//Compare
Compare Nous Portal
Nous Portal gets new frontier models on launch day, with pay-as-you-go API pricing, free models and discounts on selected models. Paid plans add Hermes Agent usage, hosted tools and a Hermes Cloud agent. Each comparison lists its sources and the date we checked them.
Why Nous Portal
- 01
Pay-as-you-go API pricing
Nous Portal API keys bill per token from your credits, at the prices on the models page, with no subscription needed.
- 02
Free models
Some models are free on Nous Portal and paid on OpenRouter and Vercel AI Gateway. The Free filter on the models page lists them.
- 03
Discounts on selected models
Selected models sell below list price on Nous Portal. The Discounted filter on the models page shows the current list.
- 04
One plan covers models, tools and hosting
Paid plans include Hermes Agent usage, hosted tools and one Hermes Cloud agent. Setup is one command or one click in Hermes Desktop.
The field
Six questions that decide most choices, answered for each platform. Open a comparison for the detail and its sources.
Platform | Models | Pricing | Plans | Agent tools | Agent hosting | Hermes Agent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nous Portal | Frontier models on launch day, some free | Pay-as-you-go, some discounted | Hermes Agent usage included | Web, image, voice, browser | One Cloud agent on paid plans | Sign in with one command |
600+ models, 80+ providers | List price + fee on credits | Pay-as-you-go or contract | Server tools (beta) | Ori Intern: private testing | Works with Hermes Agent | |
Hundreds, new frontier models on day one | List price, no markup | Pay-as-you-go or Token Pass | Web search and fetch | Separate Vercel products | Setup via Vercel CLI | |
Open models it hosts | Prepaid, per token or GPU | None documented | Code sandbox | None documented | OpenAI-compatible endpoint | |
Open models it hosts | Prepaid, per token or GPU | Fire Pass (no new signups) | MCP, web search, Python | None documented | Built-in provider |
Comparisons
- Nous Portal vs OpenRouterModel router
Nous Portal gives you a pay-as-you-go API, models that are free only on Nous Portal and discounts on selected models, plus hosted tools and Hermes Cloud.
- Nous Portal vs Vercel AI GatewayAI gateway
Nous Portal gives you a pay-as-you-go API, models that are free only on Nous Portal and discounts on selected models, plus hosted tools and Hermes Cloud.
- Nous Portal vs Together AIInference provider
Nous Portal gives you a pay-as-you-go API, models that are free only on Nous Portal and discounts on selected models, plus Claude, GPT and Hermes Cloud.
- Nous Portal vs Fireworks AIInference provider
Nous Portal gives you a pay-as-you-go API, models that are free only on Nous Portal and discounts on selected models, plus Claude, GPT and Hermes Cloud.
Questions
Is Nous Portal an OpenRouter alternative?
Yes, Nous Portal gives you one OpenAI-compatible, pay-as-you-go API for hundreds of models and accepts OpenRouter-style model IDs. Some models are free on Nous Portal and paid on OpenRouter, and selected models sell below list price. For Hermes Agent, paid plans add included usage, hosted agent tools and one Hermes Cloud agent. OpenRouter adds a fee to each credit purchase.
Can I use Nous Portal without Hermes Agent?
Yes, you can call the Nous Portal API from OpenAI-compatible clients and libraries with a Portal API key, which you create after adding credits or starting a plan. API keys always use your credits (pay-as-you-go), not a plan's included usage.
Does Nous Portal have free models?
Yes, the Free plan covers free models with standard rate limits, and the Free filter on the models page shows the current list. Any account can also link an eligible ChatGPT account for supported inference, with no paid Nous subscription. Tools and Hermes Cloud hosting are charged separately.
What does a Nous Portal plan include?
Plus, Super and Ultra include Hermes Agent usage, within limits that reset daily, weekly and monthly, plus hosted tools and one Hermes Cloud agent up to the plan's included size. All plans give you access to every model, and pricier models use your included usage faster. If you use it up, you can switch to a free model, wait for the reset or continue with pay-as-you-go credits.
Can I use my ChatGPT plan with Nous Portal?
Yes, any Nous Portal account can connect an eligible ChatGPT account for supported inference. No paid Nous subscription is required. Tools and Hermes Cloud hosting are charged separately, and ChatGPT plan limits still apply.
How do I set up Nous Portal in Hermes Agent?
Run hermes setup --portal in a terminal, or set it up with one click in Hermes Desktop. The command signs you in to Nous Portal, lets you pick a model and turns on the Tool Gateway. Hermes Agent can keep other providers, such as OpenRouter, as opt-in fallbacks.
How can I pay?
Nous Portal bills pay-as-you-go usage against a balance of credits in US dollars. You pay for plans and credit top-ups by card, and top-ups go through Stripe. For API calls, x402 (beta) lets you pay per request in Solana USDC with no account or API key. It charges for your max_tokens setting, or a default maximum if you set none, even when the reply is shorter, and adds a small surcharge.