AutoGen vs Semantic Kernel: license, pricing and features compared (October 2026)
AutoGen and Semantic Kernel are both listed under Agent building. License: AutoGen is MIT (code) and CC-BY-4.0 (docs), per GitHub; Semantic Kernel is MIT. GitHub stars on Oct 25, 2026: AutoGen 61,562 (microsoft/autogen) vs Semantic Kernel 28,695 (microsoft/semantic-kernel). Stars measure attention, not quality. AutoGen is the better fit for: existing AutoGen projects that need reference material. Semantic Kernel is the better fit for: existing .NET and Azure shops already on Semantic Kernel. Facts were read from vendor and GitHub pages on Oct 25, 2026 and are Reported; what we ran ourselves is under What we measured.
Our pick: Pick AutoGen for existing AutoGen projects that need reference material; pick Semantic Kernel for existing .NET and Azure shops already on Semantic Kernel. No overall winner: we have not benchmarked them against each other. Updated (America/Chicago).
Evidence: AutoGen has a Tested entry; Semantic Kernel is Reported (scope on each tool page). The facts in the tables were read from each vendor's own pages and the public GitHub API on 2026-10-25 (America/Chicago) and are Reported. The What we measured section lists what we have actually run, with links to the test logs, and what we have not run yet; anything we could not confirm is marked as not captured.
Microsoft · python-v0.7.5
Tested (smoke test)
Microsoft's open-source multi-agent framework; its README now says the project is in maintenance mode and points to Microsoft Agent Framework.
Microsoft · python-1.45.0
Reported
Microsoft's model-agnostic SDK for building AI agents; its README calls Microsoft Agent Framework the enterprise-ready successor.
Side by side, from what we recorded
Each row compares one recorded fact for both tools. Rows are not weighted and nothing is added up into a score; the note under each row says what the marker means.
Evidence
Tested (smoke test) (AutoGen is ahead on this row) for AutoGenReported for Semantic KernelTested = we ran it (smoke test); Reported = we read official sources
Smoke-test result
Passed (AutoGen is ahead on this row) for AutoGenPartly worked for Semantic KernelEach tool's own smoke test on the same CPU-only machine; tasks differ unless the logs say otherwise
GitHub stars
61,562 (AutoGen is ahead on this row) for AutoGen28,695 for Semantic KernelAttention, not quality. Read Oct 25, 2026 / Oct 25, 2026
Most recent release we saw
Sep 30, 2025 for AutoGenOct 6, 2026 (Semantic Kernel is ahead on this row) for Semantic KernelMore recent = newer release date; says nothing about quality
Pricing we could verify
Verified from official page for AutoGenVerified from official page for Semantic KernelAbout our evidence only, not about the price
Steps in our setup guide
2 for AutoGen2 for Semantic KernelCounts our guide's steps, not difficulty
Sources we cite
2 for AutoGen1 for Semantic KernelHow much we had to read; more is not better
A list of recorded differences, not a quality score or a ranking. We have not benchmarked these tools against each other; the smoke-test row links each tool's own log. How we label evidence.
What we measured
We have run AutoGen ourselves but not the other tool, so no head-to-head result exists yet. Everything else on this page is Reported from vendor and GitHub pages.
| Test | AutoGen | Semantic Kernel |
|---|---|---|
| Hands-on test log (install and a real task) | Tested: AutoGen 0.7.5, Oct 25, 2026: passed. AutoGen 0.7.5 passed our one-tool task on a local 3B model: 3 of 3 trials; cold uv install 1.9 s. Full test log | Tried, not marked Tested (our task did not complete as stated): Semantic Kernel 1.45.0, Oct 25, 2026: partly worked. Semantic Kernel 1.45.0 returned an empty reply with our standard prompt (0 of 3) but worked once the prompt used its plugin-prefixed tool name (3 of 3); a naming trap… Full test log |
How we test and label results: methodology. All test logs: test hub.
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AutoGen vs Semantic Kernel at a glance
AutoGen and Semantic Kernel are both listed under Agent building. Agentic Weekly's AutoGen page names Semantic Kernel as an alternative. AutoGen: Microsoft's open-source multi-agent framework; its README now says the project is in maintenance mode and points to Microsoft Agent Framework. Semantic Kernel: Microsoft's model-agnostic SDK for building AI agents; its README calls Microsoft Agent Framework the enterprise-ready successor.
| Feature | AutoGen | Semantic Kernel |
|---|---|---|
| Vendor | Microsoft | Microsoft |
| Listed under | Agent building | Agent building |
| License | MIT (code) and CC-BY-4.0 (docs), per GitHub | MIT |
| Pricing model | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Free tier | Free to self-host | Free to self-host |
| Paid plans | None listed for the library | None listed for the library |
| Platforms | Python and .NET | .NET, Python and Java |
| Public repository | microsoft/autogen: 61,562 stars, last push Oct 16, 2026 UTC (GitHub API, Oct 25, 2026) | microsoft/semantic-kernel: 28,695 stars, last push Oct 23, 2026 UTC (GitHub API, Oct 25, 2026) |
| Latest release we saw | python-v0.7.5, Sep 30, 2025 | python-1.45.0, Oct 6, 2026 |
| Evidence | Tested (scope on its tool page) | Reported from vendor pages |
How AutoGen and Semantic Kernel differ
- License: AutoGen is MIT (code) and CC-BY-4.0 (docs), per GitHub; Semantic Kernel is MIT.
- GitHub stars on Oct 25, 2026: AutoGen 61,562 (microsoft/autogen) vs Semantic Kernel 28,695 (microsoft/semantic-kernel). Stars measure attention, not quality.
- Latest release we saw: Semantic Kernel python-1.45.0 on Oct 6, 2026; AutoGen python-v0.7.5 on Sep 30, 2025 (371 days earlier).
- Plans and prices differ and are not like-for-like (credits, seats and usage limits vary), so we do not name a cheaper tool. The Paid plans row above quotes each vendor's plan list as read on Oct 25, 2026.
- Platforms as the vendors list them: AutoGen: Python and .NET. Semantic Kernel: .NET, Python and Java.
Both are listed as "Free and open source", so compare the plan tables rather than the model.
Which should you pick?
- Pick AutoGen if: existing AutoGen projects that need reference material; researchers studying multi-agent patterns. Skip it if: you are starting a new production project: Microsoft points to Agent Framework instead.
- Pick Semantic Kernel if: existing .NET and Azure shops already on Semantic Kernel. Skip it if: you are starting new agent work and want Microsoft's recommended path (Agent Framework).
Strengths and limits
| Feature | AutoGen | Semantic Kernel |
|---|---|---|
| Strengths | MIT-licensed code; Large community | MIT license; Multi-language |
| Limits | Maintenance mode per its own README; Last release tag we saw is from Sep 2025; Our test was one small task on a local 3B model; it does not show behaviour with hosted models or larger jobs | Successor product exists; Our own run only partly worked: Semantic Kernel 1.45.0 returned an empty reply with our standard prompt (0 of 3) but worked once the prompt used its plugin-prefixed tool name (3 of 3); a naming trap with small models. See /tests/semantic-kernel |
What we did not verify
- AutoGen: Exact end-of-support dates.
- Semantic Kernel: Migration timeline.
- Output quality, speed and reliability beyond the smoke tests listed under What we measured: not compared.
FAQ
Is AutoGen or Semantic Kernel open source?
AutoGen: MIT (code) and CC-BY-4.0 (docs), per GitHub. Semantic Kernel: MIT. Licenses come from each project's GitHub repository or the vendor's own pages, read Oct 25, 2026; read the license text itself before redistributing or building a competing service.
Does AutoGen or Semantic Kernel have a free plan?
AutoGen: Free: to self-host. Semantic Kernel: Free: to self-host. Checked Oct 25, 2026; prices and limits change, so confirm on each vendor's page.
Which was updated more recently, AutoGen or Semantic Kernel?
AutoGen's newest release we saw is python-v0.7.5 (Sep 30, 2025); Semantic Kernel's is python-1.45.0 (Oct 6, 2026). Read Oct 25, 2026 from the official release page or repository; a newer date is not a quality ranking.
What is the main difference between AutoGen and Semantic Kernel?
License: AutoGen is MIT (code) and CC-BY-4.0 (docs), per GitHub; Semantic Kernel is MIT. GitHub stars on Oct 25, 2026: AutoGen 61,562 (microsoft/autogen) vs Semantic Kernel 28,695 (microsoft/semantic-kernel). Stars measure attention, not quality.
Sources
- AutoGen README (fetched 2026-10-25)
- Semantic Kernel README (fetched 2026-10-25)
Related
Page history
- : First published. Facts read from vendor pages and the GitHub API on 2026-10-25.
Markdown version for agents: /compare/autogen-vs-semantic-kernel.md
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