to get started quickly with questions, writing, and analysis. Choose Microsoft 365 Copilot for help with everyday Office work. Choose Hermes if you want your own agent with configurable tools and workflows. You do not have to use the same tool for everything. The comparison table and the decision tree below help you choose.
ChatGPT is OpenAI's chat interface. It is useful for ideas, explanations, and brainstorming. It can also analyze files and run Python code. For longer tasks, OpenAI offers ChatGPT Work: research and document creation. On desktop, Work can also use local files if you grant permission. Available features depend on your plan and workspace settings.
Here, Copilot means Microsoft 365 Copilot for business work. The separate consumer chat and GitHub Copilot for software development are not included. It helps with Word, Excel, Teams, and other Microsoft products. That is useful if most of your work happens there. Through agents and connectors, Copilot can also use external business data and perform actions. Your CRM or custom tools are not automatically excluded. The integration, license, and permissions determine what is possible.
Looking for GitHub Copilot instead? That is a coding assistant in your code editor. Hermes is not an editor plugin. It can, however, use a GitHub Copilot subscription as its language model. The Hermes documentation puts it this way: "Uses your GitHub Copilot subscription to access GPT-5.x, Claude, Gemini, and other models through the Copilot API."
Hermes is an open-source AI agent that is not confined to one app. It works through Telegram, Slack, Discord, WhatsApp, or desktop. A whole team can share one installation (see Hermes for teams). With the right access, the agent can read files, run scripts, and use tools.
You choose the language model, the integrations, and the skills: reusable work instructions. Hermes can also run scheduled tasks, such as a daily summary. You do not need to buy a new model. Hermes can use an existing ChatGPT or Codex subscription as its model provider. Read more in our explanation of Hermes Agent.
Memory is not exclusive to Hermes: ChatGPT can remember context and Copilot has memory settings. With Hermes, you can inspect and edit memory and skills in your own installation. That also takes configuration and maintenance. Voltti installs Hermes on a local node and provides support. A local agent does not mean every language model runs locally. If you use an external model provider, task content may be sent there.
At Voltti, we use Hermes ourselves. Our own agent can only read Search Console. It does rewrite articles directly in the CMS, and sometimes it publishes them itself. We review its work afterward and correct it where needed. Read how that works in SEO with an AI agent.
The table compares ways of working, not which model is the smartest. With ChatGPT and Copilot, check which features your account supports. With Hermes, check which tools and permissions you have configured.
| Feature | ChatGPT | Microsoft 365 Copilot | Hermes Agent |
|---|---|---|---|
Type | Chat and agent features, including Work | Assistant and agents for Microsoft 365 | AI agent you configure yourself |
Setup | Create an account and start | License and IT settings | Installation, model, and integrations to configure |
Where it works | Web, mobile, and desktop; features vary | Microsoft 365 apps and Copilot Chat | Desktop, terminal, and connected chat platforms |
File access | Uploads and connected sources; Work can use local files with permission | Microsoft 365 files and connected external sources | Permitted files and connected systems |
Use tools | Data analysis, apps, and multistep tasks through Work | Apps, agents, and connectors, including outside Microsoft | Scripts, browser, API integrations, custom skills, and scheduled tasks |
Memory | Context across conversations when memory is enabled | Saved memories and chat history, depending on settings | Memory and skills you can view; searchable sessions |
Open source | No, closed source | No, closed source | Yes, the agent code; evaluate the chosen model separately |
Self-hosting | No, the service runs at OpenAI | No, the service runs at Microsoft | Yes, on your local node; model local or external |
Torn between Hermes and ChatGPT or Copilot? Start with the first question. If the answer is yes, test that option with a real task. If not, move to the next question.
Are you a writer, marketer, or researcher who mainly wants to develop an idea or analyze a file quickly? Do you want to skip installing your own agent? Start with ChatGPT. Try Work if the task needs several steps and a finished document.
Are you a project lead or an administrator? Does your daily work mainly happen in Word, Excel, Outlook, and Teams? Start with Microsoft 365 Copilot. Check with your IT lead which work data and agents you are allowed to use.
Are you responsible for technology, or do you want to configure a recurring process across several systems? Consider Hermes if you want control over tools, model choice, and reusable workflows. Agree in advance who will handle access, updates, and checks. Our guide on how to install Hermes covers the desktop app and the terminal route.
Do none of these work styles quite fit? Do not choose a replacement yet. First compare one bounded task using the tools you already have. One example: ask each tool to create a weekly report from an approved data source. The same setup appears in retrieving marketing data with an AI agent. Then check both the figures and the output file.
Do not judge that trial on writing quality alone. Also record how much preparation and correction it takes. Check which data leaves the environment and which actions need human approval. Any tool that can write to your systems needs limited permissions, regardless of its brand.
Read more about the distinction in our article AI agent vs chatbot. Or see what Hermes can do for businesses.
Yes. ChatGPT is still useful for quick questions and brainstorming, and it can perform tasks too. You can use Hermes alongside it for configured workflows on your own node. Hermes can even use your ChatGPT or Codex subscription as its language model. Choose per task; you do not need to switch completely.
For recurring work, it can. Hermes performs tasks with your own tools, saves workflows as skills, and runs scheduled tasks. If you just want to ask a quick question without any setup, ChatGPT stays simpler. Switching does not have to mean a new language model: Hermes can use your existing ChatGPT or Codex subscription. Test one real task in both first.
Not automatically. Microsoft 365 Copilot is a logical first choice if most of your work happens in Office and Teams. It can also work with external sources and agents, as long as your license and IT settings allow it. Compare the integrations and permissions you need before choosing another tool. Test one real task in both before you decide.
You cannot tell from the license price alone. Compare subscriptions, model usage, hardware, setup, and support for the same task. A subscription you already have can also serve as the model for Hermes, and that changes the comparison. Voltti prepares a custom quote. Without that comparison, there is no basis for claiming Hermes is cheaper or more expensive for your team.
Hermes can use Microsoft services through configured integrations and granted permissions. It is not an add-in for Word or Excel, so it does not live inside those apps the way Microsoft 365 Copilot does. Hermes works from chat, desktop, or terminal and acts through the connections you set up. You need to test which actions each integration supports.
Partly. According to the Hermes documentation, the agent can use a ChatGPT, Codex, or GitHub Copilot subscription as its language model. That does not make Microsoft 365 Copilot part of Hermes. Office integrations still depend on the connections and permissions you configure. Check the usage limits of your plan before you rely on it for daily tasks.
