--- title: "prompttools vs promptmage" type: "comparison" canonical_url: "https://www.graphcanon.com/compare/hegelai-prompttools-vs-tsterbak-promptmage" tools: ["hegelai-prompttools", "tsterbak-promptmage"] --- # prompttools vs promptmage *GraphCanon updated Aug 7, 2026* ## Verdict Pick prompttools if prompttools aims to support developers in the testing and experimentation of prompts for language models as well as integrating vector databases through Python utilities; pick promptmage if promptmage is an open-source Python tool simplifying LLM workflow creation and management. [prompttools](http://prompttools.readthedocs.io) reports 3.0k GitHub stars, 255 forks, and 41 open issues, last pushed Feb 11, 2026. [promptmage](https://promptmage.io) has 115 stars, 9 forks, and 8 open issues, last pushed Oct 21, 2024. Figures are from public GitHub metadata via [prompttools's repository](https://github.com/hegelai/prompttools) and [promptmage's repository](https://github.com/tsterbak/promptmage). | | [prompttools](/tools/hegelai-prompttools.md) | [promptmage](/tools/tsterbak-promptmage.md) | | --- | --- | --- | | Tagline | Open-source tools for prompt testing and experimentation | Simplifies LLM workflow creation and management | | Stars | 3,046 | 115 | | Forks | 255 | 9 | | Open issues | 41 | 8 | | Language | Python | Python | | Adopt for | Prompttools aims to support developers in the testing and experimentation of prompts for language models as well as integrating vector databases through Python utilities. | Promptmage is an open-source Python tool simplifying LLM workflow creation and management. | | Persona | - | - | | Runtime | - | - | | License | Apache-2.0 | MIT License, providing flexibility to use, modify, and distribute Promptmage code freely as long as original licensing terms are preserved and acknowledged. | | Categories | Developer Tools, LLM Frameworks, Vector Databases | Developer Tools, LLM Frameworks | ## Trust and health _Sourced signals - not a safety guarantee. No winner column._ | | [prompttools](/tools/hegelai-prompttools.md) | [promptmage](/tools/tsterbak-promptmage.md) | | --- | --- | --- | | Maintenance | Slowing (36%) | Dormant (18%) | | Days since push | 177d | 649d | | Open issues (now) | 41 | 8 | | Owner type | Organization | User | | Full report | [trust report](/tools/hegelai-prompttools/trust.md) | [trust report](/tools/tsterbak-promptmage/trust.md) | ## Decision facts: prompttools - **Hosting:** self hosted - **Pricing:** freemium - PromptsTools is open-source under the Apache-2.0 license, making it free to use but with no official support available. - **Adopt for:** Prompttools aims to support developers in the testing and experimentation of prompts for language models as well as integrating vector databases through Python utilities. ## Decision facts: promptmage - **Requirements:** Requires Docker - **Adopt for:** Promptmage is an open-source Python tool simplifying LLM workflow creation and management. - **License detail:** MIT License, providing flexibility to use, modify, and distribute Promptmage code freely as long as original licensing terms are preserved and acknowledged. ## Choose when ### Choose prompttools if… - License: prompttools is Apache-2.0, promptmage is MIT. - Pricing: PromptsTools is open-source under the Apache-2.0 license, making it free to use but with no official support available.. - Tags unique to prompttools: deep-learning, embeddings, large language models, llms. - Also covers Vector Databases. - Prompttools aims to support developers in the testing and experimentation of prompts for language models as well as integrating vector databases through Python utilities. ### Choose promptmage if… - License: promptmage is MIT, prompttools is Apache-2.0. - Requirements: Requires Docker. - Tags unique to promptmage: ai, llm, nlp-library, nlp-machine-learning. - When you require a streamlined process for crafting and overseeing large language model workflows specifically with Python. ## When NOT to use prompttools - Last GitHub push was 196 days ago (slowing maintenance, Feb 11, 2026). Validate activity before betting a new project on prompttools. - Developer Tools: A gateway is overkill when you're pinned to a single provider and model. - LLM Frameworks: Avoid a framework for a single prompt-and-retrieve call; the abstraction can cost more than it saves. - Vector Databases: Don't reach for a dedicated vector DB under ~100k vectors; pgvector on your existing Postgres is simpler to operate. ## When NOT to use promptmage - If your preferred programming environment is not Python or does not support the same level of workflow automation offered by this tool. - When there is a need for a more bespoke solution that cannot leverage the pre-defined structures and capabilities of Promptmage's framework. ## Common questions ### What is the difference between prompttools and promptmage? prompttools: Open-source tools for prompt testing and experimentation. promptmage: Simplifies LLM workflow creation and management. See the comparison table for live GitHub stats and shared categories. ### When should I choose prompttools over promptmage? Choose prompttools over promptmage when License: prompttools is Apache-2.0, promptmage is MIT; Pricing: PromptsTools is open-source under the Apache-2.0 license, making it free to use but with no official support available.; Tags unique to prompttools: deep-learning, embeddings, large language models, llms; Also covers Vector Databases; Prompttools aims to support developers in the testing and experimentation of prompts for language models as well as integrating vector databases through Python utilities. ### When should I choose promptmage over prompttools? Choose promptmage over prompttools when License: promptmage is MIT, prompttools is Apache-2.0; Requirements: Requires Docker; Tags unique to promptmage: ai, llm, nlp-library, nlp-machine-learning; When you require a streamlined process for crafting and overseeing large language model workflows specifically with Python. ### When should I avoid prompttools? Last GitHub push was 196 days ago (slowing maintenance, Feb 11, 2026). Validate activity before betting a new project on prompttools. Developer Tools: A gateway is overkill when you're pinned to a single provider and model. LLM Frameworks: Avoid a framework for a single prompt-and-retrieve call; the abstraction can cost more than it saves. Vector Databases: Don't reach for a dedicated vector DB under ~100k vectors; pgvector on your existing Postgres is simpler to operate. ### When should I avoid promptmage? If your preferred programming environment is not Python or does not support the same level of workflow automation offered by this tool. When there is a need for a more bespoke solution that cannot leverage the pre-defined structures and capabilities of Promptmage's framework. ### Is prompttools or promptmage more popular on GitHub? prompttools has more GitHub stars (3,046 vs 115). Stars measure visibility, not whether either tool fits your constraints. ### Are prompttools and promptmage open source? Yes - both are open-source projects on GitHub (prompttools: Apache-2.0, promptmage: MIT). ### Where can I find alternatives to prompttools or promptmage? GraphCanon lists graph-backed alternatives at [prompttools alternatives](/tools/hegelai-prompttools/alternatives) and [promptmage alternatives](/tools/tsterbak-promptmage/alternatives) ([prompttools markdown twin](/tools/hegelai-prompttools/alternatives.md), [promptmage markdown twin](/tools/tsterbak-promptmage/alternatives.md)), 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](/compare/hegelai-prompttools-vs-tsterbak-promptmage.md) mirrors this page for agents and LLM crawlers, with the same stats table and FAQ answers. ### Which is better maintained, prompttools or promptmage? prompttools: Slowing. promptmage: Dormant. 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 prompttools and promptmage? GraphCanon publishes per-repo trust reports with dated maintenance, provenance, and scan summaries: [prompttools trust report](/tools/hegelai-prompttools/trust); [promptmage trust report](/tools/tsterbak-promptmage/trust). --- **Machine-readable endpoints** - JSON: [`/api/graphcanon/graph?tool=hegelai-prompttools`](/api/graphcanon/graph?tool=hegelai-prompttools) - LLM index: [/llms.txt](/llms.txt) - Full corpus: [/llms-full.txt](/llms-full.txt) _GraphCanon - The knowledge graph for AI development. https://www.graphcanon.com/_