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Mem0 vs Letta

Mem0 is a memory layer you plug into your existing agent. Letta (formerly MemGPT) is a complete agent framework with memory management built in. A focused API vs a full runtime.

Memory add-on vs agent-with-memory. Different philosophies, different trade-offs.

The Key Difference

Mem0

Memory layer (add-on)

A managed memory API that plugs into any agent. Cloud-first with an optional local mode via OpenMemory. Doesn't manage agents — just stores and retrieves memories for them.

~47.3K stars$249/mo ProCloud APIMemory-only scope
Letta (MemGPT)

Agent runtime with memory

A complete agent framework where memory management is a core feature, not a separate service. Agents manage their own archival and core memory blocks. Requires adopting the full Letta runtime.

~21.1K starsOpen sourcePostgreSQL/SQLiteFull framework

Full Comparison

Every row verified from public documentation and GitHub repos. Updated April 2026.

Mem0 vs Letta feature comparison
FeatureMem0Letta
Primary approachManaged memory API (cloud-first)Full agent framework with built-in memory
GitHub stars~47.3K~21.1K
LongMemEval scoreNot publishedNot published
MCP tools9 (cloud) / 4 (OpenMemory local)7 (community-maintained)
ArchitectureCloud API + optional localAgent runtime with memory management
ScopeMemory layer onlyFull agent framework (memory + reasoning + tools)
DatabaseCloud-managed / OpenMemory localPostgreSQL or SQLite
Self-hostedYes (OpenMemory)Yes (Docker recommended)
DependenciesAPI key (cloud); OpenAI key (local)PostgreSQL (production), Docker
Memory typesFlat key-value memoriesArchival memory + core memory blocks
PricingFree tier / $249/mo ProOpen source (self-hosted)
Auto-captureNo (explicit API calls)Yes (agent manages own memory)
Encryption at restCloud-managedDatabase-dependent
Temporal reasoningNoLimited
LicenseApache-2.0Apache-2.0

Consider OMEGA If…

Mem0 requires a cloud account or OpenAI key. Letta requires adopting an entire agent framework. If you want a standalone memory layer that works locally with any MCP client, OMEGA fills that gap.

LongMemEval

95.4%

Neither Mem0 nor Letta have published scores

MCP tools

25

vs 9/4 (Mem0), 7 (Letta community)

Dependencies

Zero

No cloud, no PostgreSQL, no API keys

Scope

Memory only

Works with any agent, no framework lock-in

Frequently Asked

Should I choose Mem0 or Letta for my project?

Choose Mem0 if you already have an agent and just need a memory layer to plug in via API. Choose Letta if you want a complete agent framework with memory management built in. They solve different scopes of the problem.

Is Letta still called MemGPT?

Letta was originally released as MemGPT, a research project on memory management for LLMs. It has since evolved into a full agent framework and rebranded to Letta. The underlying memory architecture (archival + core memory) remains, but the project scope is now much broader.

Can I use Mem0's memory with Letta's agent framework?

Not directly. Mem0 and Letta have different APIs and memory models. You would need custom integration code. Both offer MCP tools, so an MCP-compatible agent could theoretically use either, but they are designed as separate systems.

Is there a memory-only system that works without a framework or cloud API?

OMEGA is a standalone memory layer that works with any MCP-compatible agent. No framework lock-in, no cloud dependency. It runs locally with SQLite and ONNX embeddings, scores 95.4% on LongMemEval, and provides 25 MCP tools.