Haystack
Berlin, Germany
What it is
Haystack is an open-source AI orchestration framework for building agents, multimodal applications, advanced retrieval-augmented generation systems, and scalable search. Developers assemble applications as modular pipelines using components such as retrievers, routers, memory layers, tools, evaluators, and generators. Pipelines can run on users’ own infrastructure and be served as REST APIs or MCP servers with Hayhooks. The integrations directory includes options such as OpenAI, Anthropic, Amazon Bedrock, Elasticsearch, Pinecone, and Datadog. The separate Haystack Enterprise Platform adds a visual pipeline builder, debugging, templates, indexing, a playground, prompt exploration, deployment, and monitoring tools. It can run on managed cloud or self-hosted infrastructure and exposes a REST API. Listed Enterprise Platform security and compliance provisions include SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, GDPR, HIPAA, CSA Star Level 1, RBAC, audit logs, traces, guardrails, and SSO. A free Enterprise Platform trial is available by form request and includes cloud infrastructure for building and testing prototypes. The open-source framework plan is free; no Enterprise Platform price is listed.
For and against
For
- Open-source framework plan is free.
- Pipelines can be served as REST APIs or MCP servers.
- Integrations include model providers and vector databases.
- Enterprise trial includes cloud infrastructure for prototypes.
Against
- The Enterprise trial requires a form request.
The verdict
Haystack combines a modular open-source framework with a separate Enterprise Platform. The framework has a listed free plan, while the Enterprise Platform price is not provided.
Who it suits
Haystack is aimed at AI developers and engineers building modular, transparent systems. Its framework and Enterprise Platform may suit teams seeking to run pipelines on their own infrastructure or managed cloud.
Plans and prices
Haystack Open Source Framework
Open-source Python framework; no paid plan price stated on the pages reviewed
Read 7 Oct 2026 · haystack.deepset.ai
Haystack Enterprise Platform
Platform pricing not stated on the pages reviewed
Read 7 Oct 2026 · deepset.ai
On the record
- Company
- Haystack is built by deepset, whose about page says it developed Haystack in 2020 and lists its Berlin headquarters.deepset.ai · read 7 Oct 2026
- Deployment
- Pipelines can be served as REST APIs or MCP servers with Hayhooks and run on your own infrastructure.haystack.deepset.ai · read 7 Oct 2026
- Deployment options
- The Enterprise Platform can be deployed to managed cloud or self-hosted infrastructure and exposes a REST API.deepset.ai · read 7 Oct 2026
- Enterprise platform
- The Haystack Enterprise Platform includes a visual pipeline builder, debugging, templates, data indexing, a playground, prompt exploration, deployment, and monitoring tools.deepset.ai · read 7 Oct 2026
- Examples of integrations
- Listed integrations include OpenAI, Anthropic, Amazon Bedrock, Elasticsearch, Pinecone, and Datadog.haystack.deepset.ai · read 7 Oct 2026
- Free trial
- The maker offers a free trial of the Haystack Enterprise Platform, accessed by filling out a form; the page does not state a trial duration.deepset.ai · read 7 Oct 2026
- Installation
- The maker's quick-start page installs Haystack with pip using the package name haystack-ai.haystack.deepset.ai · read 7 Oct 2026
- Integrations
- The integrations directory lists 189 integrations, including model providers, vector databases, monitoring tools, and community-built components.haystack.deepset.ai · read 7 Oct 2026
- Intended users
- Haystack is built for AI developers and engineers creating accurate, modular, transparent AI systems for real-world enterprise environments.haystack.deepset.ai · read 7 Oct 2026
- Modular pipelines
- Haystack structures applications as modular pipelines with components such as retrievers, routers, memory layers, tools, evaluators, and generators.haystack.deepset.ai · read 7 Oct 2026
- Platform security
- The Enterprise Platform page lists SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, GDPR, HIPAA, and CSA Star Level 1, along with RBAC, audit logs, SSO, and cloud or self-hosted deployment.deepset.ai · read 7 Oct 2026
- Security and compliance
- The Enterprise Platform page lists SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, GDPR, HIPAA, and CSA Star Level 1, along with RBAC, audit logs, traces, guardrails, and SSO.deepset.ai · read 7 Oct 2026
- Support
- deepset offers private, secure engineering support, deployment guides, and flexible services for Haystack framework customers.haystack.deepset.ai · read 7 Oct 2026
- Trial
- A free Enterprise Platform trial is offered by form request and includes built-in cloud infrastructure for building and testing prototypes.deepset.ai · read 7 Oct 2026
- Use cases
- Haystack supports agent workflows, advanced RAG, multimodal applications, and scalable search systems.haystack.deepset.ai · read 7 Oct 2026
- What it does
- Haystack is an open-source AI orchestration framework for building production-ready AI agents, multimodal applications, and advanced RAG systems.haystack.deepset.ai · read 7 Oct 2026
- Who it is for
- Haystack is built for AI developers and engineers creating accurate, modular, and transparent AI systems.haystack.deepset.ai · read 7 Oct 2026
