Machine Learning · head to head
Haystack vs LlamaIndex
Haystack
Machine Learning
Open-source AI orchestration framework for LLM applications
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Haystack requires Python programming knowledge for advanced customization; 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: Haystack covers Modular pipeline composition, LlamaIndex covers Data connectors.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Haystack and LlamaIndex actually diverge.
| Attribute | Haystack | LlamaIndex |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Open-source with optional paid enterprise support | usage-based |
| Platforms | Python, Cloud-agnostic | Linux, Mac, Windows |
| Founded | Unknown | 2022 |
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 Haystack
- Modular pipeline composition
- Multi-provider LLM support
- Retrieval-augmented generation
- Agent framework
- Memory management
- Observability and debugging
- Kubernetes-ready deployment
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.
Haystack
- Building production LLM applications with full controlnot LlamaIndex
- Creating retrieval-augmented generation systemsnot LlamaIndex
- Developing autonomous AI agentsnot LlamaIndex
- Multi-provider LLM orchestrationnot LlamaIndex
- Enterprise AI infrastructurenot LlamaIndex
LlamaIndex
- Parsing PDFs and complex documents into structured text for RAGnot Haystack
- Building retrieval augmented generation pipelines over private datanot Haystack
- Indexing and querying enterprise documents from an LLM applicationnot Haystack
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Haystack
- Requires Python programming knowledge for advanced customization
- Steeper learning curve compared to no-code platforms
- Community support only on free tier may limit enterprise adoption
- Ongoing maintenance dependency for open-source framework
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 $5,000 per month on Pro
- Enterprise SSO is Enterprise plan only
- Volume discounts on credits and 5x higher rate limits are Enterprise only
- SaaS or hybrid cloud deployment choice and a dedicated account manager are Enterprise only
- Enterprise pricing is by quote with no published rate
Pricing, plan by plan
Haystack
Free- Open SourceFree
- Full framework access
- Community Discord support
- GitHub community contributions
- Enterprise Support$undefined/custom
- Private secure engineering support
- Best practices templates and deployment guides
- Flexible services and integrations
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 Haystack if
- You need modular pipeline composition.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Python, Cloud-agnostic.
- You also want multi-provider llm support.
Choose LlamaIndex if
- You need data connectors.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Linux, Mac, Windows.
- You also want indexing.
Questions people ask
- Is Haystack or LlamaIndex better?
- Neither clearly leads. Haystack 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, Haystack or LlamaIndex?
- Haystack starts at Free and LlamaIndex at Free.
- Does Haystack or LlamaIndex run on more platforms?
- Haystack runs on Python, Cloud-agnostic. LlamaIndex runs on Linux, Mac, Windows.
- Can I use Haystack for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Haystack best used for?
- Haystack is most often used for building production llm applications with full control, creating retrieval-augmented generation systems, developing autonomous ai agents, multi-provider llm orchestration. Of those, building production llm applications with full control and creating retrieval-augmented generation systems are not what LlamaIndex is typically brought in for.
- What can Haystack do that LlamaIndex cannot?
- Haystack covers Modular pipeline composition, Multi-provider LLM support, Retrieval-augmented generation, Agent framework. LlamaIndex covers Data connectors, Indexing, Query engine, RAG pipelines.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Haystack: Is Haystack completely free to use?
Yes, the open-source Haystack framework is completely free. deepset offers optional paid enterprise support packages for organizations needing secure engineering support and deployment guidance.
SourceLlamaIndex: 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.
SourceHaystack: What LLM providers does Haystack support?
Haystack supports multiple LLM providers including OpenAI, Anthropic, Mistral, Cohere, and others, allowing teams to avoid vendor lock-in and switch providers as needed.
SourceLlamaIndex: 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.
SourceHaystack: Can I deploy Haystack in production environments?
Yes, Haystack is designed for production use with Kubernetes-ready pipelines, built-in reliability features, and observability tools for enterprise-scale deployments.
SourceLlamaIndex: 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.
SourceRelated pages
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