Letta vs 
OpenAI Swarm
Letta vs OpenAI Swarm compared for 2026 — features, license, ease of use, performance and which one to choose. Stateful agents with long-term memory vs Minimal multi-agent handoffs.
Updated regularly · curated by OpenSourceAI.tech
Letta vs OpenAI Swarm at a glance
| Spec | Letta | OpenAI Swarm |
|---|---|---|
| Category | AI agent framework | AI agent framework |
| Type | Agent runtime (memory) | Agent framework (educational) |
| License | Apache-2.0 | MIT |
| Runs locally | Self-hosted | No |
| Primary language | Python | Python |
| Ease of use | Advanced | Beginner |
| Best for | agents that remember across sessions | understanding agent handoff patterns |
| GitHub stars | 23.8k | 21.8k |
How Letta and OpenAI Swarm score
| Criterion | Letta | OpenAI Swarm |
|---|---|---|
| Popularity | 3.5 | 3.5 |
| Maintenance | 5.0 | 4.5 |
| Ease of use | 2.5 | 5.0 |
| Privacy | 4.5 | 3.5 |
| License freedom | 5.0 | 5.0 |
Scores are computed automatically from public signals — GitHub stars (popularity), recent commit activity (maintenance), license type (freedom), local-first design (privacy) and onboarding complexity (ease of use). Indicative, not a verdict.
What each one is
Letta
Letta (formerly MemGPT) is a framework and server for building stateful agents with long-term memory that persists across sessions, with a visual agent editor.
- Persistent long-term agent memory
- Server with REST API and visual editor
- Model-agnostic and self-hostable
OpenAI Swarm
Swarm is a deliberately tiny framework showing how agents can hand off work to one another, built for learning rather than production.
- Extremely small and readable
- Clear handoff and routine patterns
- Great teaching material
Key differences
Letta is agent runtime (memory), while OpenAI Swarm is agent framework (educational). Their licenses differ (Apache-2.0 vs MIT), which matters if you ship a commercial product. Letta leans more advanced-friendly, whereas OpenAI Swarm is more suited to beginner users. They also differ in how they run (Self-hosted vs No). In short, Letta fits agents that remember across sessions, and OpenAI Swarm fits understanding agent handoff patterns.
Which should you choose?
Choose Letta for agents that remember across sessions. Choose OpenAI Swarm for understanding agent handoff patterns.
There is rarely one winner — many setups use both. The right pick depends on your hardware, your team's skills, and whether you value simplicity or control.
Frequently asked questions
Is Letta or OpenAI Swarm easier to use?
OpenAI Swarm is generally the easier of the two to get started with, while Letta rewards more setup with more control.
Are Letta and OpenAI Swarm free?
Letta is free and open source (Apache-2.0), and OpenAI Swarm is free and open source (MIT). Neither charges for the core software.
Can I run Letta and OpenAI Swarm locally?
Letta: self-hosted · OpenAI Swarm: no. Both can be used without sending your data to a third-party cloud where their setup allows.
Letta vs OpenAI Swarm — which should I pick in 2026?
Choose Letta for agents that remember across sessions. Choose OpenAI Swarm for understanding agent handoff patterns.
People also compare
Explore more open-source AI
Browse thousands of open-source AI tools, models and projects — all curated in one place, updated daily.
Explore the directory →