Haystack vs Semantic Kernel (2026)
A detailed comparison of Haystack and Semantic Kernel covering features, pricing, platform support, and more.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Haystack | Semantic Kernel |
|---|---|---|
| LLM orchestration | Yes | No |
| Retrieval-augmented generation | Yes | No |
| Component-based architecture | Yes | No |
| Multiple LLM support | Yes | No |
| Document processing | Yes | No |
| Pipeline building | Yes | No |
| Evaluation framework | Yes | No |
| LLM integration | No | Yes |
| Plugin architecture | No | Yes |
| Memory management | No | Yes |
| Skill composition | No | Yes |
| Function calling | No | Yes |
| Multi-language support | No | Yes |
| Azure OpenAI integration | No | Yes |
Pricing Comparison
| Detail | Haystack | Semantic Kernel |
|---|---|---|
| Free Tier | Yes | Yes |
| Free Tier Details | Open-source framework | Open-source SDK |
| Starting Price | Free | Free |