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Software Development · head to head

Braintrust vs Langwatch

Braintrust logo

Braintrust

Software Development

The active observability platform for agents

From
Free
Rated
-
Langwatch logo

Langwatch

Machine Learning

LLM engineering platform for testing and evaluating AI agents in production

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Braintrust enterprise plan pricing not published, requires custom quote; Langwatch free plan limited to 50k events per month, restricting larger deployments

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Braintrust and Langwatch actually diverge.

Attributes where Braintrust and Langwatch differ
AttributeBraintrustLangwatch
Pricing modelfreemiumTiered subscription with usage-based overage charges
PlatformsWebWeb, Docker, Kubernetes
CategorySoftware DevelopmentMachine Learning

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 Braintrust

Nothing recorded that Langwatch does not also cover.

Only in Langwatch

  • Agent simulation testing
  • LLM evaluation
  • OpenTelemetry tracing
  • Langy AI Engineer
  • Governance controls
  • Multiple deployment options
  • Framework support

What people use each for

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

Braintrust

  • Monitoring production AI agents for qualitynot Langwatch
  • Detecting patterns in agent failuresnot Langwatch
  • Defining quality expectations before shipping agentsnot Langwatch
  • Tracking prompts and tool calls in productionnot Langwatch

Langwatch

  • Continuous testing of AI agents before production deploymentnot Braintrust
  • Automated test creation from product requirementsnot Braintrust
  • LLM response quality evaluation and scoringnot Braintrust
  • Production agent monitoring and cost trackingnot Braintrust
  • Governance and access control for AI systemsnot Braintrust

Where each one falls short

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

Braintrust

  • Enterprise plan pricing not published, requires custom quote
  • Pro plan includes 6-12 months free discount for startups only

Langwatch

  • Free plan limited to 50k events per month, restricting larger deployments
  • Pricing in EUR may complicate budgeting for US-based teams
  • Usage-based overage model can create unpredictable costs
  • Self-hosted option requires DevOps expertise

Pricing, plan by plan

Braintrust

Free
  • StarterFree
    • $10 model credits monthly included
    • 1 GB processed data monthly
    • 10000 scores monthly
  • Pro$249/month
    • $249 model credits monthly included
    • 5 GB processed data monthly
    • 50000 scores monthly
  • Enterprise$null/month
    • Custom data retention and export capabilities
    • RBAC and premium support
    • On-premises or hosted solutions available

Langwatch

Free
  • DeveloperFree
    • 50k events per month
    • 14-day data access
    • 2 users
  • Growth$29/month
    • 200k events per month included
    • 5 EUR per 100k additional events
    • 30-day data retention
  • Enterprise$undefined/custom
    • Custom event limits
    • Hybrid, self-hosted or on-premises deployment
    • Custom SSO and RBAC

Which should you pick?

Choose Braintrust if

  • You want to start without paying.

Choose Langwatch if

  • You need agent simulation testing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Docker, Kubernetes.
  • You also want llm evaluation.

Questions people ask

Is Braintrust or Langwatch better?
Neither clearly leads. Braintrust starts at Free and Langwatch at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Braintrust or Langwatch?
Braintrust starts at Free and Langwatch at Free.
Does Braintrust or Langwatch run on more platforms?
Braintrust runs on Web. Langwatch runs on Web, Docker, Kubernetes.
Can I use Braintrust for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Braintrust best used for?
Braintrust is most often used for monitoring production ai agents for quality, detecting patterns in agent failures, defining quality expectations before shipping agents, tracking prompts and tool calls in production. Of those, monitoring production ai agents for quality and detecting patterns in agent failures are not what Langwatch is typically brought in for.
What can Braintrust do that Langwatch cannot?
Langwatch covers Agent simulation testing, LLM evaluation, OpenTelemetry tracing, Langy AI Engineer.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Braintrust: Does Braintrust have a free plan?

Braintrust Starter plan is free and includes $10 model credits monthly, 1 GB processed data, 10000 scores monthly, and 14-day data retention with unlimited users and projects. No credit card required.

Source
Langwatch: Is there a permanent free tier?

Yes, Langwatch's Developer plan is free forever with 50k events per month, 14-day data access, 2 users, and no credit card required. It is specifically designed for individual developers prototyping AI applications.

Source
Braintrust: How much does the Braintrust Pro plan cost?

Braintrust Pro plan costs $249 per month and includes $249 model credits, 5 GB processed data, 50000 scores monthly, and 30-day data retention. Qualifying startups receive 6-12 months free.

Source
Langwatch: What is Langy and how does it save time?

Langy is an AI-powered tool that automates test creation. It converts product requirements into test scenarios, runs simulations, scores results, and generates pull requests with fixes in a median of 14 minutes.

Source
Braintrust: What are Braintrust's overage charges?

Braintrust charges overage rates after monthly allocations: model credits beyond monthly allotment are charged at token rates, data overage is $4 per GB on Starter or $3 per GB on Pro, scores overage is $2.50 per 1000 on Starter or $1.50 per 1000 on Pro. Extended data retention beyond the included period costs $0.50 per GB per month.

Source
Langwatch: What frameworks does Langwatch support?

Langwatch works with LangGraph, LangChain, CrewAI, OpenAI Agents, AWS Bedrock, Azure OpenAI, Vertex AI, and other major LLM frameworks and platforms.

Source
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