Microsoft's open-source multi-agent framework — orchestrate conversations between specialised agents.
CrewAI vs Gleanwhich AI ops agent should you pick in 2026?
Open-source framework for orchestrating role-playing autonomous AI agents in collaborative crews.
CrewAI vs Glean — specs
| Spec | CrewAI | Glean |
|---|---|---|
| Agent Rank | 70 / 100 (B) | 82 / 100 (A) |
| Autonomy | Autonomous | Assistant |
| Pricing | Free · OSS | Subscription · Free tier |
| Open source | Yes | No |
| Capabilities | Multi-agent, Tool use, Memory | RAG, Memory, Tool use |
| Integrations | 4 apps | 6 apps |
| Verified | Verified | Verified |
| Released | Jan 2024 | Feb 2025 |
Agent Rank breakdown
- Autonomy fit
- 9
- Capabilities
- 6
- Integrations
- 2
- Pricing value
- 10
- Polish & maturity
- 8
- Verifiability
- 7
Auto-computed from autonomy, capabilities, integrations, pricing, maturity and editorial verification. Updated every deploy. How is this computed?
- Autonomy fit
- 7
- Capabilities
- 6
- Integrations
- 10
- Pricing value
- 9
- Polish & maturity
- 7
- Verifiability
- 10
Auto-computed from autonomy, capabilities, integrations, pricing, maturity and editorial verification. Updated every deploy. How is this computed?
Pros & cons
- +Single best enterprise knowledge agent in 2026 — instant grounding in your company data
- +Custom Agents (Glean Agents) let teams build internal workflows without code
- +Strong permission-aware retrieval — agents see only what users are allowed to
- −Enterprise-only — typically $50K+ ACV minimum
- −Initial connector setup takes weeks for full coverage
- −Pricier than ChatGPT Enterprise on a per-seat basis
Pricing
- +Unified search across 100+ apps
- +Work assistant + custom agents
- +SSO + enterprise data isolation
Which one should you pick?
Pick CrewAI if cost is the main constraint or if you want the highest autonomy and the verification loop is in place.
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Frequently asked
Should I pick CrewAI or Glean in 2026?+
Pick CrewAI if cost is the main constraint or if you want the highest autonomy and the verification loop is in place. Pick Glean if its specific capabilities (RAG, Memory) match what you need. Most working teams running both can use CrewAI for primary work and Glean for the workflows where its specific strengths matter.
What's the price difference between CrewAI and Glean?+
CrewAI starts at Free · OSS; Glean starts at Subscription · Free tier. CrewAI is the cheaper entry option. For team deployments the TCO can differ — use the AI Agent Rank TCO calculator for your specific volume.
Which is more autonomous, CrewAI or Glean?+
CrewAI is the more autonomous of the two (Autonomous vs Assistant). Higher autonomy ships throughput faster but requires verification loops in place — see our autonomous-vs-copilot framing for when each tier wins.
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Demo · hover to play