Langtrace vs Helicone
Both are observability & tracing tools. Here is how they actually differ on price, billing model and deployment.
Langtrace
An OpenTelemetry-native open-source tracing tool from Scale3 Labs. The cloud is still free because it has never been monetised - which is either a bargain or a runway risk depending on how you read a seed round raised around 2022. The AGPL-3.0 server license is the other thing to check before you commit.
Helicone
An open-source, proxy-based LLM gateway and observability tool - now in maintenance mode after Mintlify acquired it in March 2026. Security and bug fixes only, no roadmap. Not a safe pick for new buyers.
| Langtrace | Helicone | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Observability & Tracing | Observability & Tracing |
| Our rating | 3/5 | 2/5 |
| Starting price | Free (not yet monetised) | $79/mo |
| Billing meter | No usage metering | request |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free self-hosting | Yes, free | No or paid tier only |
| Best for | Teams that want OpenTelemetry-native tracing with strong vector database visibility, are comfortable with AGPL on the server, and can tolerate the possibility of a pricing model appearing later. | Almost nobody new - existing users who need a light open-source logging proxy and understand it's frozen. New buyers should look elsewhere. |
Our verdict on Langtrace
Langtrace is a well-built OpenTelemetry-native tracing tool with unusually good vector database instrumentation, and right now it costs nothing. Two things stop us rating it higher, and neither is about the product quality. The first is the license - the application is AGPL-3.0 while the SDKs are Apache 2.0, and that split matters. Instrumenting your app is safe; modifying the server and offering it as a service brings copyleft obligations most commercial teams will want legal review on. The second is commercial. The vendor states it is not currently charging for the cloud and will announce when it decides to monetise, and public funding data shows a roughly $5.3M seed raised around 2022. A free cloud with no revenue model and a four-year-old seed round is not a stable planning assumption. Use it, and self-host if it becomes load-bearing.
Full Langtrace review →Our verdict on Helicone
Helicone was a clean, open-source, proxy-based observability tool - but Mintlify acquired it in March 2026 and put it in maintenance mode. Security patches, bug fixes and new-model support still ship, but there's no roadmap and Mintlify is actively helping customers migrate off. That makes it a dead end for new adopters, no matter how tidy the product is. We rate it low purely on that basis. If you're already on it, plan your exit. If you're evaluating it fresh, don't.
Full Helicone review →Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main difference between Langtrace and Helicone?
Langtrace: Teams that want OpenTelemetry-native tracing with strong vector database visibility, are comfortable with AGPL on the server, and can tolerate the possibility of a pricing model appearing later. Helicone: Almost nobody new - existing users who need a light open-source logging proxy and understand it's frozen. New buyers should look elsewhere. Both sit in Observability & Tracing, so the decision usually comes down to billing model and deployment rather than raw capability.
Which is cheaper, Langtrace or Helicone?
It depends entirely on your workload shape, because they meter differently - Langtrace bills on no usage metering and Helicone bills on request. Published starting prices are Free (not yet monetised) and $79/mo respectively, but those numbers are not comparable until you apply them to the same traffic. Use our cost calculator to model both against your own request volume and span count.
Can I self-host Langtrace or Helicone?
Langtrace: Yes, free. Helicone: No or paid tier only. Free self-hosting means no licence fee, not no cost - you still own the infrastructure, upgrades and on-call.