Comparison

LlamaIndex vs OpenAI Agents SDK

A like-for-like, spec-level comparison. Both entries are verified against their docs and repo.

LlamaIndex

The data framework for LLM applications.

  • + Best-in-class data connectors and retrieval
  • + Workflows now support agentic flows
  • − Broad surface area is intimidating
  • − Agent story overlaps with LangGraph

OpenAI Agents SDK

OpenAI's lightweight agents SDK (Swarm successor).

  • + Minimal and readable abstraction
  • + First-class OpenAI tracing and guardrails
  • − OpenAI models first
  • − Young ecosystem
Spec LlamaIndex OpenAI Agents SDK
Category framework framework
License MIT MIT
Open source Yes Yes
Self-hostable Yes Yes
MCP support Yes Yes
Pricing free free
Starting price BYOK usage cost BYOK usage cost
Models claude, gpt, gemini, local, byok gpt
Languages python, typescript python
GitHub stars 50.4k 27.4k
Last activity 2026-06-24 2026-06-24