§ Comparison · Updated May 2026

LangGraph vs LlamaIndex.

LangGraph and LlamaIndex are frequently shortlisted together. Both compete in the ai agents space, so the right pick comes down to pricing model, ecosystem, and the specific features you'll lean on. This page lays out the spec sheet, an editor verdict, and answers to the questions people search before choosing.

§ Verdict

Highest rated

LangGraph

Editor score 4.5/5 — leads on overall quality across our evaluation.

Best value

LangGraph

open-source and self-hostable pricing — the lowest-friction option of the group.

Broadest feature set

LangGraph

5 headline features — the most all-in-one option.

OSS / self-host

LangGraph

Open-source — the only option in this group you can self-host or fork.

§ Spec sheet

Rating

LangGraph

4.5

LlamaIndex

4.3

Pricing

LangGraph

Open source

LlamaIndex

Freemium

Category

LangGraph

AI Agents

LlamaIndex

AI Agents

Features

LangGraph

• Stateful agent graphs
• Human-in-the-loop control
• Multi-agent workflows
• Persistence and interrupts
• LangChain ecosystem integration

LlamaIndex

• Data connectors for 160+ sources
• Advanced indexing strategies
• Production-grade RAG pipelines
• Agent framework with tool use
• LlamaCloud for managed parsing

Pros

LangGraph

+ Strong control model for real agent systems
+ Good fit for production-grade workflow orchestration

LlamaIndex

+ Best-in-class for data and RAG
+ Great data connector library
+ Clean API design

Cons

LangGraph

− Requires engineering skill
− Can be more complex than simple agent builders

LlamaIndex

− Narrower scope than LangChain
− Less community content
− Complex for simple use cases

Use Cases

LangGraph

Agent orchestrationWorkflow automationHuman-reviewed agentsMulti-step LLM apps

LlamaIndex

Enterprise knowledge basesDocument Q&A systemsData-heavy AI applicationsRAG pipeline development

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LangGraph

LlamaIndex

	LangGraph Framework for building stateful, controllable AI agents and multi-step LLM workflows.	LlamaIndex Data framework and managed services for RAG, agents, document parsing, and knowledge apps.
Rating	4.5	4.3
Pricing	Open source	Freemium
Category	AI Agents	AI Agents
Features	• Stateful agent graphs • Human-in-the-loop control • Multi-agent workflows • Persistence and interrupts • LangChain ecosystem integration	• Data connectors for 160+ sources • Advanced indexing strategies • Production-grade RAG pipelines • Agent framework with tool use • LlamaCloud for managed parsing
Pros	+ Strong control model for real agent systems + Good fit for production-grade workflow orchestration	+ Best-in-class for data and RAG + Great data connector library + Clean API design
Cons	− Requires engineering skill − Can be more complex than simple agent builders	− Narrower scope than LangChain − Less community content − Complex for simple use cases
Use Cases	Agent orchestrationWorkflow automationHuman-reviewed agentsMulti-step LLM apps	Enterprise knowledge basesDocument Q&A systemsData-heavy AI applicationsRAG pipeline development
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§ Best for

Pick LangGraph for

AI engineers who need agent orchestration.

Read full review →

Pick LlamaIndex for

Data engineers who need enterprise knowledge bases.

Read full review →

§ Common questions

LangGraph vs LlamaIndex — which is better?

It depends on what you're optimizing for. LangGraph edges LlamaIndex on our editor rating (4.5 vs 4.3), but ratings are a coarse signal. The verdict above breaks down which one wins for budget, feature breadth, and self-hosting.

Are these tools free?

Yes — every tool here has a free or freemium tier. The differences are in usage limits, advanced features, and how aggressive each free tier is.

When should I pick LangGraph over LlamaIndex?

Pick LangGraph when agent orchestration matters more than LlamaIndex's strengths in enterprise knowledge bases. The "best for" callouts above translate this into concrete personas.

Are there other tools to consider?

Yes — every tool in this comparison has its own alternatives page that ranks the closest competitors. Click any tool name to drill into its full review and alternatives list.

§ Related comparisons

Langchain vs Llamaindex

All comparisons

Editorial verdicts, not algorithmicDisagree? Tell us →