kitio.aiAI SDK vs OpenHands
A side-by-side look at pricing plans, free tiers, features, pros and cons, updated for 2026. AI SDK is completely free, while OpenHands is freemium.
At a glance
Best for
Pricing model
Starting price
Free plan
Made by
Based in
Rating
Key features
- Unified provider API
- Streaming responses
- Tool calling
- Structured output
- Built-in fallbacks
- Framework UI hooks
- Sandboxed agent runtime
- Web GUI and CLI
- Agent SDK
- Slack and Jira triggers
- Self-hosting
| Feature | AI SDK | OpenHands |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Vercel's open-source TypeScript toolkit for AI apps and agents | Open platform for running AI coding agents locally or in the cloud |
| Category | Coding | Coding |
| Pricing model | Free | Freemium |
| Starting price | Free | $500/mo |
| Free plan | Yes, fully free | Yes |
| Made by | Vercel | All Hands AI |
| Based in | United States | United States |
| Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Key features |
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Pricing compared
AI SDK is completely free, while OpenHands is freemium.
Free plan
Cheapest paid plan
Top plan
Free trial
3 plans
Agent Canvas
Free
- Open source, runs locally
- Bring your own LLM
- Community support
Teams
$500/mo
- Up to 10 users (+$50/seat)
- Self-hosted with RBAC
- 5,000 sessions/month
- 30-day trial
Enterprise
Custom
- Unlimited organizations
- SLA-based support
- Customer success manager
Prices in USD, checked Oct 28, 2026 or later. Plans change often, so confirm on each tool's site before you buy.
Pros and cons
AI SDK
- Swap model providers easily
- Works across many JS frameworks
- Free and open source
- TypeScript and JavaScript only
- Fast-moving API between versions
- Model usage is billed by providers
OpenHands
- MIT-licensed core
- Runs fully local if needed
- Models at cost with no markup
- Setup takes more effort than SaaS agents
- Daily cap on the free cloud plan
Which one should you choose?
Choose AI SDK if you want:
- Swap model providers easily
- Works across many JS frameworks
- Free and open source
Watch out: typescript and javascript only.
Choose OpenHands if you want:
- MIT-licensed core
- Runs fully local if needed
- Models at cost with no markup
Watch out: setup takes more effort than saas agents.
AI SDK vs OpenHands FAQ
What is the difference between AI SDK and OpenHands?
AI SDK: Vercel's open-source TypeScript toolkit for AI apps and agents. OpenHands: Open platform for running AI coding agents locally or in the cloud. Both are coding tools.
Is AI SDK or OpenHands cheaper?
AI SDK is completely free, while OpenHands is freemium.
Do AI SDK and OpenHands have free plans?
AI SDK: Yes, fully free. OpenHands: Yes.
Who makes AI SDK?
AI SDK is made by Vercel, based in United States.
Who makes OpenHands?
OpenHands is made by All Hands AI, based in United States.
Which should I choose, AI SDK or OpenHands?
Choose AI SDK if you value swap model providers easily and works across many js frameworks. Choose OpenHands if you value mit-licensed core and runs fully local if needed.