AI agents
MemOS
Memory for agents that a human can actually inspect and edit
★ 11k
September 2026
Apache-2.0
AI agents
What we checked ourselves
Not copied from the project's own blurb. These are things we opened and verified, with the date.
- 7 Sept 2026We checked that the link to the project still resolves.
- 14 Aug 2026We read the licence text itself (LICENSE). No unusual restrictions were stated.
- 31 Aug 2026We read the project's own documentation and found no sign that development has stopped.
Where this sits among the 114 tools we list in AI agents
- Commercial use confirmed as allowed95 of 114
- Requires terminal commands21 that do not →
- Requires an API key29 that do not →
- Sends your input to the provider11 that do not →
Counted from our own checks: every tool we list is examined against the same criteria.
What it does
A memory layer unifying store, retrieve and manage for long-lived agents, with memories held as a graph that is inspectable and editable by design rather than an opaque vector blob — which is what makes "why did it answer that" a question you can follow. Covers knowledge bases, multi-modal content and tool-use history. Inspectable cuts both ways: decide retention, deletion and who can read it before storing personal conversations. Apache-2.0.
Summary based on the project's own description. The Japanese page has a fuller beginner guide: setup difficulty, what to prepare, and a step-by-step start.
Screenshots & visuals
Before you start
- Setup difficultySome setup needed
- Command lineRequired
- API keyRequired
- Sends data onlineYes
Judged automatically from the project's own metadata. Always confirm on the official page.
MemOS FAQ
- Is MemOS free?
- MemOS itself is free, but it needs an API key for an external AI service. That service charges separately, though some have a free tier.
- Do I need to install anything or write code to use MemOS?
- It needs the command line. If you are not comfortable typing commands, expect to get stuck during setup.
- Does MemOS work on a phone?
- No. It needs a computer.
- Can I use MemOS commercially?
- The licence is Apache-2.0, which permits commercial use. Conditions such as keeping the copyright notice still apply, so read the licence text before shipping it inside something.
How it compares
The conditions that decide whether you can actually use it, side by side.
| Tool | Command line | API key | Sends data out | Phone | Commercial use |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MemOS (this page) | Required | Required | Yes | No | Yes |
| cognee | Required | Required | Yes | No | Yes |
| Letta | Required | Required | Yes | No | Yes |
| memvid | Required | Not needed | No | No | Yes |
"Sends data out" means your input is uploaded to someone's server. Pick "No" when the material cannot leave your organisation.