Google Agent Development Kit vs Workato Agent Studio

Google Agent Development Kit (ADK) is an open-source framework for building, debugging, evaluating, and deploying AI agents. It is available in Python, TypeScript, Go, Java, and Kotlin. Graph-based workflows can combine deterministic code with adaptive AI reasoning, and hierarchical agents can delegate work to specialized agents. ADK supports Gemini and adapters for other model providers, including locally running models. Its integrations catalog includes tools and connectors for MCP, Google Cloud, databases, search, observability, and third-party services. Teams can create multi-turn evaluation datasets and run evaluations locally through the CLI or development UI. ADK also supports live agents with bidirectional text and audio streaming, manages session context, and connects to longer-term memory services. Deployment options include Google Cloud Agent Runtime, Cloud Run, GKE, container-friendly infrastructure, and local Docker or Podman environments. Security guidance covers identity, authorization, guardrails, sandboxed code execution, and network controls. ADK is free; model and cloud-service use may require separate access or billing. Agent Config is narrower: it currently supports only Gemini models and requires Python.

Workato Agent Studio is a web-based, API-accessible environment for creating AI agents called Genies. Users can build and manage Genies without code, connect them to organizational systems, and configure them to coordinate multi-step actions across applications. Genies use knowledge bases for company-specific information and skills for working with applications and systems. Anthropic Claude is the default model; builders can switch to OpenAI GPT or connect their own LLM. Available interfaces include Slack, Microsoft Teams, Workato GO, and custom interfaces, with the Headless API limited to custom interfaces. Workato's integration library includes connectors for SaaS apps, databases, and ERPs, including Salesforce, Slack, Workday, ServiceNow, and Snowflake. Controls include role-based access, authentication, action audit trails, always-active prompt-attack detection and harmful-content filtering, and configurable filters and denied topics. Each prompt counts as one Genie action, including its reasoning, retrieval, and handoffs. The free plan includes 50,000 one-time credits; Pro is $75 a month with 2,500 monthly credits. Agent Studio access depends on particular customer pricing plans.