kitio.aiClaude Agent SDK vs LangGraph
A side-by-side look at pricing plans, free tiers, features, pros and cons, updated for 2026. Claude Agent SDK is completely free, while LangGraph is freemium.
At a glance
Best for
Pricing model
Starting price
Free plan
Made by
Based in
Rating
Key features
- Claude Code agent loop
- Built-in file and shell tools
- Hooks and permissions
- Subagents and skills
- MCP support
- Graph-based agent design
- Persistent state
- Human-in-the-loop
- Streaming
- Python and JavaScript
| Feature | Claude Agent SDK | LangGraph |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Anthropic's SDK for building agents on the Claude Code harness | Low-level framework for building stateful, controllable agents |
| Category | Agents & automation | Agents & automation |
| Pricing model | Free | Freemium |
| Starting price | Free | $39/mo |
| Free plan | Yes, fully free | Yes |
| Made by | Anthropic | LangChain |
| Based in | United States | United States |
| Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Key features |
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Pricing compared
Claude Agent SDK is completely free, while LangGraph is freemium.
Free plan
Cheapest paid plan
Top plan
Free trial
3 plans
Developer
Free
- 1 seat
- 5k base traces / month, then pay as you go
- Community support
Plus
$39/mo
- Per seat
- 10k base traces / month, then pay as you go
- Access to Deployment and Engine
- Unlimited seats
Enterprise
Custom
- Self-hosted and hybrid deployment
- Custom SSO, ABAC and RBAC
- Support SLA
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
Claude Agent SDK
- Proven harness from Claude Code
- Strong for long, tool-heavy tasks
- Fine-grained permission control
- Requires API billing
- Mostly tied to Claude models
LangGraph
- Fine control over agent behavior
- Strong persistence model
- Widely used in production
- Steeper learning curve
- More code than no-code builders
Which one should you choose?
Choose Claude Agent SDK if you want:
- Proven harness from Claude Code
- Strong for long, tool-heavy tasks
- Fine-grained permission control
Watch out: requires api billing.
Choose LangGraph if you want:
- Fine control over agent behavior
- Strong persistence model
- Widely used in production
Watch out: steeper learning curve.
Claude Agent SDK vs LangGraph FAQ
What is the difference between Claude Agent SDK and LangGraph?
Claude Agent SDK: Anthropic's SDK for building agents on the Claude Code harness. LangGraph: Low-level framework for building stateful, controllable agents. Both are agents & automation tools.
Is Claude Agent SDK or LangGraph cheaper?
Claude Agent SDK is completely free, while LangGraph is freemium.
Do Claude Agent SDK and LangGraph have free plans?
Claude Agent SDK: Yes, fully free. LangGraph: Yes.
Who makes Claude Agent SDK?
Claude Agent SDK is made by Anthropic, based in United States.
Who makes LangGraph?
LangGraph is made by LangChain, based in United States.
Which should I choose, Claude Agent SDK or LangGraph?
Choose Claude Agent SDK if you value proven harness from claude code and strong for long, tool-heavy tasks. Choose LangGraph if you value fine control over agent behavior and strong persistence model.