Langflow
by DataStax
Visual low-code platform for building AI agents and RAG applications with drag-and-drop components Langflow is a visual, low-code platform for building AI agents, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) pipelines, and multi-step AI workflows using a drag-and-drop interface. Originally created as an open-source project in 2023, Langflow was acquired by DataStax in 2024 and integrated with the Astra DB vector database platform.
Performance Scores
2 rankings evaluated
Score range: 6.8 – 8.2
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#2Best LLM App Platforms for Building AI Agents in 2026
Score: 8.2 · Best for: Engineering teams that want a visual builder over LangChain with the option to self-host for compliance.
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#7Most Customizable AI Agent Platforms 2026
Score: 6.8 · Best for: Teams building custom LangChain agents on infrastructure they control
Key Facts
pricing
| Attribute | Value | As of | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Langflow pricing (July 2026) | Langflow is free (verified July 2026): the open-source project self-hosts free, Langflow Desktop is a free local app, and a free Langflow Cloud account is available. Hosted Cloud/Enterprise is custom-priced and not publicly listed. Running costs are infrastructure plus LLM API fees. | Jul 2026 | Langflow |
| License | Open-source MIT license; free to self-host | Apr 2026 | GitHub |
General
| Attribute | Value | As of | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Origin | 2023 (open-source project) | Mar 2026 | Langflow |
| Acquired By | DataStax (2024); DataStax itself acquired by IBM, deal completed 28 May 2025 | Jul 2026 | IBM Newsroom |
| GitHub Stars | 150,000+ (as of July 2026) | Jul 2026 | GitHub API (langflow-ai/langflow) |
| Interface | Visual drag-and-drop node editor | Jul 2026 | Langflow official site |
| RAG Support | Native RAG pipeline components | Jul 2026 | Langflow official site |
| Cloud Pricing | Open-source core is free; Langflow Cloud offers a free account, with no public paid price list (as of July 2026) | Jul 2026 | Langflow official site |
| Self-Hosting | Open-source, pip/Docker install | Jul 2026 | Langflow docs — installation |
capability
| Attribute | Value | As of | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Platform Type | Visual low-code builder for AI agents and RAG workflows (Python); framework-agnostic since 1.x, no longer limited to LangChain | Jul 2026 | Langflow GitHub README |
| Cloud Option | DataStax's Astra-hosted managed Langflow was shut down in April 2026; as of July 2026 there is no managed cloud — self-hosted Langflow OSS is the recommended option | Jul 2026 | DataStax Docs — DataStax Langflow |
company
| Attribute | Value | As of | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sponsor | Maintained by DataStax (acquired Langflow in 2024); DataStax was acquired by IBM in May 2025, bringing Langflow into IBM's watsonx portfolio | Jul 2026 | IBM Newsroom |
Strengths
- ●Open-source under MIT, runs locally with no vendor lock-in
- ●Visual canvas maps cleanly to LangChain primitives developers already know
- ●Active community with frequent component updates
- ●Self-hosted option meets strict data-residency requirements
- ●Arbitrary unsandboxed Python components with full host filesystem and network access
- ●Any model provider including local Ollama and vLLM
- ●MCP in both directions, with flows auto-exposed as MCP tools, plus an A2A server
- ●Self-hosts and air-gaps cleanly, with 73 pip-installable provider bundles carrying stable extension identifiers
Limitations
- ●Self-hosted operators handle their own audit logs, RBAC, and security posture
- ●Tied to LangChain abstractions, which evolve quickly and can break flows
- ●Managed cloud is newer than the open-source project — feature parity still settling
- ●The open-source authorization service allows every action for every authenticated user, ships no enforcement plugin and provides no tenant isolation
- ●No SOC 2, ISO 27001 or HIPAA position is published
- ●Two unauthenticated remote-code-execution-class CVEs were reported against Langflow in 2026
- ●IBM Langflow Cloud is in private preview, so the only production path is infrastructure the team stands up itself
- ●The connector set covers AI infrastructure rather than business SaaS, and there is no extension marketplace
Based on evaluations in 2 rankings: Best LLM App Platforms for Building AI Agents in 2026, Most Customizable AI Agent Platforms 2026
About Langflow
Langflow is a visual, low-code platform for building AI agents, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) pipelines, and multi-step AI workflows using a drag-and-drop interface. Originally created as an open-source project in 2023, Langflow was acquired by DataStax in 2024 and integrated with the Astra DB vector database platform. IBM completed its acquisition of DataStax on 28 May 2025, so Langflow now sits under IBM.
The platform provides a node-based visual editor where users connect components representing LLMs, vector stores, document loaders, text splitters, embedding models, and custom Python code. Each component has configurable inputs and outputs, allowing users to build complex AI pipelines without writing infrastructure code. As of early 2026, Langflow supports connections to OpenAI, Anthropic Claude, Google Gemini, Cohere, HuggingFace models, and local LLMs via Ollama.
Langflow can be self-hosted (open-source, available on GitHub with 150,000+ stars) or used through the DataStax-hosted cloud version. The cloud version includes a free tier with limited executions, no publicly listed paid-tier price, and enterprise pricing for teams needing dedicated infrastructure and support. The platform targets developers and technical teams building AI-powered applications who want a visual development environment rather than pure code.
Integrations (6)
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AI Agent PlatformsSee How It Ranks
Most Customizable AI Agent Platforms 2026
Most coverage of AI agent platforms rewards how quickly a working agent can be stood up. This ranking asks the opposite question: once it exists, how far can it be bent? What can be plugged into it, how much of the logic sits under the builder's control, and how much of that customization is reachable without an engineering team. It evaluates 8 platforms as of July 2026 on extensibility, ease of customization, customization depth, governance and deployment flexibility. It sits alongside Best AI Agent Platforms 2026, which weighs agent-building experience and autonomy more heavily, and Best LLM App Platforms 2026, which weighs evaluation and production tooling. The same platforms place differently across the three because the three ask different questions. Scores are comparable within a ranking and never across them.
Best AI Agent Builders for Non-Developers in 2026
A ranked list of the best AI agent builders for non-developers in 2026. This ranking evaluates platforms that let operations, marketing, and customer-success teams construct multi-step AI agents without writing production code. The shortlist includes Lindy, Gumloop, Relay.app, Relevance AI, and Dust. Tools were evaluated on visual agent design, model and tool integration, observability and debugging, pricing accessibility, and documentation depth. Stack AI and Magic Loops were considered but excluded where the platform was not present in the database at evaluation time.
Questions About Langflow
Can you build AI agents in n8n?
Yes. As of May 2026, n8n ships an AI Agent node that wraps LangChain tools, memory, and vector stores, allowing visual or code-based construction of ReAct-style agents with branching, retries, and human-in-the-loop steps. The free Community Edition supports the AI Agent node with no usage cap when self-hosted.
What is the best LLM app platform in 2026?
As of April 2026, the leading LLM app platforms are LangChain (most-used Python and JS framework), Vellum (production prompt and eval platform), Langflow (open-source visual builder), Dust (workspace assistants), and LlamaIndex (data-framework for RAG). Choice depends on visual versus code preference and whether teams need eval, RAG, or workspace assistants.
How does Vellum compare to Langflow in 2026?
As of April 2026, Vellum is a developer platform for production LLM apps focused on prompt management, evaluation, and deployment, while Langflow is an open-source visual builder for LangChain flows. Vellum wins on eval, observability, and prompt versioning; Langflow wins on visual prototyping and zero-cost self-hosting.
What are the best Vellum alternatives in 2026?
As of April 2026, the leading Vellum alternatives are Langflow (open-source visual LangChain builder), LangSmith (LangChain observability and eval), Dust (workspace-grade AI assistants), Relevance AI (low-code AI agents), and Humanloop (prompt management and evaluation). Selection depends on whether teams need prompt eval, agent orchestration, or production deployment.
Learn More
Building AI Agents with n8n in 2026: Tools, RAG, and Deployment
n8n is a fair-code workflow engine that ships a native AI Agent node wrapping LangChain tools, memory, and vector stores. This tutorial covers agent design patterns, retrieval-augmented generation with Pinecone or pgvector, deployment options (Cloud vs self-hosted), and operational guardrails as of May 2026.
Vellum vs Langflow 2026: LLM App Builders Compared
Vellum and Langflow are two LLM application builders that sit on opposite sides of the commercial-vs-open-source line. Vellum is a commercial SaaS for prompt engineering, evals, and production agents. Langflow is an MIT-licensed visual canvas for LangChain workflows, backed by IBM. This comparison covers pricing, target users, and feature depth as of April 2026.
CrewAI vs Langflow 2026: Code-First vs Visual AI Agent Frameworks
CrewAI and Langflow are open-source AI agent frameworks with different audiences. CrewAI (founded 2023) is a Python framework for code-first multi-agent orchestration. Langflow (now an IBM product, 2023) is a visual node-based builder for LangChain applications. This 2026 comparison covers programming models, tool ecosystems, deployment, and pricing.