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Developer Tools · head to head

Pieces for Developers vs Vellum

Pieces for Developers logo

Pieces for Developers

Developer Tools

AI-powered memory layer that captures and organizes developer work

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Vellum logo

Vellum

AI

Personalized AI assistant with persistent memory and autonomous action-taking

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Pieces for Developers requires installing and running a background desktop app rather than being purely cloud-based.; Vellum pricing varies significantly by computational tier, making budget planning difficult
  • They diverge on capability: Pieces for Developers covers Activity Timeline, Vellum covers Persistent AI identity.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Pieces for Developers and Vellum actually diverge.

Attributes where Pieces for Developers and Vellum differ
AttributePieces for DevelopersVellum
Pricing modelfreemiumFreemium with paid plans and pay-as-you-go credits
Platformswindows, mac, linuxWeb, macOS, iOS, Slack, Telegram, Terminal
CategoryDeveloper ToolsAI
Founded2018Unknown

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 Pieces for Developers

  • Activity Timeline
  • Conversational Search
  • Artifact Generation
  • Cross-tool Integration
  • MCP Server
  • On-device Storage

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.

Pieces for Developers

  • Recalling code snippets and context from earlier work sessionsnot Vellum
  • Generating standup updates automatically from captured activitynot Vellum
  • Feeding long-term memory into AI coding assistants via MCPnot Vellum
  • Searching past research and meeting notes conversationallynot Vellum

Vellum

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

Where each one falls short

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

Pieces for Developers

  • Requires installing and running a background desktop app rather than being purely cloud-based.
  • Free tier trial of Pro features requires a credit card and reverts after 7 days.
  • Local-first storage means memory is not automatically synced across multiple machines without Enterprise controls.
  • Effectiveness depends on the breadth of integrations enabled, which adds setup overhead.

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

Pieces for Developers

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Basic capture and search
    • 7-day trial of Pro features
  • Pro$18.99/month
    • Long-term on-device memory
    • Cross-app capture
    • Single-click summaries and recaps
  • Enterprise$22.99/month
    • All Pro features
    • Organization-wide capture and feature controls
    • Approved AI providers and custom API keys

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 Pieces for Developers if

  • You need activity timeline.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on windows, mac, linux.
  • You also want conversational search.
Pieces for Developers 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 Pieces for Developers or Vellum better?
Neither clearly leads. Pieces for Developers 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, Pieces for Developers or Vellum?
Pieces for Developers starts at Free and Vellum at Free.
Does Pieces for Developers or Vellum run on more platforms?
Pieces for Developers runs on windows, mac, linux. Vellum runs on Web, macOS, iOS, Slack, Telegram, Terminal.
Can I use Pieces for Developers for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Pieces for Developers best used for?
Pieces for Developers is most often used for recalling code snippets and context from earlier work sessions, generating standup updates automatically from captured activity, feeding long-term memory into ai coding assistants via mcp, searching past research and meeting notes conversationally. Of those, recalling code snippets and context from earlier work sessions and generating standup updates automatically from captured activity are not what Vellum is typically brought in for.
What can Pieces for Developers do that Vellum cannot?
Pieces for Developers covers Activity Timeline, Conversational Search, Artifact Generation, Cross-tool Integration. Vellum covers Persistent AI identity, Long-term memory, Email automation, Calendar management.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Pieces for Developers: Does Pieces store my data in the cloud?

Pieces stores captured data on-device by default, giving users granular controls to pause, disable or delete captures rather than relying solely on cloud storage.

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
Pieces for Developers: Is there a free plan for Pieces?

Pieces does not offer a permanently free plan; new users instead get a 7-day free trial on any plan, which requires a credit card to start.

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
Pieces for Developers: What does the Pro plan cost?

Pro is $18.99 per month billed monthly, with roughly a 25% discount available when billed yearly.

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
Pieces for Developers: What does the Enterprise plan add?

Enterprise costs $22.99 per month (or $69.99 per quarter) and adds organization-wide admin controls, approved AI providers, and governance over captured data.

Source
Pieces for Developers: Can I cancel my Pieces subscription?

Yes, users can upgrade, downgrade, or cancel anytime from account settings, and all plans include a 14-day money-back guarantee.

Source
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