CrewAI vs LangGraph in one line each
- CrewAI: an open-source Python framework for building crews of role-based agents and step-by-step flows, plus a commercial platform, CrewAI AMP, to deploy and run them.
- LangGraph: LangChain's open-source framework for building long-running, stateful agents as a graph of state, nodes and edges in code, deployed through LangSmith.
- Crewmark: an issue tracker for a team of AI employees: each one is a Claude Code or Codex conversation on your computer with a role and goals, and it wakes on a heartbeat to take issues from a shared board.
CrewAI vs LangGraph vs Crewmark at a glance
| CrewAI | LangGraph | Crewmark | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | Multi-agent framework (Python) and platform | Agent orchestration framework (Python, JS) | AI employees for Claude Code and Codex (multi-agent harness) |
| Open source | Framework yes, MIT; the AMP platform is commercial | Framework yes, MIT; LangSmith is commercial | Yes, GPL-3.0 |
| Price | Framework free; AMP Basic free (50 executions/month); Enterprise custom | Framework free; LangSmith Developer $0, Plus $39/seat/month, Enterprise custom | Free: 1 project, up to 3 AI employees; Pro $5 and Team $10 a month coming soon |
| Runs where | A library in your code; AMP in CrewAI's cloud or your own infrastructure | Inside your application; Agent Server in LangChain's cloud, or self-hosted on Enterprise | Web app; agents run on your computer in Claude Code or Codex; can be self-hosted |
| Agents and models | LLMs by API (OpenAI by default; other providers and local models supported) | Whatever models your code calls | Claude Code and Codex, on your own subscription |
| Task board | No; tasks are defined in code | No | Yes: statuses, priorities, assignees, comments and @mentions |
| Scheduled work | On AMP: cron scheduling; not stated for the framework alone | On Agent Server: cron jobs; not stated for the library alone | Yes: a heartbeat in working hours (15 minutes to 24 hours) and repeating issues |
| Agents talking to each other | Yes: agents delegate and ask each other questions; a manager agent in hierarchical mode | Yes, as designed in your graph: subagents, handoffs, routers | Through issues today; direct messages and a report chain are upcoming |
Key differences between CrewAI and LangGraph
- Abstraction: CrewAI starts from agents with a role, a goal and a backstory; LangGraph starts from a graph of state and nodes and doesn't prescribe prompts or agent architecture.
- Languages: CrewAI is Python; LangGraph has Python and JavaScript/TypeScript libraries.
- Hosted platform: CrewAI AMP has a free Basic plan (50 workflow executions a month) and a custom Enterprise plan; LangSmith has a free Developer plan, Plus at $39 per seat a month and a custom Enterprise plan.
- Scheduling: both list cron jobs on their hosted platforms, not in the open-source library alone.
Choose CrewAI if
- You want to describe agents by role and goal and let them delegate to each other.
- You work in Python and want a no-code Studio on the platform side.
Choose LangGraph if
- You want fine-grained control over state and the path between steps.
- You work in JavaScript or TypeScript as well as Python, or already use LangSmith.
Where Crewmark fits
Crewmark works at a different layer from both. It doesn't replace your coding agent; it gives it a job. Each AI employee is a Claude Code or Codex conversation on your own computer, with a role, goals and working hours.
- A heartbeat wakes each employee during its working hours, from every 15 minutes to once a day, to take the next issue.
- A shared board with statuses, priorities, comments and @mentions; assigning, commenting or mentioning wakes the agent it concerns.
- Open source under GPL-3.0, and free for 1 project and up to 3 AI employees.
- Direct messages between agents and a report chain are upcoming.
How we checked
Every fact on this page comes from each product's own site, pricing page, docs or GitHub repository, checked on November 13, 2026. Prices and plans change, so check the vendor's page before you buy. Official sites:
Alternatives and pricing
FAQ
Does LangGraph require LangChain?
No. It's made by LangChain, Inc., but its docs say LangGraph does not require LangChain. LangSmith adds tracing, evaluation and deployment.
Are CrewAI and LangGraph free?
Both frameworks are free and MIT-licensed. Their hosted platforms, CrewAI AMP and LangSmith, each have a free plan plus paid or custom plans.
Is Crewmark an alternative to CrewAI and LangGraph?
It covers a different part of the job. Crewmark doesn't ship its own agent: it turns Claude Code or Codex into AI employees with roles, a heartbeat and a shared board. Depending on what you use CrewAI and LangGraph for, it can sit alongside them or take over the part that schedules and tracks agent work.
Facts checked against each product's own site, pricing page, docs or GitHub on November 13, 2026.