Botpress vs Prompt flow
Which should you use? A side-by-side look at what each one does, who it suits, what it costs, how hard it is to set up, and where each falls short.
Open source · MIT
Open-source tools to build and deploy chatbots and LLM agents, centred on Botpress Cloud.
Open source · MIT
Open-source toolkit for building, testing, evaluating and deploying LLM apps, from prototype to production.
The short answer
Choose Botpress if you need…
- Developers who want to write integrations and bots as TypeScript code using the Botpress CLI and SDK
- Teams already using Botpress Cloud who want to publish or deploy their own integrations
- Developers who want to read example bots built only with the SDK and CLI
Choose Prompt flow if you need…
- Teams with existing Prompt flow applications that need to keep running until migration
- Developers who want to trace and evaluate LLM app behavior on datasets
- Engineers who want to run flow tests in CI/CD pipelines
- Developers who prefer a VS Code extension for visual flow editing
Side-by-side
| Botpress | Prompt flow | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Dev tool | Dev tool |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 15k | 11.3k |
| Setup difficulty | Intermediate | Intermediate |
| How you get it | Install with a package manager | Install with a package manager |
| Main language | TypeScript | Python |
| Last code update | 7 days ago | 6 days ago |
What each one is
Botpress
This repository holds the open-source parts of Botpress Cloud: integrations, developer tools (a CLI, an SDK and an API client), and some example bots written as code. Botpress is described as a platform for building chatbots and assistants powered by OpenAI. The README says the visual Botpress Studio is the recommended way to build bots, and the code-based approach is mainly for experienced developers.
Prompt flow
Prompt flow is a set of development tools for building applications that use large language models (LLMs). You connect LLMs, prompts and Python code into a flow, then debug it, run it against larger datasets to evaluate quality, and deploy it. The README notes that Prompt flow is being retired by Microsoft on April 20, 2027, and is no longer recommended for new development.
Best for
Botpress
- Developers who want to write integrations and bots as TypeScript code using the Botpress CLI and SDK
- Teams already using Botpress Cloud who want to publish or deploy their own integrations
- Developers who want to read example bots built only with the SDK and CLI
Prompt flow
- Teams with existing Prompt flow applications that need to keep running until migration
- Developers who want to trace and evaluate LLM app behavior on datasets
- Engineers who want to run flow tests in CI/CD pipelines
- Developers who prefer a VS Code extension for visual flow editing
Strengths
Botpress
- Released under the MIT license, so the code can be reused and modified freely
- Uses TypeScript and a typed SDK and API client, which helps catch errors early
- Includes a CLI for the full integration workflow: create, deploy and publish
Prompt flow
- Covers the full cycle from prototyping through testing, evaluation and deployment in one toolkit
- Includes a VS Code extension and a command-line interface for flow development
- Released under the MIT license with an active public repository
Not ideal for
Botpress
- Non-programmers who want a no-code chatbot builder: the README says the Studio is recommended over building bots as code
- People looking for the on-premise Botpress v12 product: the README sends those users to a separate v12 repository
- Anyone needing a self-contained local chatbot: the README focuses on Botpress Cloud workflows and does not describe a standalone self-hosted setup
Prompt flow
- Anyone starting a new project: the README says Prompt flow is no longer recommended for new development and suggests Microsoft Agent Framework instead
- Teams relying on Prompt flow runtime container images, which no longer receive security or package updates
- Non-developers, since setup uses the command line and a Python environment
Trade-offs
Botpress
- The README marks plugins as coming soon, so that part is not yet available
- Code-first bot building is described by the authors as not the recommended route for most users
- Setup and terminology depend on the Botpress Cloud service, so the project is tied to that platform
Prompt flow
- The README states retirement on April 20, 2027, and no new-development recommendation, so long-term support is limited
- Container images are no longer updated, which is a security concern for deployed workloads
- Setup and tutorials assume familiarity with Python and LLM API keys
Getting started
Botpress
Install the Botpress CLI (npm)
npm install -g @botpress/cliCreate a new integration
bp initPrompt flow
Install the packages
pip install promptflow promptflow-toolsFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between Botpress and Prompt flow?
Botpress: Open-source tools to build and deploy chatbots and LLM agents, centred on Botpress Cloud. Prompt flow: Open-source toolkit for building, testing, evaluating and deploying LLM apps, from prototype to production. Botpress suits developers who want to write integrations and bots as typescript code using the botpress cli and sdk, while Prompt flow suits teams with existing prompt flow applications that need to keep running until migration.
Are Botpress and Prompt flow free?
Botpress: Free and open source. Prompt flow: Free and open source.
Is Botpress or Prompt flow more popular?
Botpress has more GitHub stars (15k) than Prompt flow (11.3k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
What are other alternatives to Botpress and Prompt flow?
Other options people compare them with include LangChain, Composio, Portkey AI Gateway, claude-context, Desktop Commander.
Keep comparing
Built from our catalogue entries for both products: open-source details come from each project's README (AI-assisted, refreshed weekly) and GitHub data; AI-tool details are editorial. Spotted something wrong? Let us know from either product's page.