> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.seaotter.dev/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Self-host vs managed Hermes

> Own the VPS, or operate Hermes from a control plane? Honest split: when to self-host, when SEAOTTER is the managed path.

Self-host Hermes if you want the box. Use **SEAOTTER** if you want always-on Hermes without owning install, process supervision, TLS, and SSH recovery.

Both paths are legitimate. Hermes remains open-source either way. SEAOTTER does not replace Hermes; it is the **managed control plane** ([What is SEAOTTER?](/guides/what-is-seaotter)).

## Decision

| You want…                                                                | Choose                                                                   |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| Full host control, custom runtime forks, data never leaves your machines | Self-host ([Hermes install](https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs)) |
| Always-on agent without a VPS job; pause / restart / restore from an API | [SEAOTTER](https://seaotter.dev)                                         |
| Talk to hosted Hermes from Cursor, Claude, or Codex                      | SEAOTTER [Connect](/mcp)                                                 |
| Lowest invoice and you already run Linux production                      | Self-host                                                                |

We do not publish invented “hours saved” percentages. The contrast is structural: you either own the failure modes, or the plane does.

## What managed actually does

On SEAOTTER you **create, poll, and run**:

1. Create an agent (`status: provisioning` immediately).
2. Poll stages until `wizard_reachable` is ok (typical wall time: a few minutes).
3. Operate without SSH — secrets, credentials, logs, restore.

Per-agent Kubernetes namespaces, Google Secret Manager for integration keys, Google Cloud **us-central1** today ([Regions](/guides/regions)).

Longer narrative: [Self-host vs managed Hermes](https://seaotter.dev/blog/self-host-vs-managed-hermes) (eng blog).

## What we do not claim

* That self-hosting is “wrong.”
* That SEAOTTER is the only managed Hermes host.
* SOC 2, multi-region HA, or a free forever plan.

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Can I move off SEAOTTER later?">
    Hermes is still Hermes. Skills, memory, and model credentials are yours to point at another host or a VPS. SEAOTTER is the plane, not a proprietary agent runtime.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Is Hobby a free forever plan?">
    No. The public SKU is \$99 per agent / month after a 7-day no-card trial (one agent). Custom is book a call. Startup and Business are not public SKUs.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>