LangGraph vs OpenAI Responses API

A side-by-side comparison to help you choose the right tool.

Pricing
Open-source project with no core license fee.
Free plan
Yes
Best for
Teams building serious agent workflows, Developers who need state and branching control, Builders who outgrew simple chains
Platforms
mac, windows, linux, api
API
Yes
Languages
en
Pricing
Usage-based API pricing; costs depend on the models and tools you use.
Free plan
No
Best for
Product teams building assistants or agents on OpenAI, Developers migrating from older endpoint patterns, Apps that need streaming and tool invocation in one API
Platforms
api
API
Yes
Languages
en

Choose LangGraph if:

  • You are Teams building serious agent workflows
  • You are Developers who need state and branching control
  • You are Builders who outgrew simple chains
  • You want to start free
Read LangGraph review →

Choose OpenAI Responses API if:

  • You are Product teams building assistants or agents on OpenAI
  • You are Developers migrating from older endpoint patterns
  • You are Apps that need streaming and tool invocation in one API
Read OpenAI Responses API review →

FAQ

What is the difference between LangGraph and OpenAI Responses API?
LangGraph is a graph-based framework for building stateful, multi-step agent workflows with more explicit control than plain prompt chaining. OpenAI Responses API is openai's newer response-oriented api surface for building assistants and agents with streaming, tools, and model control.
Which is cheaper, LangGraph or OpenAI Responses API?
LangGraph: Open-source project with no core license fee.. OpenAI Responses API: Usage-based API pricing; costs depend on the models and tools you use.. LangGraph has a free plan.
Who is LangGraph best for?
LangGraph is best for Teams building serious agent workflows, Developers who need state and branching control, Builders who outgrew simple chains.
Who is OpenAI Responses API best for?
OpenAI Responses API is best for Product teams building assistants or agents on OpenAI, Developers migrating from older endpoint patterns, Apps that need streaming and tool invocation in one API.