Arize Phoenix vs Langfuse
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted self-hosted ai options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Arize Phoenix
Open-source AI observability and evaluation platform
VS
Langfuse
Open-source observability and analytics for LLM apps
| Feature | Arize Phoenix | Langfuse |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Self-Hosted AI | Self-Hosted AI |
| License | Elastic-2.0 | MIT |
| Language | Python | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 2,048 MB |
| Deployment | docker, source | docker, kubernetes, helm |
| GitHub stars | ★ 10,939 | ★ 32,717 |
| First released | 2023 | 2023 |
| Replaces | LangSmith, Helicone | LangSmith |
Why pick each one
Choose Arize Phoenix if…
- Released under the Elastic-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Mature project with 10.9k GitHub stars
- Written in Python
Choose Langfuse if…
- Released under the MIT license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Kubernetes-ready with Helm charts available
- Mature project with 32.7k GitHub stars
Frequently asked questions
Is Arize Phoenix or Langfuse better?
Neither is universally better. Langfuse has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Arize Phoenix and Langfuse free and open-source?
Yes. Arize Phoenix is licensed under Elastic-2.0 and Langfuse under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Arize Phoenix and Langfuse with Docker?
Arize Phoenix: yes. Langfuse: yes.