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AI · head to head

Arize AI vs AutoGen

Arize AI logo

Arize AI

AI

AI engineering platform for observability and evaluation of agents and LLM apps

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
AutoGen logo

AutoGen

AI

Programming framework for multi-agent agentic AI

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Arize AI the free plan caps trace spans at 25,000 per month with only 15 days of retention.; AutoGen framework now in maintenance mode, no new features planned
  • They diverge on capability: Arize AI covers End-to-end tracing, AutoGen covers Multi-agent orchestration.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Arize AI and AutoGen actually diverge.

Attributes where Arize AI and AutoGen differ
AttributeArize AIAutoGen
Pricing modelfreemiumOpen source, no pricing
Platformsweb, apiPython, .NET

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (AI).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Arize AI

  • End-to-end tracing
  • Evaluation framework
  • Prompt testing and improvement
  • Alyx AI engineering agent
  • Custom dashboards
  • Data warehouse integrations

Only in AutoGen

  • Multi-agent orchestration
  • Message passing API
  • AgentChat API
  • Extensions API
  • MCP server support
  • AutoGen Studio
  • Cross-language support
  • Observable agent networks

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Arize AI

  • Tracing and debugging production AI agentsnot AutoGen
  • Running large-scale evaluations across traces and sessionsnot AutoGen
  • Improving prompts before production rolloutnot AutoGen
  • Storing and querying GenAI traces alongside a data warehousenot AutoGen

AutoGen

  • Building multi-agent conversational systemsnot Arize AI
  • Rapid prototyping of agent applicationsnot Arize AI
  • Research on agentic AI patterns and architecturesnot Arize AI
  • Distributed agent networks across boundariesnot Arize AI

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Arize AI

  • The free plan caps trace spans at 25,000 per month with only 15 days of retention.
  • Self-hosted deployment and Data Fabric integration are restricted to the custom-priced Enterprise tier.
  • Pricing beyond the $50/month Pro plan requires a custom quote, making cost planning less transparent at scale.
  • Advanced compliance features like HIPAA are only available on Enterprise.

AutoGen

  • Framework now in maintenance mode, no new features planned
  • Steeper learning curve for advanced use cases
  • Microsoft recommends new projects use Agent Framework instead
  • Limited to Python and .NET platforms

Pricing, plan by plan

Arize AI

Free
  • AX FreeFree
    • 25k trace spans/month
    • 1 GB storage/month
    • 15-day retention
  • AX Pro$50/month
    • 50k trace spans/month
    • 10 GB storage/month
    • 30-day retention
  • AX Enterprise$undefined/mo
    • Custom trace spans, storage, and retention
    • SaaS or self-hosted deployment
    • Managed agents and Data Fabric

AutoGen

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • MIT and CC-BY-4.0 licenses
    • Full framework access
    • Community support

Which should you pick?

Choose Arize AI if

  • You need end-to-end tracing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on web, api.
  • You also want evaluation framework.
Arize AI review

Choose AutoGen if

  • You need multi-agent orchestration.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Python, .NET.
  • You also want message passing api.
AutoGen review

Questions people ask

Is Arize AI or AutoGen better?
Neither clearly leads. Arize AI starts at Free and AutoGen at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Arize AI or AutoGen?
Arize AI starts at Free and AutoGen at Free.
Does Arize AI or AutoGen run on more platforms?
Arize AI runs on web, api. AutoGen runs on Python, .NET.
Can I use Arize AI for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Arize AI best used for?
Arize AI is most often used for tracing and debugging production ai agents, running large-scale evaluations across traces and sessions, improving prompts before production rollout, storing and querying genai traces alongside a data warehouse. Of those, tracing and debugging production ai agents and running large-scale evaluations across traces and sessions are not what AutoGen is typically brought in for.
What can Arize AI do that AutoGen cannot?
Arize AI covers End-to-end tracing, Evaluation framework, Prompt testing and improvement, Alyx AI engineering agent. AutoGen covers Multi-agent orchestration, Message passing API, AgentChat API, Extensions API.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Arize AI: What does Arize AX cost?

Arize AX offers a free plan, a Pro plan at $50/month, and a custom-priced Enterprise plan, with pricing based on trace spans, storage, and retention needs.

Source
AutoGen: Is AutoGen still actively developed?

As of March 2026, AutoGen is in maintenance mode and will not receive new features. Microsoft recommends new projects use the Microsoft Agent Framework instead.

Source
Arize AI: Is there a free plan, and what are its limits?

The AX Free plan includes 25,000 trace spans and 1 GB of storage per month with 15-day retention, plus unlimited users, evaluations, and experiments.

Source
AutoGen: Can I still use AutoGen for new projects?

While AutoGen is stable and maintained for existing projects, Microsoft recommends using the Microsoft Agent Framework for new development.

Source
Arize AI: What deployment options are available?

Free and Pro plans are SaaS-only, while Enterprise customers can choose SaaS or self-hosted deployment with custom SLAs.

Source
AutoGen: What LLM providers does AutoGen support?

AutoGen includes extensions for OpenAI and Azure OpenAI through its Extensions API, with community support for other providers.

Source
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