Hercules

A one-sentence summary

Hercules is an AI full-stack application builder designed for individuals and businesses; users can use natural language to create websites, internal tools, SaaS applications, mobile PWA apps, as well as business systems with databases, and deploy them directly.

Tool Introduction

Hercules is operated by Zeus AI Labs, Inc., and its goal is to enable users who do not know how to program to transform their requirements into functional products. The platform brings together AI development agents, the front-end interface, databases, back-end functions, authentication mechanisms, payment systems, email functionality, file handling, hosting services, and domain names in a single workspace.

It can be used to create applications, as well as to enable existing applications to invoke models through the AI Gateway. AI Credits are required during the website setup phase, Cloud Credits are needed during operation, and there are also costs associated with third-party stores or payment services; therefore, it’s not sufficient to consider only the monthly subscription fee.

Main components of the platform

Main functions

Full-stack application for natural language generation

After the user describes the requirements for a CRM, ERP, portal, inventory system, or website, Hercules generates the interface and related data structures in real time. Subsequently, it is possible to continue the conversation to add pages, roles, automation features, or fix issues.

Built-in database and backend

By default, each Hercules application includes a database, and it offers support for backend functions, file storage, search capabilities, as well as scheduled tasks. Users do not need to set up a separate cloud project first, but they still need to understand the data structure, permissions, and production capacity.

User login and permissions

The platform offers an authentication portal that enables the use of one-time verification codes from Google, Apple, Microsoft, LinkedIn, or email. It is also possible to define users, roles, and access permissions; the specific enterprise-level identity features available depend on the chosen package.

Payments and Hercules Commerce

Commerce allows for the creation of products, variants, and benefits; it supports free pricing, one-time pricing, or recurring pricing, and it can handle orders, refunds, and disputes. The available documentation states that in addition to the payment processing fees, a 2% platform fee is charged during the initial setup period, though the actual rate will need to be confirmed before it is implemented.

Email, file, and content management

Applications can take advantage of built-in features for handling emails, files and media, as well as CMS, search, notifications, and internationalization. Each of these resources affects the amount of cloud usage; responsibility for email delivery, content moderation, and compliance with regional regulations remains with the application operator.

One-click publishing and custom domain names

The project can be launched first on the Hercules subdomain, and then a custom domain name can be connected based on the chosen package. The platform offers services for domain names, hosting, SEO, and social sharing, but domain name costs, search rankings, and external services are not guaranteed automatically.

Mobile PWA and app stores

Hercules is based on PWA as its mobile application framework; it supports features such as push notifications, camera access, location tracking, and home screen icons. When submitting it to Google Play, App Store, or Microsoft Store, it is necessary to use a PWA packaging tool to create the package, which must then be signed and approved using the developer’s own account.

Version control and rollback

Versioning saves snapshots of the application code and configurations, which facilitates recovery in case of issues arising from modifications. Database data and file media are not included in these version snapshots; therefore, rolling back the code cannot serve as a substitute for data backup.

AI Gateway

AI Gateway enables applications that have been deployed to use models such as OpenAI, Anthropic, Google AI Studio, and Groq, without the need for users to configure model keys first. The default model at present is GPT-5 mini; it supports input in the form of text, images, and PDF files, with text output generated as a result. Output in the form of audio, video, and other formats is still considered to be in the planning stage.

MCP and external AI assistants

Hercules offers a remote MCP that enables connection to AI clients such as ChatGPT, Claude, Codex, and Cursor, allowing users to create or manage applications through external conversations. It also allows MCP services like Linear, Notion, Sentry, Stripe, GitHub, and Slack to be integrated into chat interfaces.

Permission control for Chat Connectors

Connectors are installed by the users; administrators or users can choose the tools that the Agent can use and decide whether approval is required before execution. Connecting to external systems expands the scope of data and operations, so it is recommended to always use the minimum level of permissions.

What can be created?

• Internal enterprise tools: CRM, ERP, HR portal, inventory management, approval processes, and operational dashboards.
• Customer applications: scheduling, membership, customer portal, forms, and service management.
• SaaS products: multi-tenant accounts, subscriptions, benefits, email, and payment.
• Marketing website: brand page, content management, SEO, forms, and custom domain names.
• E-commerce applications: products, variants, checkout, orders, refunds, and customer management.
• AI applications: chatbots, summarization, classification, analysis, and personalized recommendations.
• Mobile apps: PWA can be installed, as well as packaged versions that can be submitted to major app stores.

Basic usage tutorial

1. Create an account and start with the free tier; in one sentence, describe the target users, key data, and the most important processes.
2. Have Hercules generate the first version, and then add fields, pages, roles, validation rules, and error handling one by one.
3. Check the database permissions, login process, keys, and the payment testing environment – don’t focus only on the front-end pages.
4. Use real but anonymized samples to test creation, editing, deletion, concurrency, and failure recovery.
5. Publish to a temporary subdomain, and check mobile compatibility, SEO, performance, email functionality, as well as browser compatibility.
6. Confirm the subscription, AI Credits, Cloud Credits, and third-party fees before connecting to the official domain name.
7. After going live, monitor errors, resource usage, and bills, and create separate backups for the database and files.

Mobile app release process

1. Enable PWA in the Mobile settings and let AI optimize the mobile layout, icons, and metadata.
2. First, publish it on the Hercules domain name, install it on a real phone’s home screen, and test the push notifications, camera functions, and positioning features.
3. Use the PWA packaging service to generate Android, iOS, or Windows Store projects respectively.
4. Save the Android signing key; iOS requires a Mac, Xcode, and an Apple developer account.
5. Add screenshots, a privacy policy, data security measures, and age rating in the corresponding developer dashboard.
6. Submit for review and address any rejection issues; do not assume that the Hercules publish button means automatic approval by the store.

Mobility and limitations

AI Credits and Cloud Credits

After an upgrade, only AI Credits calculated on a proportional basis will be issued as a refund; this refund is valid for 28 days from the date of issuance, and the billing cycle is not reset. Refunds for AI Credits are rarely approved, and the official recommendation is to contact support first in order to investigate the cause of the consumption issue.

Subscription price and packages

The public pricing page indicates that it is possible to start using the service for free, and it offers different tiers such as Free, Pro, Business, and Enterprise. However, the prices are displayed dynamically based on the account type, selected points, and the trial version. The current static public page does not show consistent prices for each tier, so the subscription costs and AI quota amounts should be based on the real-time pricing information on the account page.

Attention should be paid to the name of the package.

The terms of service, which will take effect in 2025, still state that commercial use requires Teams or Enterprise, whereas the current pricing interface uses the names Pro and Business. Users who intend to use the service for commercial purposes should consult support to find out which subscription tier meets the requirements for commercial licensing, and they should record this information in their order or contract.

Upgrade, downgrade, and cancellation

• Upgrades to the more expensive plans usually take effect immediately, with only the proportional difference charged.
• The downgrade takes effect at the start of the next billing cycle, while the current plan remains in force until the end of that cycle.
• To cancel subscription, you can downgrade to Free in the billing settings.
• If payment is not made within seven days, the plan will be downgraded to Free; the custom domain name may become unavailable and the application may stop working.
• Major credit cards, Google Pay, and Apple Pay can be used for payment, and businesses can request invoices.

Hercules Cloud pricing

Both the free and paid tiers include certain cloud resources, while Pro and Business offer higher free usage thresholds. The following are the additional fees in dollars as listed in this document; Enterprise customers can negotiate customized capacity levels.

Cloud cost control

1. On the billing dashboard, view usage by application and resource to determine where the cost increase is coming from.
2. Set balance alerts and auto-topup thresholds to prevent unlimited top-ups.
3. Optimize high-frequency functions, database queries, files, and outbound traffic.
4. Set the model, prompt length, invocation permissions, and in-app quotas for the AI Gateway.
5. Contact support before the traffic starts to increase rapidly to assess Enterprise capacity and pricing.

AI Gateway model and billing

MCP integration with developers

Hercules Remote MCP enables external AI assistants to gain access to a user’s organization through authenticated login, making it suitable for carrying out tasks such as creating websites and modifying applications using ChatGPT, Claude, Codex, or Cursor. Hercules is also listed in the ChatGPT Apps directory, but its actual availability depends on the region, account details, and connection permissions.

MCP Connectors are created within chats to enable reverse calls to external tools and data sources; users can install from a catalog or add custom servers. An approval policy should be set for each tool, especially those involved in tasks such as payments, code repositories, ticket management, and message sending.

MCP security configuration

1. Add the remote MCP through Hercules’ official connection portal and complete account authorization.
2. Choose the correct organization to prevent connecting the testing assistant to the production workspace.
3. Only the applications and tools required for the current task are made available, and write or payment operations require approval each time.
4. First, use test cases to verify the scope of changes made by the AI as well as the ability to restore to previous versions.
5. After the task is completed, check the activity logs and terminate any connections that are no longer needed.

Privacy, training, and data storage

The privacy policy states that prompts, code, files, and AI outputs may be used to improve and train models. Team and Enterprise customers can disable training in the administration panel; however, the name of this option does not exactly match the naming convention used for Business plans. Business customers should obtain written confirmation as to whether their plan includes the option to disable such training.

Public and private applications

The current document states that by default all applications are private, and users must explicitly enable Public Visibility for them to be made publicly accessible; this rule was changed in May 2026. The terms of service still grant broad permissions that allow public applications to be viewed, copied, forked, and indexed; therefore it is necessary to check the relevant settings as well as the latest terms before publishing.

Commercial use, copyright, and responsibilities

• Under the terms of service, the Free tier is intended for personal, non-commercial use only; for internal corporate tools, customer projects, and purposes related to generating revenue, a proper paid subscription is required.
• Users retain the right to input data and receive AI-generated outputs, but these outputs may contain third-party open-source or proprietary components that are subject to their respective licenses.
• Users must have the necessary rights to upload data, images, code, and trademarks.
• AI-generated code requires manual review, testing, and security scanning; the platform does not offer any formal SLAs.
• Sensitive data must not be uploaded, unless there is a separate written agreement.
• The platform can modify or discontinue certain functions, and it does not bear full responsibility for the automatic execution or deployment of code.
• High-risk activities are not suitable for relying on this service; users should maintain manual control and alternative solutions.

Product advantages

• The integrated process that spans natural language, databases, the backend, authentication, and hosting reduces the initial setup costs.
• It is suitable for business users who are not familiar with programming, while also allowing developers to continue tweaking complex functions and integrations.
• The built-in cloud platform reduces the need for manual configuration across multiple service providers.
• The guides on Commerce, AI Gateway, mobile PWA, and app stores cover everything from development to operation.
• MCP enables external AI to operate Hercules, as well as allows built-in Agents to call external systems.
• Cloud resources offer public, pay-as-you-go pricing, which makes it easier to estimate the infrastructure costs that will arise as the application grows.

Usage restrictions and precautions

• Applications generated by AI may have issues related to permissions, logic, performance, dependencies, and security vulnerabilities, and they must undergo actual testing.
• The subscription price and AI quota change dynamically, and the static pages available publicly do not reflect the settlement amount for each account.
• AI Credits are separate from Cloud Credits, and costs for the models that are in operation continue to be incurred.
• The Free tier cannot be used for commercial projects, and there are differences in the wording of the current package name compared to the old terms.
• User-generated content can be used for model improvement by default; the eligibility to do so depends on the plan selected.
• Version snapshots do not include database data or uploaded files, and therefore cannot be considered a complete backup.
• PWA cannot provide certain native features such as background location tracking, synchronization of local contacts, and Bluetooth.
• The user is responsible for the account fees, signatures, privacy information, and approval processes in the app store.
• AI Credits are rarely refunded, and the bonus points issued for upgrades are valid for only 28 days.
• The cloud balance can turn negative due to excessive usage; it is therefore necessary to set budgets and shutdown policies.

GitHub and the open-source status

The Hercules application development platform is not an open-source product; there is no official code repository that can be used to host the full platform, as indicated on the current official website. There are several projects on the internet with the same name related to multi-agent or automated testing, but these are not the same tool as the one in question.

Applications created by users may include open-source dependencies, but this does not mean that the Hercules platform itself is open source. MCP, AI Gateway compatibility interfaces, and application code access are merely part of the product’s capabilities; they are still subject to account rules, subscription plans, and service terms.

Basic information

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Hercules free?

You can start for free, but the Free tier is intended only for personal, non-commercial use and comes with limited amounts of cloud resources. For commercial use, as well as for removing branding, working in teams, and accessing advanced features, paid plans that comply with the current terms are required.

Can Hercules create native mobile apps?

The main approach is to first create a PWA, and then use a packaging service to generate an app store project. It supports features such as push notifications, camera access, and foreground location tracking, but it does not offer capabilities like background location tracking, contact synchronization, or Bluetooth connectivity.

What is the difference between AI Credits and Cloud Credits?

AI Credits are used to interact with the Hercules Agent in order to develop applications, while Cloud Credits are used for hosting additional services related to those applications as well as for making calls to the AI Gateway. The expiration of AI Credits does not result in the shutdown of already published applications immediately; however, a shortage of Cloud Credits can affect the online services.

Will Hercules use projects to train models?

The privacy policy permits the use of prompts, code, files, and outputs to improve or train models. Training can be disabled for specific team and enterprise plans, but it is necessary to verify the actual eligibility and make the relevant settings within the current account.

Does Hercules support MCP?

Supported. Remote MCP enables external AI assistants to operate Hercules, while Chat Connectors allow Hercules Agents to call external MCP tools.

Is Hercules open source?

No. Multiple open-source repositories with the same name belong to other projects, and cannot be used as code for the Hercules application development platform.

Summary

Hercules’ advantage lies in its ability to integrate AI development, a full-stack runtime environment, payment processing, mobile PWA capabilities, model gateways, and MCP into one single solution, making it suitable for quickly creating real business applications. For non-technical users, it represents a more comprehensive one-stop platform compared to tools that only generate page code.

Before launching the service on a commercial scale, it is essential to carefully examine the pricing for dynamic subscriptions, the costs associated with dual credits, the limitations imposed by the free version of the service, the criteria for terminating model training, database backup procedures, and the processes related to app stores. The speed at which content can be generated cannot replace security assessments, data management practices, load testing, and ongoing maintenance.