OpenAI Agents SDK vs Pipecat
OpenAI Agents SDK and Pipecat are both agent frameworks for Python. OpenAI Agents SDK is published by OpenAI and Pipecat by Daily. On GitHub, OpenAI Agents SDK has 30,260 stars and Pipecat has 16,779. Both were last active in Oct 2026. The table lines up where they differ (publisher, license, weekly downloads and category) and has the install commands for both. Everything here comes from the listings' public sources and is refreshed daily. OpenAI Agents SDK describes itself as: Python SDK for multi-agent workflows with handoffs, guardrails, sessions and built-in tracing, usable with OpenAI and other LLMs. Pipecat: Open-source Python framework for real-time voice and multimodal agents, built from composable pipelines with handoffs between specialist agents. Licenses: OpenAI Agents SDK MIT, Pipecat BSD-2-Clause.
Updated Oct 26, 2026 · Built from catalog data; how we rank and grade
OpenAI Agents SDK
OpenAI
Python SDK for multi-agent workflows with handoffs, guardrails, sessions and built-in tracing, usable with OpenAI and other LLMs.
Pipecat
Daily
Open-source Python framework for real-time voice and multimodal agents, built from composable pipelines with handoffs between specialist agents.
Who should pick which
- Pick OpenAI Agents SDK if you want MCP support built in.
From listing data only. We don't pick a winner on security beyond the grades; read how grades work.
Side by side
| Fact | OpenAI Agents SDK | Pipecat |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Harness | Harness |
| Publisher | OpenAI | Daily |
| License | MIT | BSD-2-Clause |
| Pricing | Not stated | Not stated |
| Runs | Not stated | Not stated |
| Auth | Not stated | Not stated |
| Hosts supported | Not stated | Not stated |
| Tools | Not listed yet | Not listed yet |
| Security grade | –Security: not graded yet | –Security: not graded yet |
| Freshness grade | AFreshness: A | AFreshness: A |
| GitHub stars | 30,260 | 16,779 |
| Weekly downloads | 4,509,256 | 373,555 |
| Last release | Oct 15, 2026 | Oct 24, 2026 |
| Last activity | Oct 22, 2026 | Oct 24, 2026 |
Facts from each listing's public sources, checked daily. Tool lists arrive with tool scans.
Install
OpenAI Agents SDK
pip install openai-agents
Pipecat
pip install pipecat-ai
Also consider
- 0.752score
PraisonAI
Mervin Praison
Python framework for multi-agent teams and workflows, with a CLI and Docker, MCP and A2A deployment options.
HarnessAFreshness: A★ 9.3K↓ 4.6K/wk - 0.700score
AgentScope
Alibaba Tongyi Lab
Python agent framework from Alibaba that lets the model drive tool use, with team pipelines, MCP, agent skills, A2A, memory and tracing.
HarnessAFreshness: A★ 33.8K↓ 50.9K/wk - 0.607score
Microsoft Agent Framework
Microsoft
Open framework for building and hosting production-grade AI agents and multi-agent workflows in .NET and Python.
HarnessAFreshness: A★ 14.3K↓ 47.6K/wk
Questions
- Is OpenAI Agents SDK or Pipecat more popular?
- OpenAI Agents SDK has more GitHub stars (30,260 against 16,779). Stars measure attention, not quality, so check freshness and docs too.
- Are OpenAI Agents SDK and Pipecat open source?
- Yes: OpenAI Agents SDK is MIT and Pipecat is BSD-2-Clause.
Related
Cite this page
OpenAI Agents SDK vs Pipecat. Agent Mart. https://agentmart.dev/compare/openai-agents-sdk-vs-pipecat (last updated 2026-10-26)