# Knowledge Retrieval: RAG Tools Compared
Knowledge Retrieval: RAG Tools Compared
RAG frameworks that ground LLMs on your data with control over sources and latency.
Quick Picks
- LlamaIndex: Best developer-friendly RAG library
- LangChain: Best ecosystem and integrations
- Pinecone + OpenAI: Best hosted vector + LLM combo
Pricing Snapshot
| Tool | Entry | Mid | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| LlamaIndex | OSS | Usage-based for managed services | |
| LangChain | OSS | LangSmith paid for tracing/evals | |
| Pinecone | $0-$0.096/GB/mo | Vector DB; pay per usage |
What to Look For
- Indexing pipelines and chunking control
- Latency, caching, and rerankers
- Security: PII scrubbing, auth, tenancy
- Tracing, evals, and observability
Tool Notes
LlamaIndex
- Great abstractions for indexing and retrieval
- Supports many vector stores
- Good for fast prototyping
LangChain
- Large ecosystem of tools and agents
- LangSmith adds tracing and evals
- Flexible but mind complexity
Pinecone + OpenAI
- Managed vector DB with high availability
- Pairs well with rerankers
- Great for production reliability
Final Recommendation
Pick the option that fits your stack, compliance needs, and budget. Start lean, measure, and scale when you see ROI.
Try the leaders: LlamaIndex | LangChain | Pinecone + OpenAI
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