# OpenAI Agents SDK [08 agent-communication](https://www.agentlist.io/categories/agent-communication)/[OpenAI](https://www.agentlist.io/ai/openai)/ACTIVE/aka Agents SDK, OpenAI Swarm The OpenAI Agents SDK is OpenAI's lightweight framework for agentic apps — its handoffs primitive is a first-class agent-to-agent mechanism: one agent transfers the live conversation to a specialist. - [Multi-agent orchestration](https://www.agentlist.io/capabilities/multi-agent) - [Tool calling](https://www.agentlist.io/capabilities/tool-calling) - [API-native](https://www.agentlist.io/capabilities/api-native) - [Human handoff](https://www.agentlist.io/capabilities/human-handoff) SEC.01 ## What it does - 01Handoffs between agents - 02Guardrails and tracing - 03Sessions and memory - 04MCP support - 05Python and JS SEC.02 ## Who it's for Teams on OpenAI models who want minimal scaffolding for supervisor→specialist delegation without a heavyweight framework. PRICING ## Pricing Free (OSS SDK); model usage metered. List prices as checked against the vendor's pricing page on 2026-09-25; plans change often, so confirm before deciding. caveat · before you adopt OpenAI-first (other providers via community adapters); handoffs transfer a single conversation rather than providing a general messaging fabric. ALT ## Other agent communication platforms (12) [OpenScout / Scout OpenScout · agent-communication cli/api · local · Free (OSS), local](https://www.agentlist.io/systems/scout) [A2A Protocol A2A Project · agent-communication api · local/cloud · Open protocol (free)](https://www.agentlist.io/systems/a2a) [AGNTCY AGNTCY · agent-communication api · local/cloud · Free (OSS, Apache-2.0)](https://www.agentlist.io/systems/agntcy) [Agent Network Protocol Community / OSS · agent-communication api · local/cloud · Open protocol (free)](https://www.agentlist.io/systems/anp) [NANDA NANDA (MIT Media Lab) · agent-communication api · local/cloud · Free (research project)](https://www.agentlist.io/systems/nanda) [BeeAI IBM · agent-communication api/cli · local/cloud · Free (OSS, Apache-2.0)](https://www.agentlist.io/systems/beeai) [CrewAI CrewAI · agent-communication api/cli · local/cloud · Free OSS core; CrewAI Enterprise paid (verify)](https://www.agentlist.io/systems/crewai) [Microsoft Agent Framework Microsoft · agent-communication api · local/cloud · Free OSS (MIT); Azure hosting via Foundry](https://www.agentlist.io/systems/agent-framework) [LangGraph LangChain · agent-communication api · local/cloud · Free OSS; LangGraph Platform paid tiers](https://www.agentlist.io/systems/langgraph) [MetaGPT DeepWisdom · agent-communication api/cli · local/cloud · Free OSS; MGX hosted product paid (verify)](https://www.agentlist.io/systems/metagpt) [CAMEL CAMEL-AI · agent-communication api · local/cloud · Free (OSS, Apache-2.0)](https://www.agentlist.io/systems/camel) [Agency Swarm VRSEN · agent-communication api · local/cloud · Free (OSS)](https://www.agentlist.io/systems/agency-swarm) VENDOR ## More from OpenAI [Codex CLI OpenAI · cli-agent cli/editor/api · local/cloud · Included in ChatGPT Free/Go/Plus/Pro/Business/Enterprise; credits for extra usage](https://www.agentlist.io/systems/codex-cli) [ChatGPT Agent OpenAI · computer-use chat/browser · cloud · Included in ChatGPT Plus/Pro/Business; task quotas by tier](https://www.agentlist.io/systems/chatgpt-agent) [ChatGPT Deep Research OpenAI · research-agent chat/api · cloud · Included in ChatGPT tiers (query limits vary); API via deep-research models](https://www.agentlist.io/systems/deep-research) FAQ ## Frequently asked ### What is OpenAI Agents SDK? The OpenAI Agents SDK is OpenAI's lightweight framework for agentic apps — its handoffs primitive is a first-class agent-to-agent mechanism: one agent transfers the live conversation to a specialist. ### Who is OpenAI Agents SDK for? Teams on OpenAI models who want minimal scaffolding for supervisor→specialist delegation without a heavyweight framework. ### How much does OpenAI Agents SDK cost? Free (OSS SDK); model usage metered. List prices as checked against the vendor's pricing page on 2026-09-25; plans change often, so confirm before deciding. ### Does OpenAI Agents SDK run locally or in the cloud? OpenAI Agents SDK runs locally on your machine and in the vendor's cloud. Its interfaces are an API or protocol. ### What are alternatives to OpenAI Agents SDK? Other agent communication platform entries in the catalog: OpenScout / Scout, A2A Protocol, AGNTCY, Agent Network Protocol, NANDA, BeeAI, CrewAI, Microsoft Agent Framework, LangGraph, MetaGPT, CAMEL, Agency Swarm. Different categories solve the same problem differently — see the Agent communication & collaboration category page for tradeoffs. ### What should I know before adopting OpenAI Agents SDK? OpenAI-first (other providers via community adapters); handoffs transfer a single conversation rather than providing a general messaging fabric. Spec sheet **Name**: OpenAI Agents SDK **Vendor**: [OpenAI](https://www.agentlist.io/ai/openai) **Category**: [Agent communication & collaboration](https://www.agentlist.io/categories/agent-communication) **Interfaces**: api **Hosting**: local · cloud **Pricing**: Free (OSS SDK); model usage metered **Status**: actively maintained **Integrates**: - [MCP servers](https://www.agentlist.io/integrations/mcp-servers) **Speaks**: - [MCP (Model Context Protocol)](https://www.agentlist.io/transports/mcp) **Aliases**: Agents SDK, OpenAI Swarm **Record ID**: `sys://openai/openai-agents-sdk` **Verified**: [2026-09-25](https://www.agentlist.io/changelog) Sources - [↗ openai.com](https://openai.com/) - [↗ github.com/openai/openai-agents-python](https://github.com/openai/openai-agents-python) - [↗ openai.github.io/openai-agents-python/](https://openai.github.io/openai-agents-python/) Catalog entries are editorial records, not paid placements or endorsements. Pricing and status are approximate as of the seed date. --- Source: [OpenAI Agents SDK — AGENT-COMMS by OpenAI | agentlist.io](https://www.agentlist.io/systems/openai-agents-sdk). This is the public page rendered as Markdown; interactive controls require the website.