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Machine Learning · head to head

ClearML vs LlamaIndex

ClearML logo

ClearML

Machine Learning

Open-source MLOps platform for experiment tracking and orchestration

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
LlamaIndex logo

LlamaIndex

Machine Learning

Data framework for LLM applications

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: ClearML broad scope means more to learn and more to run than a focused tracking tool; LlamaIndex the free LlamaCloud plan includes 10K credits and has no pay as you go option, so work stops when credits run out
  • They diverge on capability: ClearML covers Experiment tracking, LlamaIndex covers Data connectors.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which ClearML and LlamaIndex actually diverge.

Attributes where ClearML and LlamaIndex differ
AttributeClearMLLlamaIndex
Pricing modelOpen-source self-hosted, with paid hosted and enterprise tiersusage-based
PlatformsLinux, macOS, Windows, Docker, KubernetesLinux, Mac, Windows
FoundedUnknown2022

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

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 ClearML

  • Experiment tracking
  • Remote execution
  • Data versioning
  • Pipelines

Only in LlamaIndex

  • Data connectors
  • Indexing
  • Query engine
  • RAG pipelines
  • Agents
  • OpenAI
  • Anthropic
  • Pinecone

What people use each for

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

ClearML

  • Tracking experiments across a team so results are reproduciblenot LlamaIndex
  • Moving training from laptops to shared GPU hardware without repackagingnot LlamaIndex
  • Versioning datasets alongside the experiments that consumed themnot LlamaIndex

LlamaIndex

  • Parsing PDFs and complex documents into structured text for RAGnot ClearML
  • Building retrieval augmented generation pipelines over private datanot ClearML
  • Indexing and querying enterprise documents from an LLM applicationnot ClearML

Where each one falls short

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

ClearML

  • Broad scope means more to learn and more to run than a focused tracking tool
  • Self-hosting the server is real infrastructure — database, file storage and web server
  • Documentation quality is uneven across the newer parts of the platform
  • Smaller community than the most popular tracking tools, so fewer worked examples exist

LlamaIndex

  • The free LlamaCloud plan includes 10K credits and has no pay as you go option, so work stops when credits run out
  • Concurrent parse jobs are capped at 5 on Free and Starter, 20 on Pro and 100 on Enterprise
  • Pay as you go spend is capped at $500 per month on Starter and $5,000 per month on Pro
  • Enterprise SSO is Enterprise plan only
  • Volume discounts on credits and 5x higher rate limits are Enterprise only
  • SaaS or hybrid cloud deployment choice and a dedicated account manager are Enterprise only
  • Enterprise pricing is by quote with no published rate

Pricing, plan by plan

ClearML

Free
  • Open sourceFree
    • Experiment tracking
    • Pipelines
    • Self-hosted server

LlamaIndex

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 10K monthly credits
    • Basic parsing
    • 5 concurrent jobs
  • Starter$50/month
    • 40K credits + pay-as-you-go
    • Up to 400K credits
    • 5 concurrent jobs
  • Pro$500/month
    • 400K credits + limited-time bonus
    • 20 concurrent jobs
    • Priority Slack support
  • Enterprise$null/custom
    • Custom volume discounts
    • 5x higher rate limits
    • SSO

Which should you pick?

Choose ClearML if

  • You need experiment tracking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, macOS, Windows, Docker, Kubernetes.
  • You also want remote execution.
ClearML review

Choose LlamaIndex if

  • You need data connectors.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Mac, Windows.
  • You also want indexing.
LlamaIndex review

Questions people ask

Is ClearML or LlamaIndex better?
Neither clearly leads. ClearML starts at Free and LlamaIndex at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ClearML or LlamaIndex?
ClearML starts at Free and LlamaIndex at Free.
Does ClearML or LlamaIndex run on more platforms?
ClearML runs on Linux, macOS, Windows, Docker, Kubernetes. LlamaIndex runs on Linux, Mac, Windows.
Can I use ClearML for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is ClearML best used for?
ClearML is most often used for tracking experiments across a team so results are reproducible, moving training from laptops to shared gpu hardware without repackaging, versioning datasets alongside the experiments that consumed them. Of those, tracking experiments across a team so results are reproducible and moving training from laptops to shared gpu hardware without repackaging are not what LlamaIndex is typically brought in for.
What can ClearML do that LlamaIndex cannot?
ClearML covers Experiment tracking, Remote execution, Data versioning, Pipelines. LlamaIndex covers Data connectors, Indexing, Query engine, RAG pipelines.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

ClearML: Is ClearML free?

The open-source version is free and self-hostable. Hosted and enterprise tiers are paid.

LlamaIndex: How much does LlamaIndex (LlamaParse) cost?

LlamaIndex offers a Free plan with 10K monthly credits at $0/month. The Starter plan is $50/month for 40K credits plus pay-as-you-go overage up to 400K total. The Pro plan is $500/month for 400K credits. Credits are priced at 1,000 credits for $1.25.

Source
ClearML: How much code does tracking require?

Very little — adding a couple of lines to an existing training script captures parameters, metrics and environment automatically.

LlamaIndex: Is LlamaIndex free?

Yes, LlamaIndex offers a free plan with 10K monthly credits, basic parsing, 5 concurrent jobs, and support for up to 100 users with no upfront payment required.

Source
ClearML: Does ClearML replace MLflow?

It covers MLflow’s tracking and adds orchestration, remote execution and data versioning. Whether that breadth is an advantage or extra weight depends on whether you need the rest.

LlamaIndex: What are LlamaIndex's concurrent job limits?

The Free and Starter plans allow 5 concurrent jobs. The Pro plan increases this to 20 concurrent jobs. Enterprise plans offer custom configurations with 5x higher rate limits.

Source
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