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CrewAI vs Griptape (2026): which should you pick?

As of Nov 13, 2026, Griptape grades higher than CrewAI: 2.4 against 2.2 out of 4.0.

Checked Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA

Griptape grades higher on features. They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan, ease of use and platforms.

Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.

CrewAI

Multi-agent platform to build, run and govern AI agents

Free plan
Full detailscrewai.com

Griptape

Visual AI workflows plus a Python framework for agents

Free plan · from $40/mo
Full detailsgriptape.ai

Which one is for you

Pick CrewAI if

  • Fits if you want to try multi-agent workflows in a visual editor
  • Works for a company that wants a VPC or self-run deployment

Look elsewhere if

  • Tight if you build for real: 2 automations and 50 executions a month
  • Not for you if you want a self-serve paid plan, as none is published
  • Watch out: SSO, role-based access and enterprise connectors are Enterprise only
  • Skip it if you want instant sign-up for Enterprise, which starts with a trial request and a 45-day onboarding

Pick Griptape if

  • Fits if you build image or video AI pipelines and like nodes more than code
  • Works for a small team of up to 3 on Professional

Look elsewhere if

  • Not for you if you want a free plan for work, because it is non-commercial and single user
  • Tight if your team passes 3 people, as Enterprise is priced on request
  • Watch out: Griptape Cloud and Local list no prices on griptape.ai
  • Skip it if you want to run models locally on a laptop, since the FAQ says it needs a professional GPU

How we grade them

2.2GPACrewAIFair2.4GPAGriptapeFair
Value for money
CThe page lists only Free and a custom Enterprise, with no self-serve paid price to compare.
CProfessional is $400 a user a year ($40 monthly), between the category's middle of $25 and dearer quarter at $50, for up to 3 users.
Free plan and trial
CFree has 2 automations and a hard cap of 50 executions a month, with no overage option.
CA non-commercial plan for a single user, with model credits paid as you go. It can't be used for paid work.
Features
CVisual editor, role-based agents, tracing and governance, but SSO, RBAC and connectors are Enterprise only.
BNode editor, Python framework, Griptape Cloud and on-premises options across many model vendors. The listing names no gap in the core job.
Ease of use
CNo store rating on record. You design agents, roles and workflows yourself.
CA visual editor, but Python and a pro GPU for local models. We found no store rating.
Platforms and integrations
BWeb only, with seven integrations and flexible deployment on Enterprise, including a VPC or your own servers.
BBrowser and desktop app on Mac, Windows and Linux, with a REST API and connections to OpenAI, Google, ElevenLabs, Hugging Face, Nuke, Maya and Blender. No phone app.
Best forbuilding multi-agent workflowsvisual AI workflows plus a Python framework

The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: CrewAI and Griptape. How we grade

Where they differ

    In commonFree planWebOpen sourceWorkflow automationAI agentsNo-code

    At a glance

    CrewAIGriptape
    PricingFree planFree plan
    Starts atNot published$40 per user / month, billed monthly ($400 per user / year, billed annually)
    Free planBasic plan: visual editor and AI copilot, GitHub integration, 2 automations and 50 workflow executions a month.Non-commercial plan: single user, for testing or non-commercial use, with cloud-hosted models paid for as you go with credits.
    Free trialNone listedNone listed
    Web
    macOS
    Windows
    Linux
    Made byCrewAIGriptape, Inc. (sold through Foundry)
    Price read fromcrewai.comfoundry.com
    CheckedNov 12, 2026Nov 13, 2026

    Worth knowing

    CrewAI

    • The pricing page lists only Free and Enterprise; there is no published self-serve paid tier.
    • The free plan stops at 2 automations and 50 executions a month, with no overage option.
    • SSO, role-based access, enterprise connectors and dedicated support are Enterprise only.
    • Enterprise starts with a trial request and a 45-day onboarding, not instant sign-up.

    Griptape

    • The pricing read here is for Griptape Nodes. Griptape Cloud and Griptape Local list no prices on griptape.ai.
    • The free plan is limited to non-commercial use by a single user.
    • Professional covers up to 3 users; larger teams go to Enterprise, which is priced on request.
    • Running models locally needs a professional-grade GPU, according to the Foundry FAQ.

    Key features

    CrewAI

    Visual editor and AI copilot
    A no-code canvas builder, guided by an AI copilot, that can be exported to Python code.
    Role-based agents and workflows
    Agents are given roles, and deterministic workflows control how they hand work to each other.
    Tracing and evaluation
    Tracing of every LLM call, tool call and memory read with cost accounting, plus OpenTelemetry and LLM testing.
    Governance controls
    Human-in-the-loop approval gates, guardrails, and on Enterprise, SSO, role-based access and PII redaction hooks.
    Flexible deployment
    Run on CrewAI cloud; Enterprise adds a dedicated VPC or the customer's own infrastructure. Agents can be exported as an MCP server.

    Griptape

    Griptape Nodes
    A node-based editor for building and editing AI workflows visually, with Python scripting available when you want it. It runs in a browser or as a desktop app.
    Python framework
    An open-source framework with primitives for agents, pipelines, workflows and RAG, plus drivers for different models, vector stores and tools.
    Griptape Cloud
    Hosted services for data sources, knowledge bases, retrievers, structures and conversation memory, reachable through a REST API.
    Many model providers
    The Foundry page lists standard integrations with vendors including Google, OpenAI, Black Forest Labs, ByteDance, ElevenLabs and Luma, plus Hugging Face models.
    On-premises options
    Griptape Engine and Nodes can run in the cloud or on-premises, and Griptape Local is described as running on infrastructure you own.

    Plans

    CrewAI

    • Basic$0

      Visual editor, AI copilot, tracing and GitHub integration; 2 automations and a hard cap of 50 executions a month.

    • EnterpriseCustom

      SSO, RBAC, PII redaction, enterprise connectors, dedicated support, and deployment on CrewAI cloud, a VPC or your own servers.

    Griptape

    • Non-commercial$0

      Single user for testing or non-commercial use. Model credits are bought pay-as-you-go; support is through Discord.

    • Professional$400

      per user / year, billed annually ($40 per user billed monthly)

      For small teams, priced per user for up to 3 users. Includes 1,000 credits a month ($40 worth), and you can bring your own API keys for third-party models.

    • EnterpriseCustom

      Unlimited users, cloud or on-premises deployment, advanced user and permission controls, and premium support and onboarding.

    Ways to pay less

    CrewAI

    No public discounts listed.

    Griptape

    • Annual discount

      Annual billing

      Professional is $400 per user a year billed annually, against $40 per user a month billed monthly ($480 a year).

    Common questions

    Which is cheaper, CrewAI or Griptape?

    As of Nov 13, 2026, CrewAI publishes no starting price, and Griptape starts at $40 per user / month, billed monthly ($400 per user / year, billed annually).

    Which has a free plan, CrewAI or Griptape?

    As of Nov 13, 2026, both CrewAI and Griptape have a free plan.

    Which platforms do CrewAI and Griptape run on?

    As of Nov 13, 2026, only Griptape lists macOS, Windows and Linux apps. Both list a web app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.

    More comparisons

    How this page was made

    • The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
    • The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
    • Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
    • The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.
    How we review and grade