Side by side
LangChain vs LlamaIndex
A fact-based comparison built only from each tool's verified directory profile — pricing summaries, plan availability, platforms, and stated strengths and limitations. No rankings, no sponsored placement.
| Criterion | LangChain | LlamaIndex |
|---|---|---|
| Category | AI Agents & Frameworks | RAG & Vector Databases |
| In one sentence | Open-source framework for building LLM apps and agents that work with many model providers. | Open-source framework for connecting LLMs to your data, plus the commercial LlamaParse document platform. |
| Problem it solves | Wiring models, tools, data sources and agent logic together without writing custom glue for every provider. | Getting messy documents into a form that LLMs can search and reason over accurately. |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Developer API | Yes — docs | Yes — docs |
| Open source | Yes | Yes |
| Platforms | Python, JavaScript/TypeScript | Python, Web (LlamaCloud) |
| Pricing (summary) | The LangChain framework is free under the MIT licence. LangSmith, sold separately, has a free Developer plan (1 seat, 5k base traces/month), Plus at $39/seat/month with 10k traces, and custom Enterprise. Checked 2026-10-19 | The LlamaIndex framework is free under MIT. LlamaParse plans: Free with 10K credits, Starter $50/month (40K credits), Pro $500/month (400K credits) and custom Enterprise; 1,000 credits cost $1.25. Checked 2026-10-19 |
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How to choose
Both profiles link to the vendors' official pricing — plan details change often, so verify there before buying. Pick based on the criterion rows above that matter to your workflow, not on rankings: we don't rank tools, because the right choice depends on your needs.