# deer-flow vs ragflow
_Autonomous Agents · independent comparison_

> deer-flow and ragflow are both open-source autonomous agents you can self-host for free. deer-flow is written primarily in Python; ragflow in Go. Neither is universally better — pick by fit.

## Side by side

**deer-flow**
- Open source · Agent · 79k★ · Python · MIT · active today
- Best for: Orchestrating sub-agents, memory, and sandboxes through one extensible skill system.
- Avoid if: You built on DeerFlow 1.x — version 2 is a ground-up rewrite that shares no code.
- [listing](https://agentsearchengine.app/agents/deer-flow) · [official](https://deerflow.tech)

**ragflow**
- Open source · Platform · 87k★ · Go · Apache-2.0 · active today
- Best for: Production RAG over complex documents with agent capabilities, self-hosted.
- Avoid if: You need a lightweight embedded library rather than a full platform.
- [listing](https://agentsearchengine.app/agents/ragflow) · [official](https://ragflow.io)

## Key differences

- deer-flow is written primarily in Python; ragflow in Go.
- Licensing differs: deer-flow is MIT, ragflow is Apache-2.0.

## Which to choose

**Choose deer-flow if:** Orchestrating sub-agents, memory, and sandboxes through one extensible skill system.

**Choose ragflow if:** Production RAG over complex documents with agent capabilities, self-hosted.

## FAQ

**What's the main difference between deer-flow and ragflow?**
deer-flow is written primarily in Python; ragflow in Go.

**Is deer-flow or ragflow better?**
Neither is universally better. deer-flow is the stronger fit for Orchestrating sub-agents, memory, and sandboxes through one extensible skill system; ragflow for Production RAG over complex documents with agent capabilities, self-hosted. Use the side-by-side specs to decide by your own constraints.

**Is deer-flow or ragflow free?**
deer-flow is free to run and self-host; ragflow 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, deer-flow or ragflow?**
By GitHub stars — a proxy for open-source adoption — ragflow is ahead (87k vs 79k). 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/deer-flow-vs-ragflow