Evaluation · Updated 2026-10-25
Braintrust — what it is actually for
Braintrust provides evaluations, tracing and logging, datasets, a prompt playground, and production monitoring for AI applications. It has a free tier and a flat-fee Pro plan.
Short answer: use Braintrust when you need building eval suites for llm features. It is a free tier + subscription + usage service from Braintrust; the official pricing source is linked below.
- Vendor
- Braintrust
- Category
- Evaluation
- Pricing model
- Free tier + subscription + usage
- Free option
- Yes. The free tier requires no credit card and includes model credits.
What Braintrust is used for
- Building eval suites for LLM features
- Comparing prompts and model versions
- Production logging and regression testing
Source: official product page and official documentation.
Who Braintrust is for
- Product teams shipping LLM features
- Eval-first development workflows
- Cross-provider model comparisons
Source: official documentation.
Who it is not for
- Teams that need a free self-hosted option
- Projects that only need tracing
Source: documented plans, limits, and deployment model on the official product page.
Pricing
- Free tier with included usage and model credits.Source: www.braintrust.dev
- Pro is US$249 per month and includes US$100 in model credits; Enterprise pricing is custom.Source: www.braintrust.dev
- Storage and eval usage beyond the included amounts are metered, such as per GB and per 1,000 evaluations.Source: www.braintrust.dev
The Pro plan bundles model credits with the platform fee; usage above the included amounts is billed separately.
Full pricing page: https://www.braintrust.dev/pricing
Alternatives to Braintrust
- LangSmith — Tracing, evaluation, and observability for LLM and agent applications.
- Arize Phoenix — Open-source LLM tracing and evaluation, with a managed cloud.
- W&B Weave — Tracing and evaluation for LLM apps inside the Weights & Biases platform.
Official sources
Braintrust FAQ
Is Braintrust free?
Yes. Braintrust has a free tier with no credit card required, including model credits and included usage.
How much does Braintrust Pro cost?
Pro is US$249 per month and includes US$100 in model credits. Additional storage and eval usage is metered.
What is Braintrust used for?
It is used for LLM evaluation, tracing, prompt experimentation, and production monitoring.