Hermes Agent Free API: Use FreeTheAI as a Custom Endpoint
Hermes Agent uses FreeTheAI as a custom endpoint, set up with hermes model or in config.yaml.
Before you start
- Create a free account and an API key. Create an account
- Check in once a day to unlock the free models. Daily check-in
- Pick a model ID from the models page. Browse models
Settings
- Provider
Custom endpoint- API base URL
https://api.freetheai.org/v1- Model name
fta/zai/glm-5.3- API key
your FreeTheAI key (ftai_..., 53 characters)
Steps
Run the setup wizard
In a terminal (outside a chat session) run hermes model, choose Custom endpoint, and enter the API base URL, your key, and the model name.
Or edit config.yaml
The same setup in ~/.hermes/config.yaml:
yamlmodel: default: fta/zai/glm-5.3 provider: custom base_url: https://api.freetheai.org/v1 key_env: FREETHEAI_API_KEYSwitch models later
Inside a session, run /model custom:fta/kimi/k3 to switch to another FreeTheAI model.
How this guide was checked: Checked against Hermes Agent's provider docs (custom endpoint) on 2026-09-29.
Tips
- Hermes needs a model with at least 64K context. All the recommended FreeTheAI models qualify.
Troubleshooting
Can I keep the key out of config.yaml?
Yes. Set key_env to an environment variable name, such as FREETHEAI_API_KEY, and export your key there.
Common errors
- 401: the key is wrong or incomplete. Paste the whole key.
- 403: check in for today, or confirm your email.
- 404: the model ID or URL is wrong.
- 429: daily limit reached, or too many requests at once.