Agent platforms · Updated 2026-10-25
LangGraph — what it is actually for
LangGraph is an open-source framework for stateful agents with durable execution, human-in-the-loop steps, and memory. LangGraph Platform adds deployment and operations through LangChain's paid plans.
Short answer: use LangGraph when you need long-running agents that must survive failures. It is a open source + paid platform service from LangChain; the official pricing source is linked below.
- Vendor
- LangChain
- Category
- Agent platforms
- Pricing model
- Open source + paid platform
- Free option
- The framework is free. The Developer platform tier is free with limits.
What LangGraph is used for
- Long-running agents that must survive failures
- Workflows with human approval steps
- Custom multi-agent state machines
Source: official product page and official documentation.
Who LangGraph is for
- Engineering teams building custom agents
- Workflows that need durable execution
- Projects already using LangChain components
Source: official documentation.
Who it is not for
- No-code users
- Simple single-prompt applications
Source: documented plans, limits, and deployment model on the official product page.
Pricing
- LangGraph is open source under the MIT license.Source: github.com
- LangSmith Developer is free with 1 seat and 5,000 base traces per month.Source: www.langchain.com
- LangSmith Plus is US$39 per seat per month with 10,000 base traces per month; Enterprise is custom. Usage beyond included traces is billed.Source: www.langchain.com
The framework and the managed platform are separate purchases. Platform features are billed through LangSmith plans.
Full pricing page: https://www.langchain.com/pricing
Alternatives to LangGraph
- OpenAI Agents SDK — Open-source framework for multi-agent workflows with handoffs, guardrails, and tracing.
- CrewAI — Framework and platform for role-based multi-agent crews.
- Dify — Open-source LLM app platform with visual workflows, RAG, and agents.
Official sources
LangGraph FAQ
Is LangGraph free?
Yes. The framework is open source under the MIT license. The managed LangGraph Platform is billed through LangSmith plans.
What is LangGraph used for?
It is a low-level orchestration framework for stateful, long-running agents with durable execution, memory, and human-in-the-loop steps.
Do I need LangSmith to use LangGraph?
No. You can use the open-source framework without the managed platform.