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LangChain vs LlamaIndex

LangChain: Framework and platform for building LLM applications and agents. LlamaIndex: Framework for connecting data to language models and agents.

Pricing, free tier, and features on this page come from each tool's own site. Google autocomplete (suggestqueries.google.com, client=firefox, hl=en) for "<tool> vs", fetched 2026-10-14; a pair is kept when the suggestion appears from both sides (2+ hits). Sorted by how much you can use for free (free or open source first, then free plan with paid tiers, then paid only), then by the number of documented features, then alphabetically. No ratings or reviews are used. Read the comparison methodology. How benchmark evidence is labeled.

LangChain LlamaIndex
What it is Framework and platform for building LLM applications and agents. Framework for connecting data to language models and agents.
Category Agents Agents
Pricing Freemium (free plan + paid tiers) Freemium (free plan + paid tiers)
Free tier Yes Yes
Who it's for For individual developers and teams of any size building agents. Developers and document-heavy teams in finance, insurance, manufacturing, and healthcare.
Key features Trace agent runs step by step and search traces fast Parse PDFs, Office files, spreadsheets, and images
Turn traces into datasets and score each agent step Extract tables, charts, and handwritten text into structure
Deploy agents with persistent state and isolated code sandboxes Pull defined fields from documents without model training
Build agents in code or natural language with any model Classify documents and split them using plain-language rules
Limit model spend and check calls for sensitive data Chunk and embed files for search and retrieval
Websitewww.langchain.comwww.llamaindex.ai

Who should pick which

Pick LangChain if…

  • Its stated audience fits you (for individual developers and teams of any size building agents).
  • You need: Trace agent runs step by step and search traces fast.

Pick LlamaIndex if…

  • Its stated audience fits you (developers and document-heavy teams in finance, insurance, manufacturing, and healthcare).
  • You need: Parse PDFs, Office files, spreadsheets, and images.

FAQ

Is LangChain or LlamaIndex free?

LangChain: Freemium (free plan + paid tiers). LlamaIndex: Freemium (free plan + paid tiers). Both can be used without paying.

What is the difference between LangChain and LlamaIndex?

LangChain: Framework and platform for building LLM applications and agents. LlamaIndex: Framework for connecting data to language models and agents.

Data comes from each tool's homepage and pricing page. Pair chosen from search suggestions (langchain vs llamaindex; llamaindex vs langchain).