IBM Granite 4.0 vs Microsoft Agent Framework 1.0
Which one should you pick? Here's the full breakdown.
IBM Granite 4.0
IBM's enterprise-focused open-weight family -- Granite 4.0 hybrid Mamba-2 + transformer architecture (70-80% memory reduction vs pure transformer), 3B to 32B sizes, Apache 2.0. First open model family to secure ISO 42001 certification. Nano 350M runs on CPU with 8-16GB RAM. 3B Vision variant landed 2026-04-01
Microsoft Agent Framework 1.0
Microsoft's MIT-licensed open-source agent orchestration framework -- GA on 2026-04-03. Merges Semantic Kernel and AutoGen into a single SDK. Python and .NET. Native MCP and A2A protocol support. Connectors for Foundry, Azure OpenAI, OpenAI, Claude, Bedrock, Gemini, Ollama
| Category | IBM Granite 4.0 | Microsoft Agent Framework 1.0 |
|---|---|---|
| Ease of Use | 7.0 | 6.0 |
| Output Quality | 8.0 | 8.5 |
| Value | 9.5 | 10.0 |
| Features | 8.5 | 9.0 |
| Overall | 8.2 | 8.4 |
Pricing Comparison
| Feature | IBM Granite 4.0 | Microsoft Agent Framework 1.0 |
|---|---|---|
| Free Tier | Yes | Yes |
| Starting Price | $0 | $0 |
Which Should You Pick?
Pick IBM Granite 4.0 if...
- ✓Easier to use (7 vs 6)
Regulated-industry enterprises (healthcare, finance, government) who need Apache 2.0 open-weight models with ISO 42001 certification. Also ideal for edge deployments where Granite Nano (350M / 1.5B) is one of the few open models that runs realistically on CPU. And for any Mamba-hybrid research or low-memory production use where the 70-80% memory reduction actually changes the economics.
Visit IBM Granite 4.0Pick Microsoft Agent Framework 1.0 if...
Enterprise developers on .NET or mixed Python + .NET stacks who want an MIT-licensed agent orchestration framework with real enterprise credibility. Also good for Azure Foundry customers who want first-class native integration. Teams migrating from Semantic Kernel or AutoGen should plan the move to Microsoft Agent Framework 1.0 now rather than later.
Visit Microsoft Agent Framework 1.0Our Verdict
IBM Granite 4.0 and Microsoft Agent Framework 1.0 are extremely close overall. Your choice comes down to specific needs -- IBM Granite 4.0 is better for regulated-industry enterprises (healthcare, finance, government) who need apache 2, while Microsoft Agent Framework 1.0 works best for enterprise developers on .