Hermes and PicoClaw solve different problems, so the best VPS template depends on the kind of work you want the agent to do. Hermes is the better choice when you need tool-rich workflows like email, browser automation, or GitHub actions. PicoClaw is the better choice when you want lightweight server automation that stays close to the infrastructure.

If you want the actual templates, start here: - Hermes Docker VPS on Bluehost - PicoClaw Docker VPS on Bluehost

Choose Hermes If

• You need a workflow assistant that integrates with external services
• Your tasks depend on email, browser automation, or GitHub
• You want an agent that can move between web pages, APIs, and persistent memory
• You plan to run a more active, integration-heavy container

Hermes becomes more valuable as the workflow complexity rises. It is the better fit when the VPS is there to support external tools, not just the server itself.

Choose PicoClaw If

• You need an operations assistant focused on the server itself
• Your tasks are closer to monitoring, backups, and uptime
• You want to keep the server footprint small
• You prefer a lean deployment that can run on 1GB to 2GB RAM

PicoClaw is the simpler choice when the job is infrastructure hygiene rather than content or workflow orchestration.

Resource Comparison

Hermes typically requires more resources because it runs browser automation and maintains connections to external APIs.

```bash # Hermes baseline resource usage docker stats --no-stream hermes # CONTAINER CPU % MEM USAGE / LIMIT MEM % # hermes 2.1% 384MiB / 4GiB 9.38%

PicoClaw baseline resource usage docker stats --no-stream picoclaw # CONTAINER CPU % MEM USAGE / LIMIT MEM % # picoclaw 0.3% 96MiB / 2GiB 4.69% ```

Side-by-Side Compose Files

A minimal Hermes compose file includes API credentials for external services and more memory headroom.

```yaml # hermes docker-compose.yml services: hermes: image: hermes-agent:latest container_name: hermes restart: unless-stopped env_file: .env volumes: - hermes-data:/app/data ports: - "127.0.0.1:3100:3100" deploy: resources: limits: memory: 2g

volumes: hermes-data: ```

A minimal PicoClaw compose file mounts host logs for monitoring and needs less memory.

```yaml # picoclaw docker-compose.yml services: picoclaw: image: picoclaw-agent:latest container_name: picoclaw restart: unless-stopped env_file: .env volumes: - picoclaw-data:/app/data - /var/log:/host-logs:ro deploy: resources: limits: memory: 512m

volumes: picoclaw-data: ```

Deployment Commands

Both agents follow the same Docker Compose workflow.

docker compose pull
docker compose up -d
docker compose ps
docker compose logs -f

To check health after deployment, use the built-in healthcheck or curl the health endpoint directly.

```bash # Hermes health check curl -s http://127.0.0.1:3100/health | jq .

PicoClaw health check curl -s http://127.0.0.1:3200/health | jq . ```

Running Both on the Same Host

If you need both agents, you can run them in a single compose file. Give each service its own port and volume namespace.

```yaml services: hermes: image: hermes-agent:latest container_name: hermes restart: unless-stopped env_file: .env.hermes volumes: - hermes-data:/app/data ports: - "127.0.0.1:3100:3100"

picoclaw: image: picoclaw-agent:latest container_name: picoclaw restart: unless-stopped env_file: .env.picoclaw volumes: - picoclaw-data:/app/data - /var/log:/host-logs:ro

volumes: hermes-data: picoclaw-data: ```

Deploy both with a single command.

docker compose up -d
docker compose ps

What a Good First Deployment Looks Like

• Hermes: one email workflow, one browser workflow, one GitHub automation
• PicoClaw: one uptime check, one backup check, one disk or process monitor

Start with whichever agent matches your most pressing need, prove it on a small VPS, and expand from there.

Final Thoughts

The best approach is to start with whichever agent matches your most pressing need, prove it on a small VPS, and expand from there. You can always add the other agent later as a second Docker service on the same host.