Home/Compare/deepeval vs lighteval

Comparison

deepeval vs lighteval

Verdict

Pick deepeval when license: deepeval is Apache-2.0, lighteval is MIT; pick lighteval when license: lighteval is MIT, deepeval is Apache-2.0.

Markdown twin · deepeval alternatives · lighteval alternatives

GraphCanon updated today

deepeval logo

deepeval

confident-ai/deepeval

17kpushed Jul 10, 2026
vs
lighteval logo

lighteval

huggingface/lighteval

2.5kpushed Jun 29, 2026

Trust & integrity

Signaldeepevallighteval
Maintenance
Very active (0d since push)
As of today · github_public_v1
Active (11d since push)
As of today · github_public_v1
Provenance
Not a fork · Organization account
As of today · github_public_v1
Not a fork · Organization account
As of today · github_public_v1
Security (OSV)
No lockfile
As of today · none
No lockfile
As of today · none

Tagline

deepeval
The LLM Evaluation Framework
lighteval
All-in-one toolkit for evaluating LLMs across multiple backends

Stars

deepeval
17k
lighteval
2.5k

Forks

deepeval
1.6k
lighteval
506

Open issues

deepeval
334
lighteval
347

Language

deepeval
Python
lighteval
Python

Adopt for

deepeval
-
lighteval
Lighteval is designed for evaluating language models across multiple backends. It integrates well with Hugging Face and provides a wide range of extras, making it particularly handy in non-Windows environments.

Persona

deepeval
-
lighteval
-

Runtime

deepeval
-
lighteval
-

License

deepeval
Apache-2.0
lighteval
MIT

Last pushed

deepeval
Jul 10, 2026
lighteval
Jun 29, 2026

Categories

deepeval
LLM Frameworks, Evaluation & Observability
lighteval
Evaluation & Observability

Trust and health

Maintenance

deepeval
Very active (96%)
lighteval
Active (82%)

Days since push

deepeval
0d
lighteval
11d

Open issues (now)

deepeval
334
lighteval
347

Full report

deepeval
Trust report
lighteval
Trust report

Choose deepeval if…

  • License: deepeval is Apache-2.0, lighteval is MIT.
  • Tags unique to deepeval: llm-evaluation-framework, llm-evaluation-metrics, llm evaluation.
  • Also covers LLM Frameworks.

When NOT to use deepeval

  • LLM Frameworks: Avoid a framework for a single prompt-and-retrieve call; the abstraction can cost more than it saves.
  • Evaluation & Observability: Defer heavyweight eval infra only until you have real traffic - never skip it once users depend on answers.

Choose lighteval if…

  • License: lighteval is MIT, deepeval is Apache-2.0.
  • Tags unique to lighteval: evaluation, huggingface.
  • When you need to evaluate the performance of various LLMs on different backend infrastructures, especially if you are working within Mac/Linux environments.

When NOT to use lighteval

  • Avoid Lighteval for evaluations on Windows systems as it is currently untested and not supported there.
  • Should you require a solution that does not integrate with or depend on the Hugging Face ecosystem, Lighteval might not fulfill your needs.

Explore

Sources

Every stat on this page traces to a dated GitHub sync, license file, enrichment field, or trust scan.

GitHub stars on cards: deepeval 17k · lighteval 2.5k (synced Jul 11, 2026).

Common questions

What is the difference between deepeval and lighteval?
deepeval: The LLM Evaluation Framework. lighteval: All-in-one toolkit for evaluating LLMs across multiple backends. See the comparison table for live GitHub stats and shared categories.
When should I choose deepeval over lighteval?
Choose deepeval over lighteval when License: deepeval is Apache-2.0, lighteval is MIT; Tags unique to deepeval: llm-evaluation-framework, llm-evaluation-metrics, llm evaluation; Also covers LLM Frameworks.
When should I choose lighteval over deepeval?
Choose lighteval over deepeval when License: lighteval is MIT, deepeval is Apache-2.0; Tags unique to lighteval: evaluation, huggingface; When you need to evaluate the performance of various LLMs on different backend infrastructures, especially if you are working within Mac/Linux environments.
When should I avoid deepeval?
LLM Frameworks: Avoid a framework for a single prompt-and-retrieve call; the abstraction can cost more than it saves. Evaluation & Observability: Defer heavyweight eval infra only until you have real traffic - never skip it once users depend on answers.
When should I avoid lighteval?
Avoid Lighteval for evaluations on Windows systems as it is currently untested and not supported there. Should you require a solution that does not integrate with or depend on the Hugging Face ecosystem, Lighteval might not fulfill your needs.
Is deepeval or lighteval more popular on GitHub?
deepeval has more GitHub stars (16,767 vs 2,472). Stars measure visibility, not whether either tool fits your constraints.
Are deepeval and lighteval open source?
Yes - both are open-source projects on GitHub (deepeval: Apache-2.0, lighteval: MIT).
Where can I find alternatives to deepeval or lighteval?
GraphCanon lists graph-backed alternatives at deepeval alternatives and lighteval alternatives (deepeval markdown twin, lighteval markdown twin), ranked by typed relationship edges rather than popularity votes.
Is there a machine-readable version of this comparison?
Yes. The markdown twin at this comparison mirrors this page for agents and LLM crawlers, with the same stats table and FAQ answers.
Which is better maintained, deepeval or lighteval?
deepeval: Very active. lighteval: Active. Compare maintenance labels, days since push, and release cadence in the trust section below - stars alone do not measure maintenance.
Where are the full trust reports for deepeval and lighteval?
GraphCanon publishes per-repo trust reports with dated maintenance, provenance, and scan summaries: deepeval trust report; lighteval trust report.