# autogen vs MetaGPT
_Agent Frameworks · independent comparison_

> autogen and MetaGPT are both open-source agent frameworks you can self-host for free. Licensing differs: autogen is CC-BY-4.0, MetaGPT is MIT. Neither is universally better — pick by fit.

## Side by side

**autogen**
- Open source · Framework · 61k★ · Python · CC-BY-4.0 · active 5 months ago
- Best for: Research-grade multi-agent conversation patterns backed by Microsoft.
- Avoid if: You need ongoing upstream feature development; the project states it is in maintenance mode and points new users to Microsoft Agent Framework.
- [listing](https://agentsearchengine.app/agents/autogen) · [official](https://microsoft.github.io/autogen/)

**MetaGPT**
- Open source · Framework · 71k★ · Python · MIT · active 8 months ago
- Best for: Experimenting with role-based multi-agent collaboration for software and document generation.
- [listing](https://agentsearchengine.app/agents/metagpt) · [official](https://atoms.dev/)

## Key differences

- Licensing differs: autogen is CC-BY-4.0, MetaGPT is MIT.

## Which to choose

**Choose autogen if:** Research-grade multi-agent conversation patterns backed by Microsoft.

**Choose MetaGPT if:** Experimenting with role-based multi-agent collaboration for software and document generation.

## FAQ

**What's the main difference between autogen and MetaGPT?**
Licensing differs: autogen is CC-BY-4.0, MetaGPT is MIT.

**Is autogen or MetaGPT better?**
Neither is universally better. autogen is the stronger fit for Research-grade multi-agent conversation patterns backed by Microsoft; MetaGPT for Experimenting with role-based multi-agent collaboration for software and document generation. Use the side-by-side specs to decide by your own constraints.

**Is autogen or MetaGPT free?**
autogen is free to run and self-host; MetaGPT is free to run and self-host. Both are free to self-host — you only pay for the infrastructure and any model or API usage.

**Which is more popular, autogen or MetaGPT?**
By GitHub stars — a proxy for open-source adoption — MetaGPT is ahead (71k vs 61k). Stars measure attention, not necessarily the better fit for you.

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Source: [Agent Search Engine](https://agentsearchengine.app) — https://agentsearchengine.app/compare/autogen-vs-metagpt