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Machine Learning · head to head

LangChain vs Vellum

LangChain logo

LangChain

Machine Learning

Build applications with LLMs through composability

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
Vellum logo

Vellum

AI

Personalized AI assistant with persistent memory and autonomous action-taking

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: LangChain the free Developer plan of LangSmith is limited to 1 seat; Vellum pricing varies significantly by computational tier, making budget planning difficult
  • They diverge on capability: LangChain covers Chains and agents, Vellum covers Persistent AI identity.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which LangChain and Vellum actually diverge.

Attributes where LangChain and Vellum differ
AttributeLangChainVellum
Pricing modelfreemiumFreemium with paid plans and pay-as-you-go credits
PlatformsLinux, Mac, WindowsWeb, macOS, iOS, Slack, Telegram, Terminal
CategoryMachine LearningAI
Founded2022Unknown

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 LangChain

  • Chains and agents
  • Retrieval-augmented generation
  • Memory management
  • Tool integration
  • Prompt templates
  • OpenAI
  • Anthropic
  • Hugging Face

Only in Vellum

  • Persistent AI identity
  • Long-term memory
  • Email automation
  • Calendar management
  • Autonomous task execution
  • Multi-device synchronization
  • Custom plugins
  • Open-source deployment

What people use each for

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

LangChain

  • Building LLM applications and agents in Python or JavaScriptnot Vellum
  • Tracing and debugging LLM chains and agent runsnot Vellum
  • Evaluating prompt and model changes against datasetsnot Vellum

Vellum

  • Personal productivity automation across email and calendarnot LangChain
  • CRM updates and pipeline managementnot LangChain
  • Expense report generation and managementnot LangChain
  • Document drafting and content creationnot LangChain
  • Meeting scheduling and calendar coordinationnot LangChain

Where each one falls short

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

LangChain

  • The free Developer plan of LangSmith is limited to 1 seat
  • Base traces are retained for 14 days only; 400 day retention costs extra
  • Included traces are capped at 5,000 per month on Developer and 10,000 per month on Plus, with everything beyond billed pay as you go
  • Self hosted and hybrid deployment of LangSmith is Enterprise only
  • Custom SSO, RBAC and ABAC are Enterprise only
  • A support SLA is Enterprise only
  • Enterprise pricing is by quote with no published rate

Vellum

  • Pricing varies significantly by computational tier, making budget planning difficult
  • Requires explicit permission for sensitive actions, limiting autonomy
  • Self-hosting option may intimidate non-technical users
  • Learning curve to develop customizations with plugins

Pricing, plan by plan

LangChain

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • Full framework
    • Community support
  • LangSmith$39/month
    • Debugging
    • Monitoring
    • Testing

Vellum

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Starter credits included
    • Basic features
  • Mighty$30/month
    • 1 vCPU, 2 GiB RAM
    • 10 GB storage
    • Included usage allowance
  • Super$100/month
    • 2.5 vCPU, 5 GiB RAM
    • 30 GB storage
    • Assistant email and subdomain
  • Ultra$200/month
    • 4 vCPU, 8 GiB RAM
    • 60 GB storage
    • Assistant email and subdomain

Which should you pick?

Choose LangChain if

  • You need chains and agents.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Mac, Windows.
  • You also want retrieval-augmented generation.
LangChain review

Choose Vellum if

  • You need persistent ai identity.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, macOS, iOS, Slack, Telegram, Terminal.
  • You also want long-term memory.
Vellum review

Questions people ask

Is LangChain or Vellum better?
Neither clearly leads. LangChain starts at Free and Vellum at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, LangChain or Vellum?
LangChain starts at Free and Vellum at Free.
Does LangChain or Vellum run on more platforms?
LangChain runs on Linux, Mac, Windows. Vellum runs on Web, macOS, iOS, Slack, Telegram, Terminal.
Can I use LangChain for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is LangChain best used for?
LangChain is most often used for building llm applications and agents in python or javascript, tracing and debugging llm chains and agent runs, evaluating prompt and model changes against datasets. Of those, building llm applications and agents in python or javascript and tracing and debugging llm chains and agent runs are not what Vellum is typically brought in for.
What can LangChain do that Vellum cannot?
LangChain covers Chains and agents, Retrieval-augmented generation, Memory management, Tool integration. Vellum covers Persistent AI identity, Long-term memory, Email automation, Calendar management.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

LangChain: Does LangChain charge for its services?

LangChain's main website does not display pricing. However, LangSmith (a related platform) offers both free and paid plans. Visit the dedicated pricing page or contact LangChain for details.

Source
Vellum: How does Vellum protect my data privacy?

Vellum uses permission-based controls requiring explicit approval for sensitive actions. Data is encrypted and the option for self-hosting provides complete data control. Open-source deployment option allows hosting on your own infrastructure.

Source
LangChain: How can I learn about LangChain pricing?

Click on the Pricing link in navigation or use the Try LangSmith or Get a demo options to explore pricing for LangChain's commercial offerings.

Source
Vellum: Can I use Vellum for business team collaboration?

Vellum is primarily designed as a personal assistant with persistent identity. For team collaboration, platforms like Lindy offer better multi-user features with shared credit pools and Slack workspace integration.

Source
Vellum: What does the free tier include?

Vellum offers free starter credits to begin using the platform. Beyond that, it operates on a pay-as-you-go credit model with paid tiers starting at $30/month for increased computational resources and bundled credits.

Source
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