# Effort needed to set up and train the agent (`access.setup`)

Feedback Bench, personal agents, built 2026-10-19, window 2026-08-31 to 2026-10-18. Web page: https://feedbackbench.com/#/criterion/access.setup

Area: [Getting access and set up](https://feedbackbench.com/criteria/access.md)

**Definition.** How much configuration, instruction and teaching the user must do before the agent is useful, from zero-setup to laborious training. The post names setup, onboarding, getting started or teaching it.

**Boundary.** Not this: use general.unspecific for 'easy to use' or 'user-friendly' with nothing about setup. Not this: see [Linking accounts and staying logged in](https://feedbackbench.com/criteria/connect.account_link.md) when a specific account connection fails. Not this: see [Configuring behaviour, skills and portability](https://feedbackbench.com/criteria/control.customize.md) when the user wants to change behaviour after setup.

Rated user-weeks, all agents: 2602. Complaint share: 52%.

## The brief

Written by large language models from this page's numbers and the posts it quotes, then checked: every number in the text is in the build. Interpretation, not measurement.

Muse and Grok Bot are the easiest personal agents to set up. Their users say they download the app or press a button and start talking to it, with nothing to configure first. Users care about this: setup is the 3rd most rated of 53 criteria. OpenClaw and Hermes Agent rank low. OpenClaw users rate setup 4.21 times as often as other users and write 52% of the category's setup complaints. Hermes Agent users write another 27%.

### What separates the best from the rest

Users of the top and bottom agents describe different amounts of work. Muse and Grok Bot users say the agent works out of the box. They say it runs within minutes and needs no extra credentials or fiddling. OpenClaw and Hermes Agent users describe an afternoon spent installing, days spent training the agent and a lot of setup before it does anything useful. Some say they moved to Grok Bot or Muse to avoid that work.

- **Ranks high**: [Muse](https://feedbackbench.com/agents/muse.md), [Grok Bot](https://feedbackbench.com/agents/grok-bot.md)
  - Muse, 2026-10-14, App Store (App Store): “the ease of use is beyond what words can describe. literally just download it and start talking to it. that’s all you have to do. they run circles around chatgpt and claud in more ways than one.” [source](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/muse-from-meta/id6760173601)
  - Grok Bot, 2026-10-17, @bot (X): “@joshmanders @zrymiller @miaai_lab @poteto @dunnbot nice 👍 i tried openclaw and hermes in the past. grok @bot is just one less thing i have to worry about fiddling with. just works.” [source](https://twitter.com/1854008528064724992/status/2111496693011419489)
- **Ranks low**: [Hermes Agent](https://feedbackbench.com/agents/hermes-agent.md), [OpenClaw](https://feedbackbench.com/agents/openclaw.md)
  - Hermes Agent, 2026-10-17, X search: Hermes Agent, hermes-agent, Hermes Desktop (X): “i gave up on nurturing hermes agent and started the full operation of grokbot from x billing, but i don't think my decision was wrong. the training that took three days with hermes can be completed in an instant with grokbot.” [source](https://twitter.com/242314118/status/2111352296915583329)
  - OpenClaw, 2026-10-16, X search: OpenClaw, openclaw.ai (X): “@tinyprojectsdev i tired openclaw and realized it's not going to catch up mainstream because of the sheer amount of setup work it needs. grok bot made it simpler and the whole virtualized architecture is cool. but its still at the early stages mate.” [source](https://twitter.com/1168984669/status/2111069703817032078)

## How it breaks

Rule: A separate pass sorts complaints into failure modes. For each criterion with at least 30 complaining user-weeks, a large language model reads 150 complaint posts drawn at random and names 4 to 8 failure modes; a second large language model then puts every complaint post on that criterion in one mode, or in Other when it fits none. Modes are fixed once named, and new posts are sorted into them each week. A mode counts distinct user-weeks with a complaint in it, per agent; across agents, one user-week per agent. Modes do not change the labels or the Feedback Score. Examples: up to 3 posts per mode from different users, chosen and checked as receipts are.

The largest failure is configuration that is too technical for non-experts, at 42% of complaining user-weeks. Users describe command lines, servers and confusing documentation. OpenClaw accounts for 64% of these complaints. Most complaints about updates breaking a working setup also come from OpenClaw, at 71%. One failure comes mostly from the top two agents. Grok Bot and Muse each account for 31% of complaints from users who finish setup but do not know what to ask the agent.

1370 complaining user-weeks.

| Failure mode | User-weeks | Posts | Agents (user-weeks) | Definition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Configuration too technical for non-experts | 577 | 600 | OpenClaw 370, Hermes Agent 143, Grok Bot 29, Muse 29, ChatGPT Dots 6 | The agent installs, but making it usable means working with CLI commands, gateways, Docker, profiles, servers or confusing docs, so the user calls it a steep learning curve or 'only for nerds'; this excludes outright install errors and problems specific to model or credential setup. |
| Installation fails on fresh setup | 168 | 180 | OpenClaw 81, Hermes Agent 61, Grok Bot 13, Muse 11, ChatGPT Dots 1, Gemini Spark 1 | The installer, desktop download or first-run setup errors out or will not finish because of platform or dependency problems such as Windows/WSL, Node version, a missing executable or a broken macOS build; this excludes setups that installed fine but are just hard to configure, and installs that later break after an update. |
| Updates force repeated setup and maintenance | 144 | 150 | OpenClaw 102, Hermes Agent 39, Grok Bot 3 | A setup that once worked breaks after updates or drifts over time, so the user keeps reinstalling, rerunning onboarding, restoring backups or fixing things every week; this excludes first-time installation failures. |
| Lengthy teaching before agent is useful | 113 | 118 | Hermes Agent 40, OpenClaw 40, Grok Bot 13, Muse 13, ChatGPT Dots 7 | Even when the software is installed, the user has to spend days or weeks telling the agent their preferences, apps, workflows and schedule, and organising its memory, before it gives value; this excludes technical installation and credential work. |
| No guidance on what to do after setup | 107 | 110 | Grok Bot 33, Muse 33, Hermes Agent 15, OpenClaw 14, ChatGPT Dots 8, Hark 3, Gemini Spark 1 | After setup the user does not know what to ask the agent to do or where features and options are, so it sits unused or barely used; this excludes cases where the user knows what they want but cannot get the configuration to work. |
| Messaging channels and remote access hard to connect | 83 | 86 | OpenClaw 36, Hermes Agent 32, Grok Bot 9, Muse 3, ChatGPT Dots 1, Hark 1, Poke 1 | Getting to the agent from Telegram, Signal, Slack or a phone, or reaching a remote or VPS instance, requires tunnels, Tailscale URLs, QR codes or a local install, which takes hours or does not work; this excludes connecting model providers. |
| Model, provider and credential setup confusing | 76 | 76 | Hermes Agent 26, OpenClaw 25, Muse 10, Grok Bot 9, Hark 3, ChatGPT Dots 1, Gemini Spark 1, Instinct 1 | The user cannot easily connect a model provider, API keys, OAuth, logins or secrets: skipped or wrongly stored model settings leave the agent dead, or the user has to sign in to many places; this excludes connecting messaging channels and general installation. |
| Setup requires another AI's help | 47 | 49 | OpenClaw 28, Hermes Agent 13, Grok Bot 6 | The user can only install or configure the agent by having a separate assistant such as ChatGPT, Codex or Claude diagnose errors, follow the docs or do the setup for them; this excludes cases where the agent itself guides the user through its own onboarding. |
| Other | 87 | 90 | OpenClaw 36, Hermes Agent 16, Muse 15, ChatGPT Dots 7, Grok Bot 6, Hark 6, Gemini Spark 1 | Complaints that fit none of the modes above. |

#### Configuration too technical for non-experts

- Hermes Agent, 2026-10-17, X search: Hermes Agent, hermes-agent, Hermes Desktop (X): “i tried hermes agent, too complicated to setup. just subscribed to grok bot. getting things done is more important than trynna save couple bucks a month. 🤘 @elonmusk” [source](https://twitter.com/3132573418/status/2111269225755202035)
- OpenClaw, 2026-10-16, X search: OpenClaw, openclaw.ai (X): “@tinyprojectsdev i tired openclaw and realized it's not going to catch up mainstream because of the sheer amount of setup work it needs. grok bot made it simpler and the whole virtualized architecture is cool. but its still at the early stages mate.” [source](https://twitter.com/1168984669/status/2111069703817032078)
- Hermes Agent, 2026-10-13, X search: Hermes Agent, hermes-agent, Hermes Desktop (X): “@chris_wozniczek i switched from hermes agent to grok bot. basically just because it's easier for a general user like me with little knowledge on setting up bots. but the uneasy feeling of entering your login details to the cloud computer is real.” [source](https://twitter.com/255005529/status/2110158477482156055)

#### Installation fails on fresh setup

- Hermes Agent, 2026-10-17, @NousResearch (X): “one macbook air. venue wifi. most of an afternoon to install one ai agent. here's what that looked like... @nousresearch” [source](https://twitter.com/212748185/status/2111255298614690299)
- Hermes Agent, 2026-10-13, Cara Install Hermes Agent di Windows — Lengkap dari Nol! 🚀 (YouTube): “bang, why am i stuck installing at 56 percent, stuck at install command and app + desktop, and there are only 9 steps?” [source](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZcMsDQfpZc&lc=UgxJQ-aFOI1OeeKJAxN4AaABAg)
- OpenClaw, 2026-10-12, X search: OpenClaw, openclaw.ai (X): “@danielmiessler cool idea. i tried installing it and it wanted to install openclaw, which felt strange as the readme didn't explain that openclaw is required. i let it and it couldn't get openclaw running. no time to struggle with it today! si'll keep an eye on it.” [source](https://twitter.com/626523/status/2109613980700508568)

#### Lengthy teaching before agent is useful

- Hermes Agent, 2026-10-17, X search: Hermes Agent, hermes-agent, Hermes Desktop (X): “i gave up on nurturing hermes agent and started the full operation of grokbot from x billing, but i don't think my decision was wrong. the training that took three days with hermes can be completed in an instant with grokbot.” [source](https://twitter.com/242314118/status/2111352296915583329)
- Hermes Agent, 2026-10-12, r/hermesagent (Reddit): “i truely feel your pain. im 40 yrs. hermes has become like a tamagotchi back in my teenager times where i had to feed him, teach him and take care of him 🥲” [source](https://www.reddit.com/r/hermesagent/comments/1x4binq/i_shut_down_my_hermes_agent/pfin72r/)

#### No guidance on what to do after setup

- OpenClaw, 2026-10-17, X search: OpenClaw, openclaw.ai (X): “i tried openclaw, then dropped it. too much setup, no clear use case. hermes clicked when i found a simple handoff: tag it in jira before leaving work, then return to progress and results in the same issue the next morning. how that grew into an ai workflow: [link]” [source](https://twitter.com/467147533/status/2111411865893175430)
- Grok Bot, 2026-10-08, @bot (X): “@bot so my bot got your reply but it didn’t have any setup instructions or anything, how do we proceed? i want my bot to have [email] email.” [source](https://twitter.com/931641543164805120/status/2108033047669195126)
- OpenClaw, 2026-10-07, @openclaw (X): “dots reminds me so much of the early days of @openclaw, lots of hand holding to get anything done. @openai” [source](https://twitter.com/1878201828581494784/status/2107895529078411332)

#### Messaging channels and remote access hard to connect

- Grok Bot, 2026-10-17, X search: Grok Bot, Grokbot, x.ai/bot (X): “fuggin finally hooked up grokbot to my t3code instance running over tailscale. god damn that was a lot of work” [source](https://twitter.com/920478965067911169/status/2111347413227303172)
- Hermes Agent, 2026-10-10, r/hermesagent (Reddit): “it’s really shitty that you have to install the whole agent on your computer, just to be able to access the remote server through the desktop app. that’s a dealbreaker for me.” [source](https://www.reddit.com/r/hermesagent/comments/1x2q29o/decent_nonterminal_chat_interface_for_hermes/pf4zap9/)
- Hermes Agent, 2026-10-10, X search: Hermes Agent, hermes-agent, Hermes Desktop (X): “i installed hermes agent with a thousand troubles. if i get a vps and connect it to it, interesting things can be done with it.” [source](https://twitter.com/1195345698125950976/status/2108909638351556727)

#### Model, provider and credential setup confusing

- Hermes Agent, 2026-10-08, @NousResearch (X): “@nousresearch @teknium i tried hermes for first time. went ahead with the first model suggested by the installation flow and it doesn't work. ptal [link]” [source](https://twitter.com/836378810987634688/status/2108027102071255425)
- Hermes Agent, 2026-10-06, X search: Hermes Agent, hermes-agent, Hermes Desktop (X): “as a result of struggling hard, i was able to run gemini on the backend of hermes agent using the free credits from google cloud.” [source](https://twitter.com/63606376/status/2107512540213416148)
- Grok Bot, 2026-10-06, @bot (X): “as a new user, i have to log into like 4 different places to use @bot there must be a way to make onboarding simpler” [source](https://twitter.com/1905392153221890050/status/2107387797980258412)

#### Setup requires another AI's help

- Grok Bot, 2026-10-16, App Store (App Store): “i have yet to get this app to work. just cycles me in circles. had high hopes but not working so far even with grok coaching me” [source](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/grok-bot/id6794501026)
- Hermes Agent, 2026-10-15, X search: Hermes Agent, hermes-agent, Hermes Desktop (X): “i finally got hermes agent working in network studio. this was hard to get working, even with ai. [link]” [source](https://twitter.com/1104174880004685825/status/2110812434193874988)
- Hermes Agent, 2026-10-07, X search: Hermes Agent, hermes-agent, Hermes Desktop (X): “got my hermes agent connected after a long hassle. make the process easier for people who don't use codex or claude code @hyperframes_ [link]” [source](https://twitter.com/1703582271922479104/status/2107913392002605148)

#### Other

- OpenClaw, 2026-10-18, X search: OpenClaw, openclaw.ai (X): “there is also a desktop version llm app for linux, so even if you throw all the settings, it's quite easy, right? it has become so easy compared to the trial and error i did with openclaw in february. [link]” [source](https://twitter.com/876396834482077696/status/2111875168176066889)
- Hermes Agent, 2026-10-17, X search: Hermes Agent, hermes-agent, Hermes Desktop (X): “"got access to muse ai today and i'm loving it. it's simple as hell. stuff that took me a week of setup with hermes agent, this does in a few clicks. it's built for everyone, not just tech people." [link]” [source](https://twitter.com/2081651576138342400/status/2111511887313801648)
- Hark, 2026-10-17, @hark_labs (X): “@hark_labs this was a comically bad onboarding … absolutely every step broke and then it just started rejecting any message i sent it. 🤣 [link]” [source](https://twitter.com/14501624/status/2111268496504209742)

## Top requests

What users ask to add or change, most asked first. 595 user-weeks ask for something. Requests do not change the Feedback Score. Rule: A separate pass by a large language model reads every counted post and extracts what the user asks the agent or its vendor to add or change, with the criteria it maps to and a short normalised wording; it does not touch the labels or the Feedback Score. A large language model groups the wordings within each criterion (the first criterion the request maps to) into themes, and a second pass merges themes that ask for the same change under different criteria; a merged theme sits under the criterion most of its requests map to, and code counts it once. A theme counts distinct user-weeks that ask for it, per agent; across agents, one user-week per agent. Themes asked in fewer than 2 user-weeks, and requests that share no theme, are not shown. Examples: up to 3 posts per theme from different users, without slurs: whole posts of 60 to 450 characters with at least 8 words beyond handles and links, posts of at most 280 characters first, then the newest.

| Rank | Request | User-weeks | Posts | Agents (user-weeks) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Simpler, faster setup process | 112 | 115 | OpenClaw 59, Hermes Agent 38, Grok Bot 8, Muse 7 |
| 2 | Complete step-by-step setup tutorials | 45 | 45 | Hermes Agent 41, Grok Bot 2, OpenClaw 2 |
| 3 | Zero-configuration, works out of the box | 33 | 33 | OpenClaw 22, Hermes Agent 5, ChatGPT Dots 3, Grok Bot 3 |
| 4 | Fix installation and setup failures | 31 | 33 | Hermes Agent 13, OpenClaw 12, Grok Bot 3, Muse 2, Gemini Spark 1 |
| 5 | Setup accessible to non-technical users | 31 | 31 | OpenClaw 17, Hermes Agent 8, Grok Bot 2, Muse 2, ChatGPT Dots 1, Hark 1 |
| 6 | Tutorials on how to use features | 31 | 31 | Grok Bot 9, Hermes Agent 9, Muse 5, OpenClaw 5, ChatGPT Dots 2, Hark 1 |
| 7 | Live workshops and training sessions | 25 | 25 | Hermes Agent 20, Grok Bot 4, OpenClaw 1 |
| 8 | Clearer setup documentation and instructions | 24 | 24 | Hermes Agent 12, OpenClaw 8, Muse 3, Grok Bot 1 |
| 9 | Hands-on help setting up the agent | 23 | 23 | Grok Bot 18, OpenClaw 3, Hermes Agent 2 |
| 10 | One-click installer and setup | 17 | 18 | OpenClaw 8, Hermes Agent 7, Grok Bot 2 |
| 11 | Easier account and channel connection setup | 16 | 16 | OpenClaw 7, Muse 4, Grok Bot 3, Hermes Agent 2 |
| 12 | Guided onboarding with suggested starter tasks | 16 | 16 | Grok Bot 5, Hermes Agent 4, OpenClaw 3, Hark 2, ChatGPT Dots 1, Muse 1 |

### 1. Simpler, faster setup process

- Hermes Agent, 2026-10-14, r/hermesagent (Reddit): “why can’t they use an easier ways? "i hate going thru all these setup,, praying it will not error.... i'm sorry, "” [source](https://www.reddit.com/r/hermesagent/comments/1x5eary/can_i_officially_use_my_claude_sub_with_hermes/pgmtfw1/)
- OpenClaw, 2026-10-11, @openclaw (X): “@openclaw simpler mac setup matters more than it sounds. the first ten minutes decide if someone sticks around” [source](https://twitter.com/1665675488604434434/status/2109348814264078667)
- OpenClaw, 2026-10-09, X search: OpenClaw, openclaw.ai (X): “@lobanovskiy yep same, except i skipped the openclaw craze too much headache to set up 😅 but i’ve been using ai in all my workflows such a game changer.” [source](https://twitter.com/2868527398/status/2108556690270347334)

### 2. Complete step-by-step setup tutorials

- Hermes Agent, 2026-10-11, Hermes Agent #6 — Otomatik Yedekleme: Google Drive Entegrasyonu (YouTube): “hello, i watched all the videos. it would be nice if you could create an example that concretizes the processes that caused you to set up a different bot on telegram.” [source](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4MWA5ck-Ys&lc=UgzGsbCUnrh7IemGJWN4AaABAg)
- Hermes Agent, 2026-10-10, TUTORIAL PASANG AI AGENT MURAH MERIAH (HERMES AGENT + 9ROUTER) (YouTube): “it's really cool but it's confusing, it has to be step by step.” [source](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVGQULc853Y&lc=UgzrKjHPSGsMhU57l7p4AaABAg)
- Hermes Agent, 2026-10-08, aku kepikiran buat “Series Hermes Agent”, nah kira kira bagusnya bahas apa aja yaa? komen di bawah (YouTube): “auto subscribe if a tutorial is really made from basic to advanced” [source](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoxXtwfZ3Zs&lc=Ugyqge1fgsRVU4229Rt4AaABAg)

### 3. Zero-configuration, works out of the box

- OpenClaw, 2026-10-09, X search: OpenClaw, openclaw.ai (X): “@stepango @bot weeks of setup is the real openclaw tax. the best personal agent is the one you never have to configure.” [source](https://twitter.com/2107021889872748544/status/2108485350397989315)
- OpenClaw, 2026-10-08, X search: OpenClaw, openclaw.ai (X): “@accelr8_dan as a consumer i only do things below a certain level of friction. especially as a founder you dedicate even less time for personal stuff. which means you someone really needed to productize openclaw and just make it work without the wrangling” [source](https://twitter.com/1243785439334432768/status/2108231989065318471)
- OpenClaw, 2026-10-05, X search: OpenClaw, openclaw.ai (X): “@mguellsegarra yes, sniff. openclaw and hermes i have gone and come and for me they are not finished products because anyone can use them without preparation. i will try it, thanks!” [source](https://twitter.com/137800822/status/2107008184686960950)

### 4. Fix installation and setup failures

- Hermes Agent, 2026-10-11, Set Up Hermes Agent for FREE & Unlimited | Complete Tutorial (YouTube): “command prompt me error aa rahi he 'omnirout' is not recognised as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file.” [source](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sp75R7u6QIw&lc=UgyvB3-2tpalm2UipnB4AaABAg)
- Hermes Agent, 2026-10-08, Set Up Hermes Agent for FREE & Unlimited | Complete Tutorial (YouTube): “aur setup ke vakt ye warning aaya micosoft defender ki taraf se smart app control has blocked part of this app” [source](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sp75R7u6QIw&lc=Ugxhmy3And2seYjlRWJ4AaABAg)
- Hermes Agent, 2026-10-07, @NousResearch (X): “@bkashjosi next question: why doesn't the @nousresearch hermes agent installer automatically upgrade to pyjwt 2.14.0 (or higher) when it is auto-installing the other python dependencies?” [source](https://twitter.com/16694316/status/2107901548454084634)

### 5. Setup accessible to non-technical users

- Muse, 2026-10-09, r/AI_Agents (Reddit): “realize that there exist some increasingly reliable agent teams now but that it’s still too complex for 95% of people. your mom isn’t setting up grokbot or muse. go build that abstraction layer for them.” [source](https://www.reddit.com/r/AI_Agents/comments/1x1fjmr/what_ai_business_would_you_start_today_to_make/pet9ctc/)
- Hermes Agent, 2026-10-09, @NousResearch (X): “@nousresearch @travismakes grandmas can setup their hermes because the ux is a nightmare” [source](https://twitter.com/1328942707/status/2108409251366686961)
- Hermes Agent, 2026-10-06, @NousResearch (X): “@nousresearch @hammer_mt i am big fan of hermes but for non technical users it’s just to much to use… even to connect gmail” [source](https://twitter.com/2028469005510680576/status/2107297103106166939)

### 6. Tutorials on how to use features

- OpenClaw, 2026-10-12, @openclaw (X): “@tagomago_me @openclaw that belongs in the first five minutes of setup, especially for people who don't already think in folders and repos” [source](https://twitter.com/2092845101663842304/status/2109771344632218083)
- Hermes Agent, 2026-10-09, @NousResearch (X): “@cybervu2r0n @evanotero was just about to say this. @nousresearch @teknium @witcheer how can use these in hermes desktop without reading hieroglyphics?” [source](https://twitter.com/726270024734793730/status/2108650845369663895)
- Grok Bot, 2026-10-09, @bot (X): “@poteto @koltregaskes @bot loving it. more guidance! the how to hire a bot article is great. much more about building out the brain and knowledge base, how to make your bots the top 1% at what they do, when to create more bots and setup hierarchies.” [source](https://twitter.com/1145862192442556416/status/2108599251232079946)

### 7. Live workshops and training sessions

- Hermes Agent, 2026-10-08, The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Hermes Agent (YouTube): “my g u the best in this business. i get happy when you upload a new training course. want more hermes courses like masterclasses and advanced hermes use cases” [source](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNcKUSL1CTE&lc=UgyAlDAvwChMqYdXcvh4AaABAg)
- OpenClaw, 2026-10-01, @openclaw (X): “@hrudolph @ryancarson @openclaw i’m open to any coaching or training you guys provide. i’m working with chatgpt to figure out how to automate all the backend infrastructure, so i don’t have to manage it directly anymore. wip” [source](https://twitter.com/2789701531/status/2105634584700559496)
- Hermes Agent, 2026-09-14, My FULL Hermes Agent Setup (HermesOS) (YouTube): “would love a hermes workshop! you’re the first person on youtube to explain hermes in a way i can understand. subscribed!” [source](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CLc-VeEivk&lc=UgzPFNYuhMQ2MO9L3-p4AaABAg)

### 8. Clearer setup documentation and instructions

- OpenClaw, 2026-10-06, @openclaw (X): “@heyneighbor @openclaw get their documentation written by humans, for humans, because currently, they are written by agents in a language that only agents can understand.” [source](https://twitter.com/2089025206798946304/status/2107437377614745903)
- Hermes Agent, 2026-10-01, @NousResearch (X): “@defivlad @openai @nousresearch mcp servers are the right abstraction, context retention matters more than raw api calls. open source if you're hitting the edge cases others will too. but first: document the hermes integration quirks.” [source](https://twitter.com/1464491684/status/2105642283215495600)
- Hermes Agent, 2026-09-27, Set Up Hermes Agent for FREE & Unlimited | Complete Tutorial (YouTube): “the guide is different from the video help with it, the guide only shows codes and all .help with it” [source](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sp75R7u6QIw&lc=Ugzg9U9ZozrjRFey1z14AaABAg)

### 9. Hands-on help setting up the agent

- OpenClaw, 2026-10-17, X search: OpenClaw, openclaw.ai (X): “deploying openclaw shouldn't require an engineer. teams everywhere want to use it. but getting it running means spinning up terminals, creating bot tokens, managing local installs, and accepting real security risks on your devices. [link]” [source](https://twitter.com/2062948123350102017/status/2111537799833006139)
- OpenClaw, 2026-10-04, X search: OpenClaw, openclaw.ai (X): “can you talk about the setup of @anakinsskywalkr, master? i can't seem to get any efficiency. i'm running openclaw on a pretty basic machine, using chrome and so on. i would appreciate some support.” [source](https://twitter.com/45807857/status/2106736097439178887)
- OpenClaw, 2026-09-01, @openclaw (X): “@kuantomcat @bankrbot @claudeai @openclaw @kimi_moonshot can someone help me set up agent? please” [source](https://twitter.com/2043118611930427392/status/2094805570046071296)

### 10. One-click installer and setup

- Hermes Agent, 2026-10-16, X search: Hermes Agent, hermes-agent, Hermes Desktop (X): “it's funny because in this video: [link] i wanted 3 things for hermes agent: - the stable channel ✅ - a proper mobile app (i saw they hired someone for that) 👍 - a simplified "all-inclusive" installer, i am in the process of creating it 🪛” [source](https://twitter.com/1317126606419337222/status/2110970736504369324)
- Hermes Agent, 2026-10-10, X search: Hermes Agent, hermes-agent, Hermes Desktop (X): “@teknium i’m trying to get hermes desktop running in an isolated windows vm with no internet access. hermes-setup.exe starts, but then tries to download install.ps1 from github, so it can’t finish there. is there a stable, self-contained windows .msixbundle we can download?” [source](https://twitter.com/1344447870829813764/status/2108710305346036146)
- Hermes Agent, 2026-10-08, @NousResearch (X): “@nousresearch @microsoft one click install for an agent. my parents could run this and that's a little scary” [source](https://twitter.com/1457253486995857408/status/2108232217876971916)

### 11. Easier account and channel connection setup

- OpenClaw, 2026-10-07, X search: OpenClaw, openclaw.ai (X): “i have set up an openclaw server exactly once and plan on never touching it until i can do the same thing as a one touch solution. the entire process from install to account linking to discord linking took over two hours of tinkering and broke on multiple occasions.” [source](https://twitter.com/1166138238232223744/status/2107750624687448497)
- Muse, 2026-10-05, X search: Muse from Meta, Meta Muse (X): “got meta muse working ([email] for helping me get a us fb account). the setup is a hassle, with fb and meta accs technically being separate, even tho appearing as one unified acc.. i swear hermes was easier to setup 😭” [source](https://twitter.com/1664592429289205761/status/2107117321085198390)
- Hermes Agent, 2026-10-01, X search: Hermes Agent, hermes-agent, Hermes Desktop (X): “@habibislop agreed. i've spent an entire day with it just to build one mcp server so it can connect to my email. hermes agent and grok bot, the only other two things i have experience with, seem so frictionless in comparison. this should be one prompt, not a whole day affair” [source](https://twitter.com/1587868343062745095/status/2105545709907050888)

### 12. Guided onboarding with suggested starter tasks

- Grok Bot, 2026-10-06, @bot (X): “@lingxi @bot make it easier for people who have no idea what bots can actually do. give beginners a few simple “try this” buttons for real-life tasks — then let them discover what’s possible from there. less explaining. more showing.” [source](https://twitter.com/2107442677096615936/status/2107452059301957865)
- Grok Bot, 2026-10-05, @bot (X): “@west_linux @dougdstecklein @petergyang @bot @spacexai @grok true but this should be part of the initial user experience to be a good experience for the average user they should offer a top suggestions. people shouldn’t have to go to a store and research and all that.” [source](https://twitter.com/26104299/status/2107118277571105126)
- ChatGPT Dots, 2026-10-04, X search: ChatGPT dots, ChatGPT dot, OpenAI dots, OpenAI's dot (X): “openai’s dots are cool, but onboarding feels like: create one, stare at a blank text box. your dot should ask about you and suggest useful things to try on day one. most of my use cases come from twitter. that shouldn’t be the onboarding flow. @thsottiaux” [source](https://twitter.com/71414806/status/2106591883808088356)

## Every agent

| Agent | Overall rank | Reading | Customer love | 95% interval | n | Praise | Complaint |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| [Muse](https://feedbackbench.com/agents/muse.md) | 1 | 1st of 6 | 0.738 | 0.714–0.760 | 538 | 425 | 113 |
| [Grok Bot](https://feedbackbench.com/agents/grok-bot.md) | 3 | 2nd of 6 | 0.653 | 0.624–0.679 | 423 | 304 | 119 |
| [Hark](https://feedbackbench.com/agents/hark.md) | 4 | 3rd of 6 | 0.519 | 0.497–0.543 | 34 | 21 | 13 |
| [ChatGPT Dots](https://feedbackbench.com/agents/dots.md) | 8 | 4th of 6 | 0.505 | 0.482–0.529 | 62 | 31 | 31 |
| [Hermes Agent](https://feedbackbench.com/agents/hermes-agent.md) | 2 | 5th of 6 | 0.422 | 0.392–0.456 | 621 | 250 | 371 |
| [OpenClaw](https://feedbackbench.com/agents/openclaw.md) | 5 | 6th of 6 | 0.218 | 0.200–0.238 | 887 | 179 | 708 |
| [Gemini Spark](https://feedbackbench.com/agents/gemini-spark.md) | 7 | Too few posts | – | – | 28 | 24 | 4 |
| [Instinct](https://feedbackbench.com/agents/instinct.md) | 6 | Too few posts | – | – | 6 | 5 | 1 |
| [Poke](https://feedbackbench.com/agents/poke.md) | 9 | Too few posts | – | – | 3 | 2 | 1 |

## Posts

Receipts rule: Up to 5 praise and 5 complaint posts per area and 3 per criterion. Each is a whole post of 60 to 450 characters (700 for areas) with at least 8 words beyond handles and links, that judges the criterion, whose labels are all praise or all complaint, and that contains no slur. Posts that touch the fewest criteria come first, then posts of at most 280 characters, then the newest. A second large language model reads the first 3 candidates per slot and keeps a post only if it clearly praises, or clearly complains about, the agent on that criterion. Links and personal details removed by the source show as marks such as [link].

### Muse

- Praise, 2026-10-16, App Store (App Store): “has someone who’s been using agents for a long time as an earlier adopter of openclaw i can tell you this is excellent out of the box. it just works.” [source](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/muse-from-meta/id6760173601)
- Praise, 2026-10-14, App Store (App Store): “the ease of use is beyond what words can describe. literally just download it and start talking to it. that’s all you have to do. they run circles around chatgpt and claud in more ways than one.” [source](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/muse-from-meta/id6760173601)
- Praise, 2026-10-12, X search: Muse from Meta, Meta Muse (X): “3 things that have surprised me about meta muse 1. i enjoy it much more than i thought 2. i use it more than claude 3. it's easy to use out of the box if you haven't checked it out, it's definitely worth exploring.” [source](https://twitter.com/1929897010024341504/status/2109630175633686610)
- Complaint, 2026-10-16, @muse (X): “the @muse for desktop onboarding. meta clearly at the zero f***s stage. [link]” [source](https://twitter.com/1075/status/2111118934426656973)
- Complaint, 2026-10-10, Play Store (Play Store): “very difficult to install they only want one way to set it up disappointed” [source](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.facebook.aura)
- Complaint, 2026-10-05, X search: Muse from Meta, Meta Muse (X): “got meta muse working ([email] for helping me get a us fb account). the setup is a hassle, with fb and meta accs technically being separate, even tho appearing as one unified acc.. i swear hermes was easier to setup 😭” [source](https://twitter.com/1664592429289205761/status/2107117321085198390)

### Grok Bot

- Praise, 2026-10-18, X search: Grok Bot, Grokbot, x.ai/bot (X): “@tualatrix i can't believe i was so silly 😂 grokbot doesn't need extra credentials 😂 i thought it was openai's dot.” [source](https://twitter.com/27200079/status/2111742457360912847)
- Praise, 2026-10-17, @bot (X): “@dillon_mulroy @bot @poteto couldn’t agree more, openclaw shits itself when you ask it to do anything except tell you its name, hermes is better but bot is very normie friendly. grokbot for normies, hermes for nerds 👍” [source](https://twitter.com/1555189749585149953/status/2111487023693578362)
- Praise, 2026-10-17, @bot (X): “@joshmanders @zrymiller @miaai_lab @poteto @dunnbot nice 👍 i tried openclaw and hermes in the past. grok @bot is just one less thing i have to worry about fiddling with. just works.” [source](https://twitter.com/1854008528064724992/status/2111496693011419489)
- Complaint, 2026-10-17, X search: Grok Bot, Grokbot, x.ai/bot (X): “fuggin finally hooked up grokbot to my t3code instance running over tailscale. god damn that was a lot of work” [source](https://twitter.com/920478965067911169/status/2111347413227303172)
- Complaint, 2026-10-16, App Store (App Store): “i have yet to get this app to work. just cycles me in circles. had high hopes but not working so far even with grok coaching me” [source](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/grok-bot/id6794501026)
- Complaint, 2026-10-08, @bot (X): “@bot so my bot got your reply but it didn’t have any setup instructions or anything, how do we proceed? i want my bot to have [email] email.” [source](https://twitter.com/931641543164805120/status/2108033047669195126)

### Hark

- Praise, 2026-10-17, App Store (App Store): “this is an ai app for real people. no complicated setup or jargon, it just works. love it” [source](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/hark-pro/id6772362941)
- Praise, 2026-10-11, Introducing Hark Pro (YouTube): “been using it for 4 days. it’s already game changing for my businesses and my personal landscape. mind blowing capability. easy to onboard then zooooom.” [source](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3mfnrEwaA0&lc=UgxTzktRDJcE_FkdPap4AaABAg)
- Praise, 2026-10-07, App Store (App Store): “surprised how easy it was to setup and star doing helpful tasks” [source](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/hark-pro/id6772362941)
- Complaint, 2026-10-17, @hark_labs (X): “@hark_labs this was a comically bad onboarding … absolutely every step broke and then it just started rejecting any message i sent it. 🤣 [link]” [source](https://twitter.com/14501624/status/2111268496504209742)
- Complaint, 2026-10-11, @hark_labs (X): “@scobleizer @hark_labs i found onboarding to be lacking for average users. probably not their target. it’s less intelligent than dots and less capable than grokbot. seems if they connect it to psychical devices long-term there’s a potential opportunity there. but for now, there are better options.” [source](https://twitter.com/3527541/status/2109249614733824207)
- Complaint, 2026-10-17, @hark_labs (X): “@hark_labs pretty terrible experience :-/. said i got the code but messages keep getting rejected. messy onboarding too.” [source](https://twitter.com/105614067/status/2111267944152068420)

### ChatGPT Dots

- Praise, 2026-10-12, X search: ChatGPT dots, ChatGPT dot, OpenAI dots, OpenAI's dot (X): “@jayair this is literally just openai's dots in codex on both a mac mini and macbook. very simple setup and works right now. don't want what you can already have!” [source](https://twitter.com/237428719/status/2109457659221229850)
- Praise, 2026-10-09, X search: ChatGPT dots, ChatGPT dot, OpenAI dots, OpenAI's dot (X): “i ditched openclaw for openai's dots, and setup took minutes instead of hours [link] [link]” [source](https://twitter.com/65119912/status/2108361865566806246)
- Praise, 2026-10-09, X search: ChatGPT dots, ChatGPT dot, OpenAI dots, OpenAI's dot (X): “i ditched openclaw for openai's dots, and setup took minutes instead of hours [link]” [source](https://twitter.com/1146884558/status/2108384174981685331)
- Complaint, 2026-10-12, We Tested ChatGPT Dots So You Don't Waste $100 (YouTube): “as far as i understand you are correct. i haven't used grok bot but i've setup dots and that part is frustrating. but i'm certain openai will drop more updates soon” [source](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZMtfvLvUM0&lc=UgyRZeO1lhqetly5Xbl4AaABAg.AbkesbZTs0UAbqYYw4AEpx)
- Complaint, 2026-10-05, X search: ChatGPT dots, ChatGPT dot, OpenAI dots, OpenAI's dot (X): “why do @chatgpt dots feel so overwhelming ? is it just me ? i am still trying to figure out the most optimal way to set it up with spaces” [source](https://twitter.com/2549328379/status/2107098077924561057)
- Complaint, 2026-10-04, X search: ChatGPT dots, ChatGPT dot, OpenAI dots, OpenAI's dot (X): “openai’s dots are cool, but onboarding feels like: create one, stare at a blank text box. your dot should ask about you and suggest useful things to try on day one. most of my use cases come from twitter. that shouldn’t be the onboarding flow. @thsottiaux” [source](https://twitter.com/71414806/status/2106591883808088356)

### Hermes Agent

- Praise, 2026-10-16, r/hermesagent (Reddit): “yep, it doesn't need much to perform good and once you use it for a while you can understand what your specific setup needs and just ask hermes to set it up.” [source](https://www.reddit.com/r/hermesagent/comments/1x7b6kw/hot_take_dont_bother_with_proper_settings_if_you/ph6j2rb/)
- Praise, 2026-10-16, X search: Hermes Agent, hermes-agent, Hermes Desktop (X): “i installed hermes agent on a vps... one command and a wizard. i connected it to an openai compatible endpoint and asked it who i am, without giving it context. it found me anyway hehe the bare installation, step by step: [link] [link] @helmcode @barckcode @borjaperfra” [source](https://twitter.com/850799668686663681/status/2111125012392583236)
- Praise, 2026-10-15, r/hermesagent (Reddit): “i've been really happy with matrix. i moved off telegram to it. hermes set it up for me” [source](https://www.reddit.com/r/hermesagent/comments/1x68c6a/ive_tried_telegram_slack_and_redde_whats_the_best/pgtid98/)
- Complaint, 2026-10-17, @NousResearch (X): “one macbook air. venue wifi. most of an afternoon to install one ai agent. here's what that looked like... @nousresearch” [source](https://twitter.com/212748185/status/2111255298614690299)
- Complaint, 2026-10-17, X search: Hermes Agent, hermes-agent, Hermes Desktop (X): “i tried hermes agent, too complicated to setup. just subscribed to grok bot. getting things done is more important than trynna save couple bucks a month. 🤘” [source](https://twitter.com/3132573418/status/2111269150853398822)
- Complaint, 2026-10-17, X search: Hermes Agent, hermes-agent, Hermes Desktop (X): “i tried hermes agent, too complicated to setup. just subscribed to grok bot. getting things done is more important than trynna save couple bucks a month. 🤘 @elonmusk” [source](https://twitter.com/3132573418/status/2111269225755202035)

### OpenClaw

- Praise, 2026-10-09, @openclaw (X): “@kaostyl @openclaw not bad the installation. there are also 4 plans 5g ;)” [source](https://twitter.com/40621268/status/2108474310881145213)
- Complaint, 2026-10-18, X search: OpenClaw, openclaw.ai (X): “there is also a desktop version llm app for linux, so even if you throw all the settings, it's quite easy, right? it has become so easy compared to the trial and error i did with openclaw in february. [link]” [source](https://twitter.com/876396834482077696/status/2111875168176066889)
- Complaint, 2026-10-17, X search: OpenClaw, openclaw.ai (X): “i tried openclaw, then dropped it. too much setup, no clear use case. hermes clicked when i found a simple handoff: tag it in jira before leaving work, then return to progress and results in the same issue the next morning. how that grew into an ai workflow: [link]” [source](https://twitter.com/467147533/status/2111411865893175430)
- Complaint, 2026-10-16, X search: OpenClaw, openclaw.ai (X): “@tinyprojectsdev i tired openclaw and realized it's not going to catch up mainstream because of the sheer amount of setup work it needs. grok bot made it simpler and the whole virtualized architecture is cool. but its still at the early stages mate.” [source](https://twitter.com/1168984669/status/2111069703817032078)

### Gemini Spark

- Praise, 2026-10-07, X search: Gemini Spark (X): “@do_grit dou-san! thank you for the introduction! ✨😆 gemini spark has a very low barrier to hiring an ai agent in the google environment, and anyone can set it up, so i definitely want many people to know about it! 🔥” [source](https://twitter.com/1892229591718400000/status/2107774916175294821)
- Praise, 2026-10-06, X search: Gemini Spark (X): “uh... just by typing "interview" into gemini spark, you can create an ai employee. you don't have to write the blueprint for the ai employee yourself, it's super easy. [link]” [source](https://twitter.com/1081557673189900288/status/2107409618767122909)
- Praise, 2026-09-27, X search: Gemini Spark (X): “@iamemily2050 100% agree. i've shifted so much to meta muse already for day-to-day things. between that and gemini spark, it does so much and so easy to setup.” [source](https://twitter.com/1655275064126853121/status/2104106861129761117)
- Complaint, 2026-09-17, X search: Gemini Spark (X): “i thought i would try something called gemini spark and changed to the pro plan, but i don't really understand how to use it now.” [source](https://twitter.com/336946820/status/2100536579169382504)
- Complaint, 2026-09-11, X search: Gemini Spark (X): “@hakan_ertann @designgost i followed the setup guide for gemini spark but would not allow me to go past this step [link]” [source](https://twitter.com/1019668285325959169/status/2098468762030834149)

### Instinct

- Praise, 2026-09-25, Instinct AI is For Real. What You Need to Know. (YouTube): “there’s hardly any setup at all just to initially start using it!” [source](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUAsaprJ66s&lc=UgyCFku-sEgsgO9vZ3h4AaABAg.AazzmaKTGTBAbAQrlJS2nB)
- Praise, 2026-09-22, X search: Instinct AI, Instinct personal assistant, instinct.com (X): “spent last week with meta muse and instinct ai. no setup. connected one to gmail and it went to work. the capability isn't new. the door is. anyone can walk through it now. ask us anything tomorrow, 4-7 pm, workuity 24th & camelback: [link]” [source](https://twitter.com/808531067393015808/status/2102451012434829407)

### Poke

- Praise, 2026-09-03, @interaction (X): “@harshitkhemani @interaction vedanta did thing is this seems to be pretty attuned to india whatsapp integration seems really solid and onboarding took like 120 seconds” [source](https://twitter.com/1733869203319611392/status/2095397593220329750)
- Complaint, 2026-09-22, @interaction (X): “@brettster @interaction @asideai i did the same wiring dance with poke. these days i just use [link], it runs the web tasks and the calls with my logins and i never touch it.” [source](https://twitter.com/1833345605831176193/status/2102235435737272350)