Which open-source LLM app builder fits your team's situation
Choose Dify if you want one visual platform for workflows, RAG pipelines, agents and LLMOps monitoring, and your legal team can accept a modified license. Dify uses a modified Apache License 2.0 that is not an OSI-approved license: operating a multi-tenant environment from the source, or removing the logo or copyright in the console, requires a commercial license from LangGenius. The community edition is free but limited to one workspace, so a team that needs several workspaces or SSO should price the Enterprise edition early. Plan the infrastructure as well. The Docker Compose guide asks for at least 2 CPU cores and 4 GiB of RAM, and it starts PostgreSQL, Redis, Weaviate and several other containers.
Choose Langflow if your engineers want MIT-licensed code they can extend in Python, with flows published as an API or an MCP server. Langflow defaults to SQLite, so production work means setting up PostgreSQL, setting a superuser password through LANGFLOW_SUPERUSER_PASSWORD (automatic login is disabled in official packages) and putting a reverse proxy with HTTPS in front of it. Flowise is now a different decision. Its maintainers archived the repository on August 13, 2026, so no security fixes or issue triage will come from the core team. The Apache 2.0 code remains available, but a team adopting it today takes on maintaining its own fork or planning a migration.
Choose n8n if your main need is automation across business systems, with LLM steps as one part of a wider workflow. n8n is not OSI open source either. Its Sustainable Use License allows use or modification only for internal business or non-commercial purposes, and files with .ee in the name require a valid n8n Enterprise License. Before you shortlist any option, confirm whether your use is internal, whether you would host the tool for customers, and which features you depend on. Ask each vendor for written confirmation of how its license applies to your deployment, then run a pilot against your own model gateway and identity provider.
Which open-source LLM app builder to pick by scenario
This table matches common team situations to the builder that fits best and states the condition under which each choice holds. Read each row against your license policy, identity requirements and existing stack, since license and edition often settle the question before features do. The main takeaway is that Langflow suits license-strict and Python-led teams, Dify suits RAG-heavy platforms that will need the Enterprise edition, and Flowise only makes sense for teams ready to own patching.
| Scenario | Best fit | Why, and the condition it depends on |
|---|---|---|
| Company-wide platform with RAG and SSO | Dify Enterprise | Enterprise adds SSO over OpenID Connect, SAML and OAuth2, plus multiple workspaces. Holds only if you buy the Enterprise edition, since Community is limited to one workspace. |
| Python team that wants MIT terms | Langflow | MIT licensed, with Python-customizable components. Holds when you move from the default SQLite to PostgreSQL before production use. |
| Team already running Flowise | Migrate to Langflow or Dify, or fork Flowise | The repository was archived read-only in August 2026, so core maintainers will not ship security fixes. Forking works only if your team will patch the Apache 2.0 code itself. |
| Automation-first team | n8n | The Sustainable Use License covers internal business or non-commercial use. Holds if your use stays internal, and any .ee features need an n8n Enterprise License. |
| Team that must avoid non-OSI licenses | Langflow | The core is MIT with no use restrictions in its license. Dify's modified Apache 2.0 and n8n's Sustainable Use License both carry limits a strict policy may reject. |
| Small pilot on a single server | Langflow | Installs as a Python package, Docker image or Desktop app, with SQLite by default. Holds for a single-user trial; plan PostgreSQL before concurrent use. |
| RAG pilot on one server with one workspace | Dify Community | Runs on Docker Compose and asks for at least 2 CPU cores and 4 GB of RAM across several services. Holds while one workspace is enough for the pilot. |
What the Flowise archive means for an existing shortlist
If Flowise is already on your shortlist, the first decision is who will maintain it. The FlowiseAI maintainers announced a code freeze on July 29, 2026, archived the GitHub repository to read-only on August 13, 2026 and ended core team presence on August 31, 2026. The last release, flowise@3.1.4, dates from July 29, 2026. No further releases, security fixes or issue triage will come from the core team, so any vulnerability found in the Node.js server, the React UI or the components package after that point stays open unless your own team or a fork closes it.
The source code remains on GitHub under Apache 2.0, and the maintainers encourage teams to fork the repository. Read the license boundary before you do. Content under packages/server/src/enterprise and files with an explicit copyright notice, such as IdentityManager.ts, fall under a commercial license, not Apache 2.0. Confirm with counsel which of your planned changes touch those paths, and confirm what the enterprise features you rely on, such as identity management, need before you commit to a fork.
Three paths are open, and each carries a recurring cost. Forking means your engineers or a services partner own patching of the server, UI and the third-party node integrations, including dependency updates. Staying on the archived release means accepting the fixed codebase and building compensating controls at the network and identity layers. Migrating to another builder, such as Dify or Langflow, means rebuilding flows and re-testing integrations, and the effort depends on how many custom nodes you wrote. Ask for a written scope that names who patches, how fast and how you will verify a fix.
How each open-source LLM app builder works and where it is licensed
These four tools overlap on visual LLM building but differ in license terms, maintenance status and the teams they suit. Read each license against how you plan to deploy and share the software, and confirm the latest release before you commit. Flowise stays on the list because many teams already know it, but its archived status changes the decision.
Dify, a full LLM app platform
Dify is a visual platform for workflows, RAG pipelines and agents, with a prompt IDE and LLMOps monitoring. It is released under a modified Apache License 2.0: you can run the source yourself, but operating a multi-tenant environment from the source or removing the logo or copyright in the console requires a commercial license from LangGenius. The pricing page limits the free self-hosted Community edition to a single workspace, so confirm that one workspace fits your plan before you build on it.
Langflow, a Python visual builder
Langflow is a visual builder under the MIT license with Python-customizable components, an interactive playground and flows you can publish as an API or an MCP server. It installs as a Python package, a Docker image or a desktop app. Official packages disable automatic login and require a superuser password set through LANGFLOW_SUPERUSER_PASSWORD. Teams with Python engineers who want deep control over components will get the most from it, and they should plan a move from the default SQLite to PostgreSQL before concurrent use begins.
Flowise, an archived builder
Flowise is a Node.js visual builder for LLM flows and agents, with a React UI and a components package of third-party integrations. Its code is Apache 2.0 outside enterprise paths, which sit under a commercial license. The FlowiseAI core team archived the repository in August 2026 and left the project on August 31, 2026, so no further releases, security fixes or issue triage will come from them. Choose it only if your team will fork and maintain the code, and price that maintenance into the decision.
n8n, an automation-first platform
n8n is a workflow automation platform with visual nodes, and it suits automation-first teams whose LLM work is one step in a larger business process. It is distributed under the Sustainable Use License, which permits use or modification only for internal business or non-commercial purposes. Files with .ee in the name or directory need a valid n8n Enterprise License. Check that your use is internal before you embed n8n in a product or service offered to customers, since that use case falls outside the license.
How the open-source LLM app builders compare on the features that matter
This table compares Dify, Langflow and Flowise on license, latest release, databases, vector storage, observability, identity and deployment surfaces. Cells marked confirm with vendor are open questions to settle before a pilot, and n8n, which suits automation-first teams, is left out of the grid. The main takeaway: Flowise is archived and read-only, so teams that choose it must plan to carry their own security fixes.
| Capability | Dify | Langflow | Flowise |
|---|---|---|---|
| License | Modified Apache 2.0; multi-tenant operation needs written authorization and logo or copyright must stay | MIT | Apache 2.0 for most code; enterprise directory and some files under a commercial license |
| Latest supplied release and date | 1.17.1, September 10, 2026 | 1.12.6, October 13, 2026 | 3.1.4, July 29, 2026 (last release) |
| Metadata database options | PostgreSQL (default), MySQL or OceanBase | SQLite by default; PostgreSQL recommended for production; other options confirm with vendor | SQLite, MySQL, PostgreSQL or MariaDB |
| Default database | PostgreSQL | SQLite | SQLite |
| Vector store default | Weaviate; options include Qdrant, Milvus, pgvector, OpenSearch and Elasticsearch | Confirm with vendor | Confirm with vendor |
| Observability integrations | Built-in LLMOps monitoring; external integrations confirm with vendor | LangSmith, Langfuse and others listed in the README | Confirm with vendor |
| SSO or enterprise identity | OpenID Connect, SAML and OAuth2 in the Enterprise edition, not the Community edition | Confirm with vendor; official packages require a superuser password | Confirm with vendor; identity manager code sits under a commercial license |
| MCP or API deployment | Backend-as-a-service APIs; confirm MCP support with vendor | Flows deploy as an API, JSON export or MCP server | Confirm with vendor; installs via npm or Docker Compose |
| Maintenance status | Active; minor releases arrive roughly monthly | Active; weekly patch releases through September and October 2026 | Archived read-only on August 13, 2026; no core team security fixes or triage |
What the license and paid editions mean for your use
Dify has the most conditions attached to its license of the four options. The Dify Open Source License is a modified Apache License 2.0, so self-hosting for your own internal use is straightforward, but two restrictions apply however you deploy it. Read them before you plan any service that other organizations, business units or customers will consume.
- Multi-tenant operation: Operating a multi-tenant environment from the Dify source, where one tenant is one workspace, requires written authorization from the licensor, LangGenius.
- Logo and copyright: Removing or modifying the logo or copyright information in the Dify console is restricted, so account for this in any white-label or branding plan.
- Community edition: The self-hosted Community edition is free and limited to a single workspace.
- Enterprise edition: The self-hosted Enterprise edition is custom priced and adds SSO, multiple workspaces, advanced security, a commercial license and professional support. Ask Dify for a quote based on your written scope.
- Cloud reference point: The Dify pricing page lists Dify Cloud Professional at 590 US dollars per year and Team at 1,590 US dollars per year. These are hosted plans, not self-hosted licenses.
Ask LangGenius in writing whether your planned workspace count, user model and branding changes fall under the Community terms or require a commercial license.
Langflow has the most permissive license of the four options. It is released under the MIT license, which allows use, modification and redistribution with the copyright and license notice retained. For most teams, the questions move away from the license and toward how the instance is secured and which dependencies you connect to it.
- MIT terms: MIT covers the Langflow code, so internal and customer-facing use is permitted as long as the license notice is kept.
- No paid tier identified: This page does not identify a paid Langflow edition, so there is no edition table to compare. Ask the maintainers in writing whether any commercial agreement or support contract applies to your use.
- Access control at install: Official release packages and Docker images disable automatic login by default and require a superuser password set through
LANGFLOW_SUPERUSER_PASSWORD. Set it before first start. - Database choice: Langflow uses SQLite by default. Its docs say PostgreSQL is better suited to production because of concurrent users, data integrity and scalability, so plan that database early.
- Connected services: The README lists observability integrations with LangSmith and Langfuse. Those services and your model providers carry their own terms, which you must review separately.
Check the license of every component you connect to a Langflow deployment, because MIT covers only the Langflow code itself.
Flowise is licensed under Apache 2.0 for most of its code, but two points need attention before you adopt it. The first is a commercial license that covers specific enterprise code. The second, which matters more for planning, is that the project is archived.
- Apache 2.0 core: Code outside the enterprise paths and files without a separate commercial notice is Apache 2.0, as stated in the repository's LICENSE.md.
- Commercial enterprise paths: Content under
packages/server/src/enterpriseand files with an explicit copyright notice, such as IdentityManager.ts, fall under a commercial license. Confirm what your deployment may run and modify in those files. - Archived repository: The maintainers announced a code freeze on July 29, 2026, archived the repository to read-only on August 13, 2026, and ended core team presence on August 31, 2026.
- No upstream fixes: No further releases, security fixes or issue triage come from the core team, so you would carry patching and vulnerability response yourself.
- Fork or hosted path: The Apache 2.0 code can be forked for internal maintenance, and the README points to Flowise Cloud. The hosted service has its own terms, separate from the self-hosted license.
Before choosing Flowise for anything new, get written confirmation of which files your deployment touches and who will patch them after the archive.
n8n is distributed under the Sustainable Use License, a source-available license that limits the purposes for which you may use it. The question for your team is therefore what you run n8n for, and whether any enterprise features in your build need a separate agreement.
- Internal business use: The license allows use or modification for internal business purposes, which covers most company automation.
- Non-commercial use: Non-commercial use is also permitted under the license.
- Enterprise files: Files with
.eein the name or directory need a valid n8n Enterprise License. Check which directories your version includes before you deploy. - Customer-facing workflows: Running n8n to serve outside parties or sell a service is not covered by the internal purposes named in the license, so confirm that use in writing first.
- Version tracking: The stable release cited is 2.43.7, published on October 16, 2026. Pin versions and review license changes at each upgrade.
Ask n8n in writing whether your intended use, including any workflows that touch customers, counts as internal business use, and which directories your build contains.
How much operating effort each builder adds to your infrastructure
Operating effort starts with ownership of every running part. Whether your team or a partner runs them, the servers, the application database, the vector store, upgrades, security patches and identity integration all need a named owner, and most of that work recurs. Dify's Docker Compose guide asks for at least 2 CPU cores, 4 GB of RAM and Docker Compose 2.24.0 or later. Its stack starts the api, worker, web and plugin daemon services alongside PostgreSQL, Redis, Weaviate, Nginx, a code sandbox and an SSRF proxy. Each container is a component to patch, back up, monitor and restore. Ask the quote to list every container, its image source, its upgrade path and who tests the restore of its data.
The database choice decides how much you must build around the app. Langflow uses SQLite by default, and its docs say PostgreSQL is better suited for production because of concurrent users, data integrity and scalability. A production quote should therefore include a PostgreSQL instance, its backups and the migration path if a pilot already runs on SQLite. Flowise supports SQLite, MySQL, PostgreSQL and MariaDB, with SQLite as the default when no database variables are set. Flowise is also archived. Its maintainers state that no further releases or security fixes come from the core team after August 2026, so patch ownership moves to you or to a fork. Confirm this with the Future of Flowise discussion before you plan around it.
Multiple services, SSO and upgrade cadence drive the effort up. Each added container, database or proxy adds monitoring and restore work. Single sign-on adds an identity integration you must test after each upgrade. Dify lists SSO in its Enterprise edition, which the pricing page describes as custom priced, and its SSO documentation lists OpenID Connect, SAML and OAuth2. Dify minor releases arrive roughly monthly, so the upgrade calendar matters as much as the first install. When you request a quote, ask for a written scope that names components and versions, separates one-time implementation from recurring upgrades, patches and support, states who handles incidents, and describes how a restore is tested before go-live.
How to choose and pilot an open-source LLM app builder
This sequence moves a team from user and data boundaries to a tested shortlist of Dify, Langflow, Flowise or n8n, with a documented license, maintenance, database, identity and exit position before any production commitment.
Define users and data boundaries first
Name who will build flows, who will only use published apps, and which data sources each group may touch, including whether any data leaves your network through model providers. Dify's community edition is limited to a single workspace per the pricing page, so a multi-team rollout needs that answer early. Confirm the boundaries against your data classification policy. The step is done when you have a one-page written scope that lists users, roles, data sources and external model endpoints.
Check license fit for the intended use
Read the license for each candidate against how you will actually use it. Dify's modified Apache License 2.0 forbids operating a multi-tenant environment from its source without written authorization and forbids removing the logo or copyright in the console. Flowise's LICENSE.md places enterprise and copyright-marked files under a commercial license. n8n's Sustainable Use License limits use to internal business or non-commercial purposes. Langflow is MIT. Ask legal to sign off on your specific use, and record the answer alongside the license file version you reviewed.
Confirm maintenance status on the release page
Open each project's GitHub releases page and record the latest stable release, its date and the cadence of recent patches. Dify 1.17.1 (September 10, 2026) and Langflow v1.12.6 (October 13, 2026) show active release lines. Flowise is different: its repository is archived and read-only as of August 13, 2026, and its last release was flowise@3.1.4 on July 29, 2026, so it will get no security fixes from the core team. If Flowise remains a candidate, your team owns any patching or a fork. The step closes when you have a dated maintenance table for every candidate.
Pilot on the database and vector store you would keep
Deploy the candidate with the same PostgreSQL, vector store and file storage you plan to run in production, not the bundled defaults. Dify's Docker Compose guide starts PostgreSQL, Redis and Weaviate, and its environment reference lists Qdrant, Milvus and pgvector as alternative vector stores. Langflow defaults to SQLite and its docs recommend PostgreSQL for production. Flowise also defaults to SQLite when no database variables are set. Measure startup, restore from backup and a document ingestion run. The step is done when a restore test succeeds on the production-like stack.
Test identity integration and access control
Configure the identity provider your staff already use and check how sign-in, role mapping and workspace access behave. Dify's SSO path is in its Enterprise edition, documented with OpenID Connect, SAML and OAuth2 and providers such as Microsoft Entra ID and Okta. Langflow disables automatic login by default and requires a superuser password through LANGFLOW_SUPERUSER_PASSWORD, so confirm how user accounts are created and removed. Ask each vendor or project which features need a paid license. The step is done when a test user is provisioned, granted a role and removed cleanly.
Verify secret handling and key rotation
Check how each platform stores model API keys, OAuth credentials and encryption keys. Dify's documentation states that changing SECRET_KEY after deployment logs out all users and that workspace encryption keys can be stored locally or in Azure Key Vault, so plan key custody before go-live. Record where provider credentials live and who can read them. The step is done when you have a written key custody note and a tested rotation procedure that your operations team can repeat.
Decide migration and fork plans before committing
Write down how you would leave the platform: export of flows as JSON, data migration of the metadata database and vector index, and who maintains a fork if upstream stops. Langflow exports flows as JSON and can be deployed as an API or MCP server, which eases portability. Flowise's source remains under Apache 2.0 and the project encourages community forks, but a fork means your own maintenance effort. Ask the vendor or your implementation partner for a written exit plan. The step closes when the plan names the owner, the export format and the fallback if the project stops shipping.
What buyers ask before hiring help to run an LLM app builder
What drives the cost of running Dify, Langflow or Flowise with outside help?
The cost depends on the number of workspaces and apps in scope, how many model providers and data sources you connect, whether you need SSO and audit-ready configuration, and how much of the platform you must harden and document. Each platform's software license is a separate line from the services work. Dify Community is free to self-host and limited to a single workspace, while Dify Enterprise is custom priced and adds SSO, multiple workspaces, advanced security, a commercial license and professional support, according to the Dify pricing page. Langflow and Flowise are open source under MIT and Apache 2.0 respectively, so the software itself carries no license fee. Ask any provider for a written quote that separates one-time setup, hardening, integration and recurring support or upgrades.
How long does it take to get a working pilot of an LLM app builder?
Duration depends on scope rather than on the platform alone. A pilot usually needs a deployed instance, model provider connections, a few flows or apps tied to real data sources, and a decision on where the database and file storage live. Dify's self-hosting guide requires at least 2 CPU cores and 4 GB of RAM for its Docker Compose deployment, and it starts several services, including PostgreSQL, Redis, Weaviate, Nginx and a code sandbox, so the infrastructure step is not trivial. Timelines should come from the written scope agreed before work starts. Ask for the milestones, what the client must provide, and what counts as acceptance.
What does our team need to provide for an LLM app builder engagement?
Expect to supply the people and access that only your organization has. That usually includes a cloud or data center environment with the Docker or Kubernetes platform you use, identity provider details if SSO is required, model provider accounts and API policies, and named owners for the apps and the data they use. Your security team should review network egress rules, since Dify's SSRF proxy blocks internal and private IP ranges and agent workloads may need outbound access to specific services. Ask the provider which decisions and approvals they need from you before the work starts.
Can our engineers run an LLM app builder themselves after setup?
Yes, for many teams, provided they can operate containers, databases and upgrades. Langflow installs as a Python package, a Docker image or Langflow Desktop, and its docs point to PostgreSQL for production over the default SQLite. Dify's community edition runs wherever Docker runs. The recurring work is usually upgrades, backups, monitoring and security changes. Dify's minor releases arrive roughly monthly, for example 1.16.0 on July 17, 2026 and 1.17.0 on August 25, 2026, so plan for a regular upgrade routine. Ask whether your team has capacity for that cadence or whether a retainer is a better fit.
What happens to a Flowise deployment after the repository was archived?
The FlowiseAI core team stopped producing releases, security fixes and issue triage after its August 2026 archive. The last release, flowise@3.1.4, was published on July 29, 2026. The source code remains on GitHub under Apache 2.0, so you can keep running it, but you own every patch from that point. Teams usually either fork the repository and maintain their own updates or plan a migration to a platform that is still maintained. Before choosing, confirm the security posture of your current version, the Node.js and database dependencies you rely on, and which enterprise-licensed files in the repository your deployment uses.
When is Dify Enterprise or outside support worth discussing?
Discuss Dify Enterprise when you need SSO, multiple workspaces, advanced security or a commercial license, since the Community edition is limited to a single workspace and the Enterprise edition is listed on the Dify pricing page as adding those features plus professional support. The Dify Enterprise SSO documentation lists OpenID Connect, SAML and OAuth2 with providers such as Microsoft Entra ID and Okta. Outside support is worth discussing when you need hardening, integration with your identity and logging stack, documented controls for an assessment, or ongoing upgrades. Any engagement should begin with a written scope, and DeployOpen does not publish prices, so request a quote against that scope.
How DeployOpen scopes and delivers an LLM app builder project
DeployOpen plans, implements, customizes, integrates, hardens, backs up, upgrades, documents and supports self-hosted open-source platforms inside your own cloud accounts, data centers or air-gapped networks. For an LLM app builder, that means starting from which builder, license terms and data boundaries fit your organization before any flows or agents are built.
How we scope
- Engagements are fixed-scope, with scope, deliverables and timelines agreed in writing before work starts.
- The written scope names the builder, the model providers, the metadata database and the vector store your apps will use.
- Scope also records license obligations, such as multi-tenant or branding terms, and who in your organization must approve them.
How we build
- Deployment covers the containers or packages your chosen builder needs, sized to the hardware you confirm in advance.
- Secrets, encryption keys, SSO settings and outbound proxy rules are configured to your environment and documented.
- Custom components, integrations and workflow templates are built against the agreed scope and tested before handover.
How we hand over
- Handover includes architecture notes, configuration records, runbooks for backup and upgrades, and a list of open decisions.
- Security testing of the deployed builder and its APIs can be included in scope, with findings reported in writing.
- Compliance evidence is prepared for your assessors. DeployOpen does not issue audit reports, attestations or certifications.
How we support
- Ongoing support, upgrades and continuous testing are available as retainers once the platform is live.
- Retainers can cover tracking of upstream releases, such as the monthly minor cadence of your builder, and planned upgrades.
- Ask us to confirm response arrangements and upgrade scope in writing before you sign, since these vary by agreement.
