AI Berkshire vs Hermes Agent
Which should you use? A side-by-side look at what each one does, who it suits, what it costs, how hard it is to set up, and where each falls short.
Open source · MIT
A set of AI prompt-based value investing research skills for Claude Code and Codex.
Open source · MIT
A self-improving AI agent that runs in your terminal and chat apps and learns from past work.
The short answer
Choose AI Berkshire if you need…
- Chinese-speaking investors who want a structured value investing checklist applied to specific companies
- People already using Claude Code or Codex who want repeatable research templates
- Analysts who want to compare several companies against the same criteria
- Readers who want to see how an AI-driven research process is organized
Choose Hermes Agent if you need…
- Developers who want a personal agent they can host on their own server or machine
- People who want to reach one assistant from several chat platforms
- Users who want scheduled, unattended tasks described in plain language
- Teams comparing self-hosted agents with hosted model APIs
Side-by-side
| AI Berkshire | Hermes Agent | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | AI model / agent | AI model / agent |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 17k | 260k |
| Setup difficulty | Intermediate | Intermediate |
| How you get it | Install with a package manager | See the README |
| Main language | HTML | Python |
| Last code update | 5 days ago | 4 days ago |
What each one is
AI Berkshire
AI Berkshire is a collection of investment research "skills" (structured prompts and workflows) that run inside Claude Code or Codex. It is built around the investing methods of Buffett, Munger, Duan Yongping and Li Lu, and includes multi-agent workflows where several agents research a company in parallel and then a lead agent combines their conclusions. The README is largely in Chinese and focuses on Chinese and US stocks.
Hermes Agent
Hermes Agent is an AI assistant you run yourself, built by Nous Research. You talk to it through a terminal interface or chat apps such as Telegram, Discord, Slack, and WhatsApp, and it can use tools and remember past conversations. The README says it creates reusable skills from experience and can run scheduled tasks unattended. You can connect it to many model providers and switch between them with a command.
Best for
AI Berkshire
- Chinese-speaking investors who want a structured value investing checklist applied to specific companies
- People already using Claude Code or Codex who want repeatable research templates
- Analysts who want to compare several companies against the same criteria
- Readers who want to see how an AI-driven research process is organized
Hermes Agent
- Developers who want a personal agent they can host on their own server or machine
- People who want to reach one assistant from several chat platforms
- Users who want scheduled, unattended tasks described in plain language
- Teams comparing self-hosted agents with hosted model APIs
Strengths
AI Berkshire
- Gives the same research structure every time, so outputs are easier to compare across companies
- Organizes 22 named skills by task, such as deep research, earnings review, and portfolio management
- Open source under MIT with a large public following and a published report archive
Hermes Agent
- Supports many model providers and switching between them with one command, according to the README
- Connects to several chat platforms from a single gateway process
- Includes a built-in scheduler and multiple execution backends
Not ideal for
AI Berkshire
- Anyone wanting guaranteed or verified investment returns: the README's performance figures are self-reported and it warns that past returns do not predict future ones
- Beginners without an AI coding client subscription, since the skills depend on Claude Code or Codex
- People who need a licensed financial advisor's personal recommendation; the project is a research aid, not advice
Hermes Agent
- People who want a zero-setup hosted product, since the README centers on installing and configuring it yourself
- Users who need a guaranteed privacy posture, because the README does not describe data handling in detail and model and tool choices affect where data goes
- Non-technical users who are uncomfortable with terminal installs and API keys
Trade-offs
AI Berkshire
- Output quality depends on the underlying model and on data sources the README does not fully describe; the README itself notes higher-stakes analysis benefits from stronger models
- The track-record claims are shown as screenshots and a table, and cannot be independently verified from the repository alone
- Documentation is mainly in Chinese, with the main market focus on Chinese and US equities
Hermes Agent
- Setup involves API keys, provider choices, and optional services, which adds complexity
- The README's claims about self-improvement and learning are described by the project itself and are not independently verified here
- Some features, such as the Desktop app and Android/Termux installs, have separate paths and documentation to follow
Getting started
AI Berkshire
Install Claude Code
npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-codeInstall Codex via npm
npm install -g @openai/codexHermes Agent
Install on Linux, macOS, or WSL2
curl -fsSL https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/install.sh | bashInstall on native Windows (PowerShell)
iex (irm https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/install.ps1)Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between AI Berkshire and Hermes Agent?
AI Berkshire: A set of AI prompt-based value investing research skills for Claude Code and Codex. Hermes Agent: A self-improving AI agent that runs in your terminal and chat apps and learns from past work. AI Berkshire suits chinese-speaking investors who want a structured value investing checklist applied to specific companies, while Hermes Agent suits developers who want a personal agent they can host on their own server or machine.
Are AI Berkshire and Hermes Agent free?
AI Berkshire: Free and open source. Hermes Agent: Free and open source.
Is AI Berkshire or Hermes Agent more popular?
Hermes Agent has more GitHub stars (260k) than AI Berkshire (17k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
What are other alternatives to AI Berkshire and Hermes Agent?
Other options people compare them with include Vibe-Trading, Frontend Slides, watermarks-remover, career-ops, GenericAgent.
Keep comparing
Built from our catalogue entries for both products: open-source details come from each project's README (AI-assisted, refreshed weekly) and GitHub data; AI-tool details are editorial. Spotted something wrong? Let us know from either product's page.