DoozaDooza
Comparison

Best CrewAI Alternatives in 2026: 9 Ways to Run a Team of AI Agents

CrewAI is a free, MIT-licensed framework for teams of AI agents, but its hosted plan jumps from 50 free executions to custom Enterprise pricing. Here are 9 alternatives, from code frameworks to no-code tools, with prices read on each vendor page.

9 min read
October 26, 2026
Watercolor illustration of a small crew of AI helpers passing tasks to each other around a table

Checked October 26, 2026. Prices were read on each vendor's own pricing page; some vendors only quote through sales. Prices change: re-check before you buy. Dooza Crew is our product; we list it last and say where others fit better.

CrewAI alternatives: the short answer

If you write code and want more control over handoffs, use LangGraph. If you build on one model vendor, try the OpenAI Agents SDK, Microsoft Agent Framework or Google ADK, all free and open source. For a visual builder you can host yourself, try Dify or n8n. For a no-code builder with a real browser, try Gumloop. For a team of agents you brief in plain words instead of building, try Dooza Crew.

Why people look for a CrewAI alternative

CrewAI describes itself on GitHub as a "Framework for orchestrating role-playing, autonomous AI agents", and the framework is MIT-licensed. Many teams like it. Others look elsewhere because of:

To be fair, CrewAI says it is "Used by 65% of the Fortune 500" on its pricing page, and many builders say it is the easiest way to think of agents as a team with roles.

CrewAI alternatives compared

ToolBest forCheapest paid planRuns a browser or computer for youHosted or self-host
CrewAI (for reference)Developers building role-based agent crewsFramework free (MIT); hosted Basic free (50 executions/mo); Enterprise customYou add tools in codeBoth
LangGraph (LangSmith)Developers who want low-level controlPlus $39 per seat a monthYou add tools in codeBoth
OpenAI Agents SDKDevelopers building on OpenAIFree (MIT); you pay for model usageYou add tools in codeSelf-host
Microsoft Agent Framework.NET and Python teams on MicrosoftFree (MIT); you pay for model usageYou add tools in codeSelf-host
Google ADKPython teams on Google CloudFree (Apache 2.0); you pay for model usageYou add tools in codeSelf-host
DifyVisual agentic workflows and RAG appsProfessional $590 a year per workspaceNot listed on the pricing pageBoth
n8nVisual workflows with AI agent stepsStarter 20 euros/mo billed yearly, 2,500 executionsNot listed on the pricing pageBoth
GumloopNo-code agents for business teamsPro from $37/mo, 20,000 creditsYes, a real browser for every agentHosted
Relevance AINo-code AI workforce for sales and opsNo public price; Enterprise only ("Talk to sales")Not stated; lists calling and meeting agentsHosted
Dooza Crew (ours)Small businesses that want a team of agents$49/mo per organization (unlimited users and agents) with AI usage included (hard spending cap), 7 days freeYes, each agent has its own computer and browserHosted

The alternatives, one by one

1. LangGraph: best for developers who want full control

LangGraph is LangChain's agent framework (GitHub, MIT license); LangChain describes it as a way to "Build agents with low-level control". You get explicit state, nodes and checkpoints, and you deploy and trace with LangSmith.

  • Price: The framework is free. LangSmith Developer is $0 for 1 seat; Plus is $39 per seat a month with up to 10k base traces, then pay as you go; Enterprise is custom (LangChain pricing, checked October 26, 2026).
  • Watch for: More control means more code. Simple role-based crews take longer to set up than in CrewAI.

2. OpenAI Agents SDK: best if you build on OpenAI models

OpenAI's GitHub repo calls it "A lightweight, powerful framework for multi-agent workflows". It is MIT-licensed.

  • Price: The SDK is free and open source; you pay for the model calls you make (GitHub, checked October 26, 2026).
  • Watch for: It is a code library, not a hosted product. You run and monitor it yourself.

3. Microsoft Agent Framework: the successor to AutoGen

Microsoft says it is "an open, multi-language framework for building production-grade AI agents and multi-agent workflows in .NET and Python". The old AutoGen repo now says "Microsoft Agent Framework (MAF) is the enterprise-ready successor to AutoGen."

4. Google ADK: best for Python teams on Google Cloud

Google's Agent Development Kit is "An open-source, code-first Python toolkit for building, evaluating, and deploying sophisticated AI agents with flexibility and control."

  • Price: Free under the Apache 2.0 license; you pay for models and hosting (GitHub, checked October 26, 2026).
  • Watch for: Like CrewAI, it is code-first. Non-developers on your team will not be able to change the agents.

5. Dify: best visual builder for agentic workflows and RAG

Dify's GitHub page says it helps you "Build Agentic workflows, RAG pipelines, with rich AI model and tool support on one collaborative workspace."

  • Price: Sandbox is free with 200 message credits; Professional is $590 a year per workspace (5,000 message credits a month); Team is $1,590 a year (10,000 a month). A self-hosted Community edition is free (Dify pricing, checked October 26, 2026).
  • Watch for: The Community edition is described as for "open-source enthusiasts, individual developers, and non-commercial projects", so read the license before commercial use.

6. n8n: best visual workflow tool you can self-host

n8n calls itself a "Fair-code workflow automation platform with native AI capabilities", with an AI Agent node for agent steps inside workflows.

  • Price: Starter 20 euros/mo (2,500 executions), Pro 50 euros/mo (10,000 executions), Business 667 euros/mo (40,000 executions, self-hosted), all billed yearly (n8n pricing, checked October 26, 2026).
  • Watch for: It is a workflow tool first. Multi-agent crews with roles are easier to express in CrewAI. See n8n alternatives.

7. Gumloop: no-code agents with a real browser

Gumloop lets business teams "Build, share, optimize & control agents" without code. Its homepage says "Agents open a real browser and click, type, upload, and pull data from any site your team already uses, with or without an API."

  • Price: Pro starts at $37/mo with 20k credits a month, unlimited agents and seats, and a 14-day free trial; Enterprise is custom (Gumloop pricing, checked October 26, 2026).
  • Watch for: The pricing page lists an 8% "Orchestration Fee" on Pro. See Gumloop alternatives.

8. Relevance AI: no-code AI workforce for sales and ops

Relevance AI pitches its plan "For companies looking to decouple growth from headcount via an AI Workforce." It lists 2,000+ integrations and calling and meeting agents.

  • Price: Only an Enterprise plan is shown, with "Talk to sales"; no price is public (Relevance AI pricing, checked October 26, 2026).
  • Watch for: No self-serve plan on the pricing page, so you cannot start small. See Relevance AI alternatives.

9. Dooza Crew (our product): a team of agents without the building

You tell Dooza, your master agent, the job in plain words from the web or your phone; it plans it, builds the helper agents it needs (a researcher, a writer, an outreach agent) and reports back. Each agent has its own computer and browser in a private, isolated workspace; you watch every step live in chat.

  • Price: Free for 7 days (card required), then $49/mo per organization (unlimited users and agents) with AI usage included and a hard spending cap. Cancel before day 8 and you pay nothing.
  • Watch for: It is not a developer framework. If you need to define agents, tools and state in code, ship agents inside your own product or self-host, CrewAI, LangGraph or the vendor SDKs fit better.

Try Dooza Crew free for 7 days, or read Dooza vs Lindy.

Free CrewAI alternatives

  • Open-source frameworks: LangGraph, the OpenAI Agents SDK and Microsoft Agent Framework (all MIT), and Google ADK (Apache 2.0). You pay for the AI model and hosting.
  • Self-hosted visual builders: Dify's Community edition and the self-hosted version of n8n. Read each license first.
  • Free hosted tiers: Dify Sandbox (200 message credits) and LangSmith Developer.
  • CrewAI itself: the framework stays MIT-licensed, and hosted Basic is free with 50 executions a month.

How to test a CrewAI replacement in one afternoon

  1. Pick one crew you already run, for example a researcher that hands off to a writer and a reviewer.
  2. Rebuild it in two tools: one code framework and one visual or no-code option. Time how long each takes.
  3. Break a handoff on purpose. Kill a step midway and see whether you can retry just that step and trace which agent produced what.
  4. Price it at real volume. Count model calls, executions or credits for a month of use, not the demo.

Comparing more agent platforms? See Lyzr alternatives, Relevance AI alternatives and n8n alternatives.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best alternative to CrewAI?

For developers who want more control over state and handoffs, LangGraph is the usual pick. If you build on one model vendor, the OpenAI Agents SDK, Microsoft Agent Framework and Google ADK are free open-source options. If you want a visual builder, try Dify or n8n. If you would rather not build at all, Dooza Crew builds the helper agents for you from a plain-words brief, for $49 a month per organization.

Is CrewAI free?

The CrewAI framework is released under the MIT License, so the code is free. You pay for the AI model you call. The hosted CrewAI platform has a free Basic plan with 50 workflow executions a month; the next step is a custom-priced Enterprise plan (CrewAI pricing page, checked October 26, 2026).

Is LangGraph better than CrewAI?

It depends on the job. CrewAI makes it easy to describe agents as a team with roles and tasks. LangGraph gives you explicit state, nodes and checkpoints, which helps when a handoff needs a retry or a human approval. In an r/LangChain thread from September 2026, several builders said they prefer LangGraph once workflows get complicated.

What happened to AutoGen?

Microsoft archived the AutoGen repository. Its GitHub page now says "This project has been archived and is no longer actively maintained" and calls Microsoft Agent Framework "the enterprise-ready successor to AutoGen". New projects should start with Microsoft Agent Framework.

Is there a no-code alternative to CrewAI?

Yes. Dify and n8n give you visual builders you can also self-host. Gumloop is a hosted no-code agent builder with a real browser for each agent, from $37 a month. Dooza Crew goes further: you describe the job in plain words and it builds the agents for you.

Which CrewAI alternative is best for a small business?

Most small businesses do not want to write Python to get work done. Dooza Crew is free for 7 days and then $49 a month per organization (unlimited users and agents) with AI usage included and a hard spending cap. If you want to build workflows yourself on a small budget, n8n starts at 20 euros a month billed yearly.

Try Dooza Crew

A lead AI agent plus helper agents that browse the web, write files and ask you before they send or pay. 7-day free trial (card required), then $49/month with AI usage included and a hard spending cap.

Related Articles

Best Lyzr Alternatives in 2026: 9 Ways to Build Multi-Agent Workflows
Comparison

Best Lyzr Alternatives in 2026: 9 Ways to Build Multi-Agent Workflows

Lyzr is free to build on, but production starts at $100K a year. Here are 9 alternatives for building multi-agent workflows, with prices read on each vendor page, who each fits and one honest limit for each.

9 min read
Read
Best Gumloop Alternatives in 2026: 9 AI Agent Builders Compared
Comparison

Best Gumloop Alternatives in 2026: 9 AI Agent Builders Compared

Gumloop Pro starts at $37 a month plus an 8% orchestration fee. Here are 9 alternatives for building AI agents and automations, with prices read on each vendor page, who each fits and one honest limit for each.

9 min read
Read

Got busywork? Dooza it.

Still doing it? The world is Doozaing.

Try Dooza Crew, AI agents that do your busywork: 7-day free trial (card required), then $49/month with AI usage included and a hard spending cap. Want a custom agent built for you instead? A Dooza engineer scopes it on a free 30-minute call and it starts as a refundable pilot. See pricing.

Crew: 7-day free trial · Custom agents: refundable pilot, 100% refund within 14 days

Talk to Dooza now

Dooza builds AI products and services for small businesses. Custom Dooza agents start with a refundable pilot: 100% refund within 14 days.

Or start now: Dooza Crew, AI employees you chat with from web or phone, watching every step live in chat: free for 7 days, then $49 a month for your whole organization (unlimited users and agents, no per-seat fee) with AI usage included and a hard spending cap. Want it done for you instead? Dooza Managed, $200/month.