
Google ADK vs Letta: Which is Better in 2026?
Choosing between Google ADK and Letta? Both are popular agent framework tools. Below we compare them on pricing, free tiers, features, and pros & cons so you can pick the right fit for your stack.
Google ADK is for: Teams on Google Cloud, or working in Java, Go or Kotlin as well as Python, that want multi-agent systems with A2A support.
Letta is for: Teams building agents that must remember users and context across sessions and restarts, with memory as the core design.
Quick verdict
There’s no single winner; pick on your constraint. Choose Google ADK if you work in Java or Go, or need the same framework across several languages. Choose Letta if your agent must remember users and past sessions over weeks or months.
Google ADK vs Letta — Side by Side
| Google ADK | Letta | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Agent Framework | Agent Framework |
| What it is | Code library: multi-agent development kit | Agent server and SDKs: agents with persistent memory |
| Languages | Python, Java, Go, TypeScript, Kotlin | Python and TypeScript SDKs |
| Licence | Apache 2.0 | Apache 2.0 |
| Managed / paid option | Vertex AI Agent Engine (Google Cloud, usage-based) | Letta API: free tier, Pro $20/month plus usage |
| Project status | Active; 1.x, 2.0 in progress | Active |
| Pricing | Free · then usage-based | Free · paid from $20/mo |
| Starting price | Free tier available | Free tier available |
| Free tier | ||
| Rating | 4.4 | 4.0 |
| Best for | Agent Framework — Google Cloud, multi-language, A2A | Agent Framework — long-term memory, stateful agents, self-host or hosted |
Pros & Cons
- Deep GCP / Vertex AI integration
- Strong multi-agent support
- Model-agnostic via LiteLLM
- Backed by Google
- Best value tied to Google Cloud
- Younger ecosystem than LangChain
- Memory is the design centre, not an add-on
- Agents survive restarts with state intact
- Comes from the MemGPT paper
- Younger project with a moving API
- Memory model is opinionated
Key Features Compared
Google ADK
- SDKs for Python, Java, Go and TypeScript, with Kotlin added later
- Multi-agent systems and Agent2Agent (A2A) protocol support
- Optimized for Gemini; other models through LiteLLM
- Deploy to Vertex AI Agent Engine, Cloud Run or GKE
- Apache 2.0 licence
Letta
- Persistent, self-editing agent memory (from the MemGPT research)
- Agents keep their state across restarts
- Self-hosted server, or the hosted Letta API
- Hosted plans: free tier and Pro at $20 a month with pay-as-you-go usage
- Letta Code, an open-source coding agent with memory across sessions
- Apache 2.0 licence
Choose Google ADK if…
- You work in Java or Go, or need the same framework across several languages.
- You’re on Google Cloud and want a managed runtime in Vertex AI Agent Engine.
- You need agents that talk to other agents over A2A.
Choose Letta if…
- Your agent must remember users and past sessions over weeks or months.
- You want agents that keep state when the process restarts.
- You want the choice of self-hosting or a hosted API.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Google ADK better than Letta?⌄
There’s no single winner; pick on your constraint. Choose Google ADK if you work in Java or Go, or need the same framework across several languages. Choose Letta if your agent must remember users and past sessions over weeks or months.
What is the difference between Google ADK and Letta?⌄
What it is — Google ADK: Code library: multi-agent development kit. Letta: Agent server and SDKs: agents with persistent memory. Languages — Google ADK: Python, Java, Go, TypeScript, Kotlin. Letta: Python and TypeScript SDKs. Managed / paid option — Google ADK: Vertex AI Agent Engine (Google Cloud, usage-based). Letta: Letta API: free tier, Pro $20/month plus usage. Project status — Google ADK: Active; 1.x, 2.0 in progress. Letta: Active.
Google ADK vs Letta: which is cheaper?⌄
Google ADK pricing: Free · then usage-based. Letta pricing: Free · paid from $20/mo. Confirm current pricing on each tool's official site, as plans change.
Which is rated higher, Google ADK or Letta?⌄
In our catalog, Google ADK rates 4.4 out of 5 and Letta rates 4.0 out of 5, so Google ADK has a slight edge on reviews.
When should I skip both Google ADK and Letta?⌄
Skip Google ADK if you don’t use Google Cloud and want a managed runtime. LangSmith Deployment, CrewAI AMP or Mastra Cloud are options. Skip Letta if you only need short-lived task agents. A lighter SDK is simpler.
Sources · tool facts checked October 2026
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