Langflow
Visual builder for AI agents and RAG flows that you can deploy as APIs or MCP servers.
Quick answer
Langflow is a visual builder for AI agents and RAG flows that you can deploy as APIs or MCP servers, listed under AI app & agent builders. A typical small-business use: prototype a document-Q&A or lead-qualification agent before building it properly. Official hardware: minimum 1 vCPU · 1.5 GB RAM (recommended 2 vCPU · 4 GB RAM). That fits a Hetzner Cloud CPX12 server at about €11.99/month (server only, excl. VAT; €19.99/month for the recommended spec). License: MIT, which allows internal business use.
Last updated · facts verified against official docs on · sources
Activity data comes from GitHub and was last refreshed Oct 22, 2026.
What is Langflow?
Langflow is a Python-based visual editor for composing LLM pipelines, agents and RAG flows from components, then exposing them as an API. It is aimed at teams with some technical skill who want to prototype quickly and still drop down to code.
Where it fits in a 10–200 person business
- Prototype a document-Q&A or lead-qualification agent before building it properly
- Expose an internal AI flow as an API for other systems
- Experiment with different models and retrievers side by side
These use cases are our editorial suggestions, not claims made by the project.
Can a business use Langflow? (license)
| License | MIT |
|---|---|
| Type | Permissive: MIT / Apache-2.0: use, modify and sell with few obligations. |
| Internal business use | Allowed under the license text |
| What to watch | Permissive. Internal and commercial use allowed; keep the copyright notice. |
This is a plain-English summary of the license text, not legal advice. Third-party models you run with it have their own licenses.
What hardware does Langflow need?
| Minimum | 1 vCPU · 1.5 GB RAM |
|---|---|
| Recommended | 2 vCPU · 4 GB RAM |
Kubernetes guidance: the backend needs at least 1 GiB RAM and 0.5 CPU, the frontend 512 MiB and 0.3 CPU. A production runtime example uses 4 GiB and 2 CPU per replica. Figures here are rounded from those.
How much does it cost to host Langflow per month?
| Minimum spec | 1 vCPU · 1.5 GB RAM → CPX12 (1 vCPU, 2 GB, 40 GB disk) €11.99/mo |
|---|---|
| Recommended spec | 2 vCPU · 4 GB RAM → CPX22 (2 vCPU, 4 GB, 80 GB disk) €19.99/mo |
How we got this: we took the cheapest Hetzner Cloud Regular Performance (shared AMD vCPU) plan with at least the RAM and vCPU the project lists, using prices read from www.hetzner.com/cloud/regular-performance on 2026-10-22. "From" monthly price cap shown by Hetzner, excluding VAT. Prices vary by location. Covers the server only; it excludes LLM API usage, backups, extra storage, GPUs and your time. Disk is not matched; add a volume if you need more than the plan includes.
How to deploy Langflow
Method: Docker
docker run -p 7860:7860 \
-e LANGFLOW_AUTO_LOGIN=false \
-e LANGFLOW_SUPERUSER_PASSWORD=<strong-password> \
langflowai/langflow:latestFrom the official instructions: docs.langflow.org/deployment-docker. Always check the source for the current version before you run it.
Known gotchas when self-hosting Langflow
Alternatives in AI app & agent builders
- Dify Visual platform for building LLM apps, RAG chatbots, agents and workflows. Compare Dify vs Langflow
- Flowise Drag-and-drop builder for LLM agents and chatflows (archived August 2026).
- Coze Studio Open-source edition of ByteDance's Coze agent-building platform. Compare Coze Studio vs Langflow
Langflow FAQ
How much RAM does Langflow need?
The official minimum is 1 vCPU · 1.5 GB RAM. The recommended spec is 2 vCPU · 4 GB RAM. Kubernetes guidance: the backend needs at least 1 GiB RAM and 0.5 CPU, the frontend 512 MiB and 0.3 CPU. A production runtime example uses 4 GiB and 2 CPU per replica. Figures here are rounded from those.
How much does it cost to self-host Langflow?
The software is free to download. Based on the official minimum 1 vCPU · 1.5 GB RAM (recommended 2 vCPU · 4 GB RAM): That fits a Hetzner Cloud CPX12 server at about €11.99/month (server only, excl. VAT; €19.99/month for the recommended spec). That covers the server only, not LLM API usage, backups, extra storage or your time.
Is Langflow free for commercial use?
Langflow is licensed under MIT (Permissive). Internal business use is allowed under the license text. Permissive. Internal and commercial use allowed; keep the copyright notice. This is a summary, not legal advice.
What are common problems when self-hosting Langflow?
Official release packages disable automatic login. Set LANGFLOW_SUPERUSER_PASSWORD before the first start, then sign in as "langflow". The production profile blocks new knowledge bases and memory bases that use local Chroma. Plan for an external vector store.
Is Langflow still maintained?
Yes, it is actively developed. Last commit: Oct 21, 2026. Latest release: v1.12.7 (Oct 21, 2026). Checked Oct 22, 2026.
How do I install Langflow?
The official method is Docker. The exact commands are in the "How to deploy" section above and in the official instructions: https://docs.langflow.org/deployment-docker
What are self-hosted alternatives to Langflow?
Other apps in AI app & agent builders: Dify, Flowise, Coze Studio.
Sources
- GitHub repository: github.com/langflow-ai/langflow
- Official documentation, Deploy instructions: docs.langflow.org/deployment-docker
- License text: github.com/langflow-ai/langflow/blob/main/LICENSE
- Hardware requirements, Gotcha 2: docs.langflow.org/deployment-prod-best-practices
- Gotcha 1: github.com/langflow-ai/langflow#readme
- Hetzner Cloud pricing (cost estimate): www.hetzner.com/cloud/regular-performance
- GitHub stars, commits and releases: GitHub REST API, fetched
Facts on this page were checked against the project's own repository and docs on 2026-10-22. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.