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AI · head to head

AutoGen vs Steampipe

AutoGen logo

AutoGen

AI

Programming framework for multi-agent agentic AI

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Steampipe logo

Steampipe

Developer Tools

Query cloud APIs, SaaS tools and code with SQL, with no extract or load step

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: AutoGen framework now in maintenance mode, no new features planned; Steampipe aGPL-3.0 across all four engines is a procurement blocker at organisations that ban the licence outright, and the network clause reaches any internal portal or service that puts a web interface in front of it.
  • They diverge on capability: AutoGen covers Multi-agent orchestration, Steampipe covers SQL over live APIs.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which AutoGen and Steampipe actually diverge.

Attributes where AutoGen and Steampipe differ
AttributeAutoGenSteampipe
Pricing modelOpen source, no pricingOpen source, with paid hosting through Turbot Pipes
PlatformsPython, .NETmacOS, Linux, Windows, Docker, Web
CategoryAIDeveloper Tools

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

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 AutoGen

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

Only in Steampipe

  • SQL over live APIs
  • Wide plugin set
  • Embedded Postgres
  • Compliance benchmarks
  • Joins across providers
  • Hosted option

What people use each for

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

AutoGen

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

Steampipe

  • Security teams answering posture questions against live cloud accounts rather than a nightly exportnot AutoGen
  • Compliance evidence gathering where the answer must reflect the account at the moment it is askednot AutoGen
  • Inventory and drift questions spanning several cloud providers in one querynot AutoGen
  • Engineers who would rather write SQL than learn each provider command line toolnot AutoGen

Where each one falls short

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

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

Steampipe

  • AGPL-3.0 across all four engines is a procurement blocker at organisations that ban the licence outright, and the network clause reaches any internal portal or service that puts a web interface in front of it.
  • Dashboards, benchmarks and mods were removed from Steampipe entirely at version 1.0 in October 2024 and now live in a separate product, so pre-2024 documentation and tutorials describe commands that no longer exist.
  • Live querying is bound by cloud provider API rate limits and keeps no persistent store by default, which is why a separate DuckDB-backed product exists for log volumes and why large accounts return slowly.
  • The company is fifteen people and bootstrapped, maintaining four command line tools plus a hosted service plus two further products, and the newer tools have thin community traction relative to that surface area.
  • Hosted tiers include only three users regardless of tier, with additional Enterprise users charged separately, so a team of thirty costs an order of magnitude more than the headline figure before compute and storage are counted.

Pricing, plan by plan

AutoGen

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

Steampipe

Free
  • Steampipe CLIFree
    • AGPL-3.0
    • All plugins
    • No user or query limits
  • Pipes DeveloperFree
    • One user
    • 400 compute minutes
    • 3GB storage
  • Pipes Team$49/month
    • Three users
    • 2,000 compute minutes
    • 20GB storage
  • Pipes Enterprise$249/month
    • Three users
    • 10,000 compute minutes
    • 100GB storage

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Steampipe if

  • You need sql over live apis.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on macOS, Linux, Windows, Docker, Web.
  • You also want wide plugin set.
Steampipe review

Questions people ask

Is AutoGen or Steampipe better?
Neither clearly leads. AutoGen starts at Free and Steampipe at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, AutoGen or Steampipe?
AutoGen starts at Free and Steampipe at Free.
Does AutoGen or Steampipe run on more platforms?
AutoGen runs on Python, .NET. Steampipe runs on macOS, Linux, Windows, Docker, Web.
Can I use AutoGen for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is AutoGen best used for?
AutoGen is most often used for building multi-agent conversational systems, rapid prototyping of agent applications, research on agentic ai patterns and architectures, distributed agent networks across boundaries. Of those, building multi-agent conversational systems and rapid prototyping of agent applications are not what Steampipe is typically brought in for.
What can AutoGen do that Steampipe cannot?
AutoGen covers Multi-agent orchestration, Message passing API, AgentChat API, Extensions API. Steampipe covers SQL over live APIs, Wide plugin set, Embedded Postgres, Compliance benchmarks.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
Steampipe: When did Steampipe become AGPL?

May 2021, about four months after the project went public. It is a settled licence rather than a recent change, and predates the Business Source Licence wave it is often confused with.

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
Steampipe: Where did the dashboards and benchmarks go?

Into Powerpipe. They were deprecated in March 2024 and removed from Steampipe at version 1.0 in October 2024, so the check, dashboard, mod and variable commands are gone.

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
Steampipe: Is it fast on a large cloud estate?

Not always. Queries call provider APIs at request time, so rate limits rather than query planning set the pace, and there is no persistent store by default.

Steampipe: Does the AGPL affect internal use?

Running it internally for your own analysis is fine. Putting a web interface in front of it that other people use is where the network clause becomes a question for your legal team.

Steampipe: Is a bootstrapped vendor a risk?

It cuts both ways. There is no investor pressure toward a licence change or an exit, and there are also fifteen people supporting a large product surface.

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