# Semantic Kernel vs Google ADK: license, pricing and features compared (October 2026)

Canonical: https://theagenticweekly.com/compare/semantic-kernel-vs-google-adk · Last verified: 2026-10-26 · Published: 2026-10-25 · Author: Agentic Weekly (operated independently from Texas, US) · Evidence: 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.

**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:** 2026-10-26 (America/Chicago).

> 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.

## 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.

Table: Our own tests for Semantic Kernel and Google ADK

| 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](https://theagenticweekly.com/tests/semantic-kernel) | 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](https://theagenticweekly.com/tests/google-adk) |

How we test and label results: [methodology](https://theagenticweekly.com/methodology#testing-rig). All test logs: [test hub](https://theagenticweekly.com/tests).

## 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.

Table: Semantic Kernel and Google ADK side by side (vendor pages and GitHub, 2026-10-25)

|  | Semantic Kernel | Google ADK |
|---|---|---|
| Vendor | Microsoft | Google |
| 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

Table: Strengths and limits as listed on each tool page

|  | 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](https://github.com/microsoft/semantic-kernel) (fetched 2026-10-25)
- [ADK 2.13.0 release](https://github.com/google/adk-python/releases/tag/v2.13.0) (fetched 2026-10-25)
- [README](https://github.com/google/adk-python) (fetched 2026-10-25)

## Related

- [Semantic Kernel facts and sources](https://theagenticweekly.com/tools/semantic-kernel)
- [Google ADK facts and sources](https://theagenticweekly.com/tools/google-adk)
- [Alternatives to Semantic Kernel](https://theagenticweekly.com/alternatives/semantic-kernel)
- [Alternatives to Google ADK](https://theagenticweekly.com/alternatives/google-adk)
- [Agent building: all tools we track](https://theagenticweekly.com/best/agent-building)
- [AutoGen vs Semantic Kernel](https://theagenticweekly.com/compare/autogen-vs-semantic-kernel)
- [Semantic Kernel vs LangChain](https://theagenticweekly.com/compare/semantic-kernel-vs-langchain)
- [Google ADK vs LangGraph](https://theagenticweekly.com/compare/google-adk-vs-langgraph)
- [Google ADK vs OpenAI Agents SDK](https://theagenticweekly.com/compare/google-adk-vs-openai-agents-sdk)
- [Google ADK vs CrewAI](https://theagenticweekly.com/compare/google-adk-vs-crewai)
- [Google ADK vs AutoGen](https://theagenticweekly.com/compare/google-adk-vs-autogen)

## Changelog

- 2026-10-25: First published. Facts read from vendor pages and the GitHub API on 2026-10-25.

## How to cite

Agentic Weekly, "Semantic Kernel vs Google ADK: license, pricing and features compared (October 2026)", last updated 2026-10-26, https://theagenticweekly.com/compare/semantic-kernel-vs-google-adk