Tool
AutoGen (Microsoft)
Free tier: Check pricing (opens in a new tab)
From: Check pricing (opens in a new tab)
Checked October 16, 2026
- Strength. We imported autogen-agentchat 0.7.5 locally, and the library is open source with no product paywall.
- Weakness. The newest Python release we found is dated September 30, 2025, older than the peers we checked.
Checked October 15, 2026
Microsoft open-source Python library for multi-agent conversations. Newest release we found is from 2025.
AutoGen (the microsoft/autogen Python library) is a multi-agent framework. We installed autogen-agentchat and imported it, with no model call. The latest Python GitHub release we found, python-v0.7.5, was published on September 30, 2025 — older than the other frameworks in this check. Treat freshness as an open question, not a verdict.
Best for
- Python experiments with multi-agent conversations
- Teams that want an open-source library with no product paywall
Not ideal for
- A frequently updated hosted product
- Anyone who needs a 2026 release cadence — we did not find one
What we checked
Smoke-tested means we ran a local install or import in an isolated environment. We did not create an account, pay, or call a model.
Hands-on: pip install + import autogen_agentchat (autogen-agentchat==0.7.5). No account, no payment, no model call.
Install/import only; no API key, no LLM invoke, no signup.
Notes from this check
- Latest Autogen python release on GitHub is 2025-09-30; may be maintenance-mode relative to newer Microsoft Agent Framework.
Related tools
CrewAI
Open-source framework for crews of role-based agents that split a job into tasks.
Smoke-testedOpen sourceNew releaseAgentChecked October 15, 2026
Free tier: Yes · 50 workflow executions per month.
From: Check pricing (opens in a new tab)
Checked October 16, 2026
- Strength. We imported crewai 1.15.28, an open-source framework that splits a job across role-based agents.
- Weakness. The cloud free plan includes 50 workflow executions per month, and paid use above that is custom Enterprise pricing.
LangChain
Open-source libraries for agents, chains, and tool calling, plus optional LangSmith traces.
Smoke-testedOpen sourceNew releaseAgentChecked October 15, 2026
Free tier: Yes · Up to 5,000 base traces per month, then pay as you go.
From: $39/mo
Checked October 16, 2026
- Strength. We imported langchain 1.4.6, including create_agent, for composing tool-calling workflows in code.
- Weakness. LangSmith's developer plan includes 5,000 base traces per month before usage billing, and Plus is $39 per seat per month.
LlamaIndex
Open-source framework for retrieval and agents. The cloud free plan includes 10,000 credits.
Smoke-testedOpen sourceAgentChecked October 15, 2026
Free tier: Yes · 10,000 credits.
From: $50/mo
Checked October 16, 2026
- Strength. We imported llama-index-core 0.14.25, and the cloud free plan includes 10,000 credits.
- Weakness. Cloud Starter is $50 per month after the 10,000 free credits.
AutoGPT
Open-source agent project with a platform beta. Site and repo checked; local install not run.
Docs checkedOpen sourceNew releaseAgentChecked October 15, 2026
Free tier: No
From: $50/mo
Trial: 7 days
Checked October 16, 2026
- Strength. The open-source repo is the free path, and a platform beta release was published on October 14, 2026.
- Weakness. The hosted plan we checked starts at $50 per month after a 7-day trial, so it is not a free product.