Which one should you use?
Start with the app and account you already have. These picks are editorial suggestions based on the documented setup requirements. Not sure? Get a setup plan in five questions.
- Only you, on your phone
Use Create with QR in the dashboard or Desktop (Messaging → Telegram), or create the bot manually with your numeric user ID.
- Your team already uses a chat app
Slack / Discord / Microsoft Teams / Google Chat
Use the app your team already uses. Check app installation rights first.
- Privacy first
Signal / SimpleX Chat (opens in a new tab) / Matrix
Signal is end-to-end encrypted between devices. signal-cli on your computer decrypts messages so Hermes can read them. Your Hermes host, model provider and tools see what you send. Alternatives include SimpleX (no persistent user IDs) and Matrix with encryption enabled.
- iPhone and iMessage
Photon (iMessage) / BlueBubbles (iMessage)
Photon is a third-party managed iMessage service, with no Mac needed. Messages pass through its service. Its free shared-line pool can show different sending numbers to different recipients; a dedicated number is a paid tier. BlueBubbles uses your own Mac, which must stay on and signed into Messages.
- WhatsApp for a business
Meta's official route needs a business account and a public HTTPS address. Hermes handles direct chats only and can reply freely only within 24 hours of the sender's last message. The guide starts with a private bot for you and named staff; review tool access before letting customers use it.
- Personal WhatsApp
The unofficial Baileys bridge has account restriction risk. The docs recommend a dedicated number.
- Self-hosted chat
Matrix / Mattermost (opens in a new tab)
Connect a bot to your homeserver or team server. Matrix needs a Linux or WSL2 adapter, or the documented Linux-container Proxy Mode for a native macOS or Windows agent.
- A browser chat window
Hermes Webapp (browser and phone) (opens in a new tab) / Dashboard Chat tab (opens in a new tab) / Open WebUI + API server
Hermes Webapp and Dashboard Chat are first-party browser routes. Open WebUI is a third-party interface to the API server. Tools run on the Hermes host.
- Your team uses regional apps
Feishu / Lark (opens in a new tab) / DingTalk (opens in a new tab) / WeCom (Enterprise WeChat) (opens in a new tab) / LINE (opens in a new tab)
Each needs an organization or developer account on that platform; compare the requirements before choosing.
- Texting without another app
SMS (Twilio) (opens in a new tab)
SMS through Twilio needs a public callback URL and has provider charges.
- Just alerts
Subscribe to a topic for push replies. It can also accept prompts; protect topic access.
- Scripts and other tools
Webhooks (opens in a new tab) / Open WebUI + API server / A2A (Agent-to-Agent) (opens in a new tab)
Webhooks receive signed events, the API server accepts client requests, and A2A exchanges tasks with other agents.
Before you pick
- One gateway can connect several platforms. Configure one app first, then add others to the same gateway. Conversations have their own sessions.
- The computer must stay on. Replies need an awake, networked host and any required gateway, bridge or daemon. The bot is silent while the host sleeps. Desktop has Settings → Advanced → Keep computer awake for long runs, but closing the lid or choosing Sleep still sleeps the machine. An always-on host is another option.
- Choose who can use it. An allowlist is a list of approved user or chat IDs. Pairing is another option: an unknown person gets a one-time code, and you approve it on your computer. A code alone grants nothing. Some platforms suppress codes when an allowlist is set; WhatsApp's bridge can still send them by default. Access rules do not limit the agent's tools; configure tools and approvals separately.
- Decide where scheduled results go. A job you create in a chat normally reports back there. A job you create in the terminal saves its result on the computer. Use
/sethomein a supported chat to make it the default for a platform-only delivery target. Check delivery separately from task completion. - Start with
hermes gateway setup. The official setup command walks through platform selection. Keep bot tokens secret and configure access before inviting other people.
How the messaging gateway works · Run Hermes Agent 24/7 · Official gateway docs (opens in a new tab)
All platforms
Built-in: ships with Hermes. Catalog plugin: install it first (Home Assistant). Experimental: its contracts can change. Unofficial bridge: WhatsApp's Baileys route, with its documented account restriction risk. Difficulty is our estimate of credential, admin, dependency and network setup effort, not an installation time.
Personal chat
Telegram
Chat with Hermes through a Telegram bot, with text, attachments and voice notes.
The overview lists: voice, images, files, threads, typing, streaming.
Feature note: The official overview table doesn't mark reactions, but the Telegram page describes them. Source for the Telegram feature note (opens in a new tab)
Telegram setup guideOfficial docs for Telegram (opens in a new tab)
WhatsApp (Baileys bridge)
An unofficial linked WhatsApp Web session through a managed Node bridge.
The overview lists: images, files, typing, streaming.
Feature note: The official overview table doesn't mark voice, but the WhatsApp page describes voice transcription and spoken replies sent as attachments. Source for the WhatsApp (Baileys bridge) feature note (opens in a new tab)
Feature note: The Cloud API comparison says the bridge has no read receipts or typing indicators. The bridge page describes optional read receipts, and the overview lists typing indicators. Check the individual feature instructions for your setup. Source for the WhatsApp (Baileys bridge) feature note (opens in a new tab)
WhatsApp (Baileys bridge) setup guideOfficial docs for WhatsApp (Baileys bridge) (opens in a new tab)
WhatsApp Business Cloud API
Meta official WhatsApp Business messaging via signed inbound webhooks and Graph API outbound.
The overview lists: voice, images, files, typing.
WhatsApp Business Cloud API setup guideOfficial docs for WhatsApp Business Cloud API (opens in a new tab)
Signal
Chat through an external signal-cli daemon, which passes messages to Hermes.
The overview lists: images, files, typing.
Feature note: The official overview table doesn't mark voice or reactions, but the Signal page describes audio messages and reactions. Source for the Signal feature note (opens in a new tab)
Signal setup guideOfficial docs for Signal (opens in a new tab)
SMS (Twilio)
Standard SMS conversations backed by Twilio webhooks and outbound REST sends.
The overview does not list these media and interaction features. See the platform docs for text and event handling.
Email
Send tasks to a dedicated inbox and receive threaded email replies.
The overview lists: images, files, threads.
Email setup guideOfficial docs for Email (opens in a new tab)
Team and work chat
Discord
A Discord bot for DMs, server channels, threads and voice.
The overview lists: voice, images, files, threads, reactions, typing, streaming.
Discord setup guideOfficial docs for Discord (opens in a new tab)
Slack
Chat through a Slack bot using an outbound connection, without a public callback URL.
The overview lists: voice, images, files, threads, reactions, typing, streaming.
Slack setup guideOfficial docs for Slack (opens in a new tab)
Google Chat
Chat through a Google Workspace app using a Cloud Pub/Sub pull subscription.
The overview lists: images, files, threads, typing.
Feature note: The overview lists images and files. Native file uploads need each user to complete
/setup-filesOAuth, which grants the required Google account permission. Without it, Hermes uses inline links and download cards. Source for the Google Chat feature note (opens in a new tab)Google Chat setup guideOfficial docs for Google Chat (opens in a new tab)
Microsoft Teams
A Teams bot receiving Bot Framework webhook messages and replying in Teams.
The overview lists: images, threads, typing.
Microsoft Teams setup guideOfficial docs for Microsoft Teams (opens in a new tab)
Raft
Receive Raft wake notifications, then let Hermes read and reply through the Raft CLI.
The overview does not list these media and interaction features. See the platform docs for text and event handling.
Buzz
Chat through Buzz community channels or direct messages, using its CLI and a Nostr relay.
The overview lists: images, threads.
Feature note: The official overview table doesn't mark files, but the Buzz page describes incoming images, audio, video and documents. That description does not establish support for sending arbitrary files. Source for the Buzz feature note (opens in a new tab)
iPhone and iMessage
BlueBubbles (iMessage)
An always-on Mac Messages account bridged to Hermes by BlueBubbles webhooks and REST.
The overview lists: images, files, reactions, typing.
Feature note: The official overview table doesn't mark voice, but the BlueBubbles page describes voice attachments. Reactions and typing indicators need the Private API helper. Source for the BlueBubbles (iMessage) feature note (opens in a new tab)
Feature note: Reactions, typing indicators, read receipts and new chats by address need the Private API helper. Basic sending can also need it when the Mac user is logged out or running in the background. Source for the BlueBubbles (iMessage) feature note (opens in a new tab)
BlueBubbles (iMessage) setup guideOfficial docs for BlueBubbles (iMessage) (opens in a new tab)
Photon (iMessage)
Use a managed iMessage line through Photon, without a local Mac relay.
The overview lists: voice, images, files, reactions, typing.
Feature note: The overview lists images, files and voice. Incoming attachments provide metadata, such as file details, rather than file contents. Hermes can send outgoing attachments. Source for the Photon (iMessage) feature note (opens in a new tab)
Photon (iMessage) setup guideOfficial docs for Photon (iMessage) (opens in a new tab)
Self-hosted and open
Mattermost
Chat with a bot in Mattermost direct messages or team channels.
The overview lists: voice, images, files, threads, typing, streaming.
Matrix
Chat through a Matrix bot, with media, threads and configurable room encryption.
The overview lists: voice, images, files, threads, reactions, typing, streaming.
Matrix setup guideOfficial docs for Matrix (opens in a new tab)
SimpleX Chat
Chat through a local SimpleX daemon and its established contacts.
The overview lists: voice, images, files, typing.
Feature note: The overview lists typing indicators, while the adapter's platform hint says they are unavailable. Check the behavior of your installed version before relying on them. Source for the SimpleX Chat feature note (opens in a new tab)
IRC
Plain-text Hermes conversations on IRC channels or DMs.
The overview does not list these media and interaction features. See the platform docs for text and event handling.
Regional (China, Japan)
DingTalk
Chat through a DingTalk robot using an outbound Stream Mode connection.
The overview lists: images, files, reactions, streaming.
Feishu / Lark
A Feishu/Lark bot with outbound WebSocket or inbound webhook transport.
The overview lists: voice, images, files, threads, reactions, typing, streaming.
WeCom (Enterprise WeChat)
Chat through a WeCom AI Bot using an outbound WebSocket connection.
The overview lists: voice, images, files.
Feature note: The official overview table doesn't mark typing or streaming, but the WeCom page describes streamed messages and a thinking indicator when
streaming.enabledis on. Source for the WeCom (Enterprise WeChat) feature note (opens in a new tab)Official docs for WeCom (Enterprise WeChat) (opens in a new tab)
WeCom Callback (self-built application)
Reach a self-built WeCom enterprise app through encrypted message callbacks.
The overview does not list these media and interaction features. See the platform docs for text and event handling.
Official docs for WeCom Callback (self-built application) (opens in a new tab)
Weixin / WeChat
Chat through a personal WeChat bot identity, with QR login and long polling.
The overview lists: voice, images, files, typing.
Feature note: QR login creates a separate iLink bot identity. It usually cannot join ordinary WeChat groups. Source for the Weixin / WeChat feature note (opens in a new tab)
QQ Bot
Chat through the official QQ Bot API in direct, group-mention and guild conversations.
The overview lists: voice, images, files, typing.
Yuanbao
Chat with a Yuanbao bot in direct or group conversations.
The overview lists: voice, images, files, typing, streaming.
LINE
Chat through a LINE Messaging API bot with signed incoming message callbacks.
The overview lists: images, files, typing.
Feature note: The official overview table doesn't mark voice, but the LINE page describes incoming audio and outgoing voice links. Typing and loading indicators are limited to DMs. LINE has no message-editing API. Source for the LINE feature note (opens in a new tab)
Notifications and automation
Home Assistant
An event/notification and device-control plugin, not an ordinary two-way human messenger.
The overview does not list these media and interaction features. See the platform docs for text and event handling.
ntfy
Text pub/sub topics that let a phone, script or browser send prompts and receive push replies.
The overview does not list these media and interaction features. See the platform docs for text and event handling.
Webhooks
Receive signed events from external services, then run a task or deliver a message.
No row in the overview feature table. See the official docs for capabilities.
Microsoft Teams Meetings workflow
Summarize Microsoft Teams meeting transcripts through a Microsoft Graph workflow.
No row in the overview feature table. See the official docs for capabilities.
Official docs for Microsoft Teams Meetings workflow (opens in a new tab)
Microsoft Graph webhook listener
Receive Microsoft Graph change notifications for downstream meeting and event workflows.
No row in the overview feature table. See the official docs for capabilities.
Official docs for Microsoft Graph webhook listener (opens in a new tab)
Google Meet
Join and transcribe Meet calls, with optional spoken replies. This is a meeting tool, not a chat gateway.
No row in the overview feature table. See the official docs for capabilities.
Feature note: The Built-in Plugins table says 'optional realtime duplex audio', but the google_meet section says realtime mode is speak-only, with input from live captions. Follow the narrower description. Source for the Google Meet feature note (opens in a new tab)
Hermes's own apps
Hermes Webapp (browser and phone)
Use the Desktop workspace in a browser, including from your phone.
No row in the overview feature table. See the official docs for capabilities.
Official docs for Hermes Webapp (browser and phone) (opens in a new tab)
Hermes Desktop connected to a remote Hermes
Chat from Desktop with Hermes running on another machine.
No row in the overview feature table. See the official docs for capabilities.
Official docs for Hermes Desktop connected to a remote Hermes (opens in a new tab)
Dashboard Chat tab
Use the Hermes terminal interface from the dashboard in your browser.
No row in the overview feature table. See the official docs for capabilities.
ACP in code editors
ACP (Agent Client Protocol) is a standard way for code editors to talk to agents. Use Hermes inside an editor that supports ACP.
No row in the overview feature table. See the official docs for capabilities.
Browser and API clients
Open WebUI + API server
Use a browser chat frontend or script with the Hermes OpenAI-compatible API server.
No row in the overview feature table. See the official docs for capabilities.
Open WebUI + API server setup guideOfficial docs for Open WebUI + API server (opens in a new tab)
A2A (Agent-to-Agent)
Exchange tasks with other independent agents through the Agent-to-Agent protocol.
No row in the overview feature table. See the official docs for capabilities.
Experimental
Hermes Relay (experimental)
An experimental connector route for real chat platforms.
Features are negotiated with the connector.
Official docs for Hermes Relay (experimental) (opens in a new tab)
Compare features
Features follow the official comparison table. Yes: the table lists support. Not listed: it does not mark support (the guide may say more). Voice: voice notes or spoken replies, not live calls. Streaming: the reply fills in as it is written. Feature notes under each platform explain the differences. Official overview table (opens in a new tab)
Scroll the table horizontally and vertically. Headers and platform names stay visible.
A middle dot means Not listed. * links to a platform with feature notes above.
| Platform | Voice | Images | Files | Threads | Reactions | Typing | Streaming |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Telegram* (see notes) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Not listed | Yes | Yes |
| WhatsApp (Baileys bridge)* (see notes) | Not listed | Yes | Yes | Not listed | Not listed | Yes | Yes |
| WhatsApp Business Cloud API | Yes | Yes | Yes | Not listed | Not listed | Yes | Not listed |
| Signal* (see notes) | Not listed | Yes | Yes | Not listed | Not listed | Yes | Not listed |
| SMS (Twilio) | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed |
| Not listed | Yes | Yes | Yes | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | |
| Discord | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Slack | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Google Chat* (see notes) | Not listed | Yes | Yes | Yes | Not listed | Yes | Not listed |
| Microsoft Teams | Not listed | Yes | Not listed | Yes | Not listed | Yes | Not listed |
| Raft | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed |
| Buzz* (see notes) | Not listed | Yes | Not listed | Yes | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed |
| BlueBubbles (iMessage)* (see notes) | Not listed | Yes | Yes | Not listed | Yes | Yes | Not listed |
| Photon (iMessage)* (see notes) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Not listed | Yes | Yes | Not listed |
| Mattermost | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Not listed | Yes | Yes |
| Matrix | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| SimpleX Chat* (see notes) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Not listed | Not listed | Yes | Not listed |
| IRC | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed |
| DingTalk | Not listed | Yes | Yes | Not listed | Yes | Not listed | Yes |
| Feishu / Lark | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| WeCom (Enterprise WeChat)* (see notes) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed |
| WeCom Callback (self-built application) | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed |
| Weixin / WeChat* (see notes) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Not listed | Not listed | Yes | Not listed |
| QQ Bot | Yes | Yes | Yes | Not listed | Not listed | Yes | Not listed |
| Yuanbao | Yes | Yes | Yes | Not listed | Not listed | Yes | Yes |
| LINE* (see notes) | Not listed | Yes | Yes | Not listed | Not listed | Yes | Not listed |
| Home Assistant | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed |
| ntfy | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed |
Routes absent from the official table remain in the grouped directory. See Other ways in.
Other ways in
For other routes, see Hermes's own apps, Notifications and automation, Browser and API clients and Experimental.
The official Plugin Catalog (opens in a new tab) also lists community-maintained platform plugins on its Platforms shelf. Check each entry's maintainer and disclosure.
Questions
Can you use several platforms at once?
Yes. One gateway process can connect several configured platforms. Start with one, then add the others and their access settings.
Does your computer need to stay on?
Yes. The host needs to be awake and online, with any required gateway and bridge components running. An always-on host can keep answering while your personal laptop is off.
Which WhatsApp route should you use?
The personal Baileys bridge is unofficial and carries account restriction risk. The docs recommend a dedicated number. Cloud API is Meta's official business route. Hermes supports direct chats and free-form replies within 24 hours of the sender's last message, with no template sending outside that window. Protect credentials and limit agent access on either route.
Do you need a public URL?
It depends on the route. Telegram polling, Slack Socket Mode and Google Chat's Pub/Sub pull route do not need a public callback. Teams, WhatsApp Cloud API, LINE, SMS (Twilio), WeCom Callback and the Microsoft Graph listener need a provider-reachable public address. Webhooks and A2A inbound need an address their callers can reach; local callers can use a local endpoint. Telegram can optionally use webhook mode on cloud hosts. A public HTTPS URL is an encrypted web address the provider can reach. A tunnel can forward it to a local receiver; authenticate and secure that receiver.
Who can talk to your bot?
For human chat, configure explicit grants such as an allowlist or approved pairing. Unknown users cannot execute work without a grant. They may be ignored or receive a pairing code, depending on the platform and policy. WhatsApp's bridge sends codes by default even with an allowlist; its guide shows the private-number ignore policy. On Photon, an unknown sender may still get a pairing code. A code does nothing until you approve it, so approve only people you recognize. Email ignores unknown senders by default. API clients and service events have their own authentication boundaries.
Reviewed Oct 29, 2026 against the official Hermes docs.