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ChatGPT vs Claude vs Hermes vs OpenClaw vs Muse: skills, plugins and agents compared

By Tried AI Tools · Published · Updated

Short answer

TLDR: As of October 2026, pick ChatGPT or Claude if you want add-ons with no setup. Every ChatGPT plan, including Free, can use plugins, while Claude plugins need a paid plan from $20 a month. Pick Hermes Agent or OpenClaw for a free, open-source agent you run yourself and pay only for the model, or Meta's Muse for a free-to-start agent that runs errands in the US and Canada.

This guide compares five AI agents by their add-ons, starting cost and risks. It is based on official documentation and reporting as of October 2026.

The five at a glance

ChatGPT and Claude are hosted chat apps you extend with plugins, skills and connectors. Hermes Agent and OpenClaw are free, open-source agents you run yourself. Muse is Meta's hosted agent that does tasks for you from a private cloud computer. The table below sums up the key differences side by side.

ChatGPT Claude Hermes Agent OpenClaw Meta Muse
Made by OpenAI Anthropic Nous Research OpenClaw Foundation, a nonprofit Meta
Open source No, hosted service No, hosted service; many Anthropic skills and plugins are open source Yes, MIT license Yes, MIT license No, hosted service
Where it runs Web, desktop and mobile apps, plus Codex Web, desktop and mobile apps, plus Claude Code Your computer or server, or Hermes Cloud Your own computer or server Meta's cloud, one private machine per user
How you extend it Plugins that bundle apps (once called connectors), skills and templates Connectors, skills, and plugins that bundle them Skills, Python plugins and MCP servers Skills and plugins, shared on ClawHub Connectors built or approved by Meta, plus custom connectors
Cost to start Free plan can use plugins; OpenAI lists no plugin fee Free plan gets connectors; plugins need Pro, $20 a month or $17 billed yearly Free; pay for your model, or Nous Portal from $0 Free; pay for your model, or run a local one Free for most use; paid plans reported at $20 and $100 a month
Best for People who use Gmail, Drive, Slack or Notion, and work teams Knowledge workers and developers who want reusable skills Tinkerers who want an always-on agent with any model Tinkerers and small, trusted teams who want a chat-app assistant Adults in the US and Canada who want errands done with little setup
Main risk Plugins can act on your accounts; personal-plan data may train models unless you opt out Plugins added by link or upload are not reviewed; hooks run local code Plugins run as ordinary Python with full access Malicious ClawHub skills and Gateways exposed online Meta holds wide account access; queries may train models by default, per Axios

Each platform in brief

Each platform takes a different route. ChatGPT and Claude add tools to a chat app you already use. Hermes Agent and OpenClaw are agents you install and control. Muse is a ready-made agent in Meta's cloud. Each summary below links to our explainer and, where one exists, a directory of add-ons.

ChatGPT

On July 9, 2026, OpenAI replaced ChatGPT's App Directory with a Plugin Directory. A plugin can bundle apps, skills and templates. Every plan, including Free, can discover and use plugins, and creating them starts on Go. Full skills support sits on work plans such as Business, Enterprise and Edu.

Custom GPTs retire on December 11, 2026, and owners can migrate one to a plugin. Read ChatGPT apps, GPTs and skills explained and browse the ChatGPT apps and skills directory.

Claude

Claude has three add-on types. Connectors link Claude to apps like Google Drive or Slack over MCP, an open standard. Skills are SKILL.md instruction folders that load only when a task matches. Plugins bundle skills, connectors, commands, sub-agents and hooks.

Connectors work on every plan, including Free. Plugins need a paid plan. Anthropic's pages disagree on whether skills reach Free, so plan on Pro or higher. See Claude skills, plugins and connectors explained and the Claude skills and plugins directory.

Hermes Agent

Hermes Agent is free, open-source agent software from Nous Research, announced February 25, 2026. It is not a model. You connect any model, including Claude, GPT, Gemini or a local one. It grows through skills, Python plugins and MCP servers.

More than 50 skills ship with every install, and more than 150 official optional skills install on demand. Its pitch is a learning loop: after a hard task, it can save what worked as a skill. See Hermes Agent skills and plugins explained and the Hermes Agent skills directory.

OpenClaw

OpenClaw is a free, MIT-licensed agent that runs on your own computer. You give it orders through chat apps such as WhatsApp, Telegram, Slack and Discord. Version 2026.9.7 ships 49 bundled skills, and thousands more sit on the ClawHub registry. Plugins add chat channels, memory and model providers.

The OpenClaw Foundation, a US 501(c)(3) nonprofit, launched on July 8, 2026. See What is OpenClaw? and the OpenClaw skills directory.

Meta Muse

Muse is Meta's personal AI agent, launched September 8, 2026. It works from a private cloud computer Meta runs for each user. It can send emails with your approval, book travel, fill in forms and shop. You extend it with connectors such as Walmart, Instacart, Notion and PayPal, or a custom connector.

Muse is for people 18 and older in the US and Canada. Meta says it was built from scratch but heavily inspired by OpenClaw. Read Meta Muse explained.

Which should you use?

Pick by how much setup you want and where your data should live. Casual users should start with ChatGPT or Claude. Teams should look at work plugins on either. Tinkerers who want control should try Hermes Agent or OpenClaw. Adults in the US or Canada who want errands done can try Muse.

Staying safe with third-party skills and plugins

Treat every skill, plugin and connector like software you install. Add-ons can read your email, run commands and spend money. Review badges and security scans help, but the platforms that offer them say they are not a guarantee. Install only what you need and keep approvals on.

A short checklist works on all five:

  1. Read a skill's SKILL.md and scripts before you enable it.
  2. Keep approvals on: "Always ask" in ChatGPT, "Allow once" in Claude, and smart or manual approvals in Hermes.
  3. Sandbox self-hosted agents. OpenClaw sandboxing is off by default, and Hermes can run its terminal in Docker.
  4. Give the agent the least access it needs, and remove add-ons you stop using.

Sources

Every fact on this page comes from the sources below, as cited in our individual platform guides. Official documentation comes first, followed by news reports. Prices, plans and add-on counts change often, so check each source yourself before you decide.

Frequently asked questions

Which AI agent is easiest for a beginner?

ChatGPT and Claude, because they need no setup or server. ChatGPT's Free plan can use plugins, and Claude's Free plan includes connectors. Meta's Muse is also simple to start, but it is only for adults in the US and Canada.

Are Hermes Agent and OpenClaw really free?

Yes. Both are free and open source under the MIT license. You pay for the AI model you connect, plus any paid services your add-ons call. A local model costs nothing beyond your own hardware.

Can I use the same skills in different AI tools?

Often, yes. Claude, ChatGPT and Codex, Hermes Agent and OpenClaw all support the open Agent Skills format, which Anthropic created. Hermes trusts OpenAI's and Anthropic's skill repos by default. Muse's add-ons are connectors instead.

Which platform is safest for third-party add-ons?

None is safe by default. ChatGPT and Claude review their directories, but both say their Verified labels do not replace your own review. On self-hosted agents, add-ons run on your machine, and researchers found 341 malicious skills on ClawHub in early 2026.

Is Meta Muse a copy of OpenClaw?

Meta says no. Nat Friedman of Meta Superintelligence Labs said Muse was built from scratch but is definitely heavily inspired as a product by OpenClaw.