LangSmith vs Helicone
LangSmith is an end-to-end LLMOps platform; Helicone is a proxy-based observability and gateway tool that’s simple to drop in. The difference is depth of eval tooling versus speed of integration.
At a glance
LangSmith
- Integration
- SDK / framework instrumentation
- Strength
- Evals, datasets, prompt management
- Self-hosting
- Enterprise
Helicone
- Integration
- One-line proxy or async logging
- Strength
- Fast observability, caching, cost tracking
- Self-hosting
- Open-source self-host available
Full comparison
| LangSmith | Helicone | |
|---|---|---|
| Integration | SDK / framework instrumentation | One-line proxy or async logging |
| Strength | Evals, datasets, prompt management | Fast observability, caching, cost tracking |
| Self-hosting | Enterprise | Open-source self-host available |
| Best for | Teams investing in eval workflows | Teams wanting quick cost/latency visibility |
| Framework fit | LangChain-native | Framework-agnostic |
Which should you choose?
Use Helicone for fast, low-effort observability and cost tracking; use LangSmith when you want a full eval and prompt-management workflow. They can coexist — observability now, evals as you mature.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between LangSmith and Helicone?
LangSmith is an end-to-end LLMOps platform; Helicone is a proxy-based observability and gateway tool that’s simple to drop in. The difference is depth of eval tooling versus speed of integration.
Which should I choose, LangSmith or Helicone?
Use Helicone for fast, low-effort observability and cost tracking; use LangSmith when you want a full eval and prompt-management workflow. They can coexist — observability now, evals as you mature.