Semantic Kernel vs Google ADK: license, pricing and features compared (October 2026)
Semantic Kernel and Google ADK are both listed under Agent building. License: Semantic Kernel is MIT; Google ADK is Apache-2.0. GitHub stars on Oct 25, 2026: Semantic Kernel 28,695 (microsoft/semantic-kernel) vs Google ADK 22,006 (google/adk-python). Stars measure attention, not quality. Semantic Kernel is the better fit for: existing .NET and Azure shops already on Semantic Kernel. Google ADK is the better fit for: Python teams building on Gemini or Google Cloud. 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 Semantic Kernel for existing .NET and Azure shops already on Semantic Kernel; pick Google ADK for python teams building on Gemini or Google Cloud. No overall winner: we have not benchmarked them against each other. Updated (America/Chicago).
Evidence: Google ADK 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-1.45.0
Reported
Microsoft's model-agnostic SDK for building AI agents; its README calls Microsoft Agent Framework the enterprise-ready successor.
Google · v2.13.0
Tested (smoke test)
Update with care: a big, useful release for Gemini users, but it includes a telemetry default change.
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
Reported for Semantic KernelTested (smoke test) (Google ADK is ahead on this row) for Google ADKTested = we ran it (smoke test); Reported = we read official sources
Smoke-test result
Partly worked for Semantic KernelPassed (Google ADK is ahead on this row) for Google ADKEach tool's own smoke test on the same CPU-only machine; tasks differ unless the logs say otherwise
Release date
Oct 6, 2026 for Semantic KernelOct 22, 2026 (Google ADK is ahead on this row) for Google ADKNewer date only; says nothing about quality
Pricing we could verify
Verified from official page (Semantic Kernel is ahead on this row) for Semantic KernelNot verified for Google ADKAbout our evidence only, not about the price
Steps in our setup guide
2 for Semantic Kernel3 for Google ADKCounts our guide's steps, not difficulty
Sources we cite
1 for Semantic Kernel2 for Google ADKHow 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 Google ADK 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 | Semantic Kernel | Google ADK |
|---|---|---|
| Hands-on test log (install and a real task) | 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 | Tested: Google ADK (Python) 2.13.0, Oct 25, 2026: passed. Google ADK (Python) 2.13.0 passed our one-tool task on a local 3B model: 3 of 3 trials; cold uv install 1.7 s. Full test log |
How we test and label results: methodology. All test logs: test hub.
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Semantic Kernel vs Google ADK at a glance
Semantic Kernel and Google ADK are both listed under Agent building. Semantic Kernel: Microsoft's model-agnostic SDK for building AI agents; its README calls Microsoft Agent Framework the enterprise-ready successor. Google ADK: Update with care: a big, useful release for Gemini users, but it includes a telemetry default change.
| Feature | Semantic Kernel | Google ADK |
|---|---|---|
| Vendor | Microsoft | |
| Listed under | Agent building | Agent building |
| License | MIT | Apache-2.0 |
| Pricing model | Free and open source | Not captured on the pages we read |
| Free tier | Free to self-host | Not captured on the pages we read |
| Paid plans | None listed for the library | Not captured on the pages we read |
| Platforms | .NET, Python and Java | Not captured on the pages we read |
| Public repository | microsoft/semantic-kernel: 28,695 stars, last push Oct 23, 2026 UTC (GitHub API, Oct 25, 2026) | google/adk-python: 22,006 stars, last push Oct 25, 2026 UTC (GitHub API, Oct 25, 2026) |
| Latest release we saw | python-1.45.0, Oct 6, 2026 | v2.13.0, Oct 22, 2026 |
| Evidence | Reported from vendor pages | Tested (scope on its tool page) |
How Semantic Kernel and Google ADK differ
- License: Semantic Kernel is MIT; Google ADK is Apache-2.0.
- GitHub stars on Oct 25, 2026: Semantic Kernel 28,695 (microsoft/semantic-kernel) vs Google ADK 22,006 (google/adk-python). Stars measure attention, not quality.
- Semantic Kernel is "Free and open source"; the entry for Google ADK has no pricing model we could confirm (pricing not verified).
- Latest release we saw: Google ADK v2.13.0 on Oct 22, 2026; Semantic Kernel python-1.45.0 on Oct 6, 2026 (16 days earlier).
- Semantic Kernel's pricing details were captured; Google ADK's were not published or could not be read, so a price comparison would be one-sided.
Which should you pick?
- 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).
- Pick Google ADK if: Python teams building on Gemini or Google Cloud; developers who need live voice agents. Skip it if: you need identical telemetry across upgrades; defaults changed.
Strengths and limits
| Feature | Semantic Kernel | Google ADK |
|---|---|---|
| Strengths | MIT license; Multi-language | Apache-2.0 license; Broad feature set: eval, live audio, memory services; Detailed release notes with a breaking-change section |
| Limits | 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 | Breaking telemetry default in 2.13.0; Several new services are experimental; We only ran it against a local model through LiteLLM, not Gemini, and did not test the telemetry change |
What we did not verify
- Semantic Kernel: Migration timeline.
- Google ADK: Support for non-Google models.
- Output quality, speed and reliability beyond the smoke tests listed under What we measured: not compared.
FAQ
Is Semantic Kernel or Google ADK open source?
Semantic Kernel: MIT. Google ADK: Apache-2.0. 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 Semantic Kernel or Google ADK have a free plan?
Semantic Kernel: Free: to self-host. Google ADK: we did not capture free-tier details. Checked Oct 25, 2026; prices and limits change, so confirm on each vendor's page.
Which was updated more recently, Semantic Kernel or Google ADK?
Semantic Kernel's newest release we saw is python-1.45.0 (Oct 6, 2026); Google ADK's is v2.13.0 (Oct 22, 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 Semantic Kernel and Google ADK?
License: Semantic Kernel is MIT; Google ADK is Apache-2.0. GitHub stars on Oct 25, 2026: Semantic Kernel 28,695 (microsoft/semantic-kernel) vs Google ADK 22,006 (google/adk-python). Stars measure attention, not quality.
Sources
- Semantic Kernel README (fetched 2026-10-25)
- ADK 2.13.0 release (fetched 2026-10-25)
- 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/semantic-kernel-vs-google-adk.md
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