GraphRAG vs Letta
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted self-hosted ai options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | GraphRAG | Letta |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 99 · Excellent | 96 · Excellent |
| Category | Self-Hosted AI | Self-Hosted AI |
| License | MIT | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | Python | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 4,096 MB | 2,048 MB |
| Deployment | source | docker, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 36,085 | ★ 24,864 |
| First released | 2024 | 2023 |
| Replaces | OpenAI Assistants | OpenAI Assistants |
What are GraphRAG and Letta?
GraphRAG
GraphRAG is a research project from Microsoft that uses LLM-generated knowledge graphs to improve retrieval-augmented generation over private datasets. It can be run locally to index documents and answer complex queries.
- LLM-generated knowledge graphs
- Global and local query modes
- Community summarization
- Works on private data
Letta
Letta, formerly known as MemGPT, is an open-source framework for building LLM agents with persistent memory and advanced reasoning. It provides a server, agent development kit, and visual interface for creating stateful assistants.
- Persistent agent memory
- Self-editing context
- Agent Development Kit
- Visual agent editor
GraphRAG vs Letta: key differences
Both projects are written in Python. Licensing differs — MIT for GraphRAG versus Apache-2.0 for Letta. Letta is the lighter option, starting around 2,048 MB of RAM against 4,096 MB for GraphRAG. Letta lists first-class Docker deployment; GraphRAG does not.
Why pick each one
Choose GraphRAG if…
- Better multi-hop answers
- Microsoft research backing
- Works on private data
Watch out for
- Expensive indexing runs
- Research-oriented tooling
Choose Letta if…
- Persistent agent memory
- Visual agent builder
- Model-agnostic design
Watch out for
- Concept-heavy
- Best with capable models
Frequently asked questions
Is GraphRAG or Letta better?
Neither is universally better. GraphRAG has the larger community, while Letta is simpler to set up (medium difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are GraphRAG and Letta free and open-source?
Yes. GraphRAG is licensed under MIT and Letta under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run GraphRAG and Letta with Docker?
GraphRAG: check the project docs for container support. Letta: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, GraphRAG or Letta?
Letta has the smaller minimum footprint at 2,048 MB of RAM, compared to about 4,096 MB for GraphRAG. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.