Dify vs Microsoft Agent Framework

Dify and Microsoft Agent Framework are both agent frameworks tracked by AIDiveForge. Below is a side-by-side comparison of pricing, capabilities, platforms, and ownership — sourced from each tool's live website and verified before publishing.

Dify

Open-source LLM app development platform combining AI workflow, RAG pipeline, agent capabilities, model management, observability features and more.

Microsoft Agent Framework

A framework for building, orchestrating and deploying AI agents and multi-agent workflows with support for Python and .NET.

Attribute	Dify	Microsoft Agent Framework
Pricing	Paid	Free
Price	$59/mo	—
Free trial	No	No
Open source	No	No
Has API	Yes	Yes
Self-hosted option	Yes	Yes
Platforms	Docker, Kubernetes, Linux, macOS, Windows	Python and .NET with consistent APIs. Available for both .NET and Python
Languages	English, Mandarin Chinese, and community translations	Python, C# (.NET)
Released	2023	2025-10
Pros	Comprehensive all-in-one platform covering workflows, RAG, agents, and observability Visual drag-and-drop interface accessible to non-technical users Extensive LLM support including proprietary and open-source models Self-hosted option with Docker/Kubernetes deployment Backend-as-a-Service with built-in APIs for all applications	Unifies the enterprise-ready foundations of Semantic Kernel with the innovative orchestration of AutoGen Full framework support for both Python and C#/.NET implementations with consistent APIs and built-in OpenTelemetry integration for distributed tracing, monitoring, and debugging Open standards & interoperability — MCP, A2A, and OpenAPI ensure agents are portable and vendor-neutral Supports integration with any API via OpenAPI, collaboration across runtimes with Agent2Agent (A2A), and dynamic tool connections using MCP Enterprise readiness — built-in observability, approvals, security, and long-running durability
Cons	Restrictive open-source license prohibits developing competing services Multiple workspaces require Enterprise license in self-hosted mode Learning curve for advanced features and custom integrations	Public preview released October 1, 2025, with AutoGen and Semantic Kernel entering maintenance mode Requires understanding of agentic AI concepts and orchestration patterns Dependent on external model providers for LLM capabilities

Bottom line

Dify is paid while Microsoft Agent Framework is free. Choose based on which difference matters most for your workflow.

Comparison data is sourced and verified by the AIDiveForge data pipeline. AIDiveForge is editorially independent.