CrewAI vs LangGraph (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, LangGraph grades higher than CrewAI: 2.6 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
CrewAI grades higher on ease of use. LangGraph grades higher on the free plan and features. They get the same grade on value for money and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
LangGraph
Open-source framework for building controllable AI agents
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 LangGraph if
- Fits if you write Python or JavaScript and want control over each agent step
- Works for teams that already use LangChain or LangSmith
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you want a visual builder, because the framework itself has none
- Pricey if you deploy on LangChain's servers, which needs Plus at $39 a seat a month
- Watch out: traces, Agent Server compute and sandboxes are metered in LSUs at $1 each past the allowances
- Tight if you need history, since base traces are kept 14 days and 180-day traces cost extra
How we grade them
| 2.2GPACrewAIFair | 2.6GPALangGraphGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CThe page lists only Free and a custom Enterprise, with no self-serve paid price to compare. | CThe library is free, but deploying on LangChain's infrastructure needs LangSmith Plus at $39 a seat, above the category's middle of $25, with usage billed in LSUs. |
| Free plan and trial | CFree has 2 automations and a hard cap of 50 executions a month, with no overage option. | AFree outright: the MIT library has no cap, and LangSmith Developer is $0 for one seat with 5k traces a month. |
| Features | CVisual editor, role-based agents, tracing and governance, but SSO, RBAC and connectors are Enterprise only. | BSingle and multi-agent control, human approval, persistent memory, streaming and an Agent Server for deployment. The framework has no visual builder. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. You design agents, roles and workflows yourself. | DYou write code and run it yourself, or deploy an Agent Server. 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. | BA code library with LangChain, LangSmith and MCP connections, plus hosted, hybrid or self-hosted deployment. No desktop or phone app. |
| Best for | building multi-agent workflows | building controllable AI agents in code |
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 LangGraph. How we grade
Where they differ
- LangGraph is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- CrewAI also covers no-code.
At a glance
| CrewAI | LangGraph | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | Not published | $39 per seat / month, billed monthly |
| Free plan | Basic plan: visual editor and AI copilot, GitHub integration, 2 automations and 50 workflow executions a month. | The LangGraph library is MIT-licensed and free. LangSmith Developer is $0 for 1 seat with 5k base traces a month. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| Made by | CrewAI | LangChain |
| Price read from | crewai.com | langchain.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 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.
LangGraph
- The library is code only; there is no visual builder in the framework itself.
- Deploying on LangChain's infrastructure needs LangSmith Plus ($39 per seat / month) or Enterprise; the Developer plan has no Agent Server.
- Beyond the included allowances, traces, Agent Server compute and sandboxes are metered in LangSmith units (1 LSU = $1).
- Base traces are kept 14 days; 180-day extended traces cost extra.
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.
LangGraph
- Graph-based agent control
- Low-level primitives for single-agent, multi-agent and hierarchical control flows in one framework.
- Human-in-the-loop
- Approval and moderation checks can be added so a person can steer or approve agent actions.
- Persistent memory
- Built-in memory stores conversation history and keeps context across sessions.
- Streaming
- Native token-by-token streaming exposes the agent's reasoning and actions as they happen.
- Agent Server deployment
- LangSmith Agent Server hosts agents in the cloud, in a hybrid setup, or fully self-hosted, with cron scheduling, an Assistants API and Studio.
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.
LangGraph
LangGraph (open source)$0
MIT-licensed library you run yourself; the vendor says it is free to use.
LangSmith Developer$0
per seat / month, then pay as you go
1 seat, 5k base traces a month, community support. No Agent Server.
LangSmith Plus$39
per seat / month, billed monthly, then pay as you go
Unlimited seats, 10k base traces a month and 1 small serverless Agent Server included; extra servers and usage are billed in LSUs.
LangSmith EnterpriseCustom
Cloud, hybrid or self-hosted deployment, custom SSO, RBAC, support SLA and custom seats.
Ways to pay less
CrewAI
No public discounts listed.
LangGraph
- Startups
LangSmith for Startups
Discounted rates and credits of up to $10,000 for VC-backed startups, by application.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, CrewAI or LangGraph?
As of Nov 13, 2026, CrewAI publishes no starting price, and LangGraph starts at $39 per seat / month, billed monthly.
Which has a free plan, CrewAI or LangGraph?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both CrewAI and LangGraph have a free plan.
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.