Tool profile
Livebook: cost, fit and limits
Livebook is an open-source interactive notebook for the Elixir programming language, used to write code, share knowledge, deploy apps and run machine learning models, and available as a desktop app or in the cloud. Source code lives on GitHub.
What to know first
Livebook's homepage calls it open source, free and ready to run anywhere, with Livebook Desktop for a local machine and cloud install options. The notebooks are Elixir based, so teams that work in Python or SQL will not find their usual runtime described here. A release post for version 0.14 from September 2024 mentions an outline panel and go-to-definition navigation. No maker, headquarters, hosted plan or AI feature appears on the pages we opened.
Livebook at a glance
| Maker | Not stated on the vendor pages, Not stated on the vendor pages |
|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes |
| Entry price | Free |
| API access | No |
| Category | Best AI Data Notebook Software in 2026, rank 10 of 11 |
| Website | livebook.dev |
Who Livebook is best for
Elixir developers
The notebooks are Elixir based, which lets a team that already writes Elixir explore data and prototype in the language it uses for production.
Teams that deploy small apps from a notebook
The homepage says one notebook can share knowledge, deploy apps and run machine learning models, so a prototype can become a tool without a rewrite.
Developers who prefer a local desktop install
Livebook Desktop runs on your own machine, and the homepage lists cloud options too, so data does not have to leave a laptop.
Livebook plans and pricing
| Plan | Price | What it includes |
|---|---|---|
| Open source | Free | Livebook is open source and free, run on your machine with Livebook Desktop or in the cloud per the homepage. |
| Hosted or managed plans | Not stated | No hosted plan, price or cloud limit appears on the pages we opened, so none is claimed here. |
| Support or enterprise terms | Not stated | The pages did not describe paid support, service levels or commercial licensing. Contact the project for these. |
Checked November 2026.
What Livebook does
- Elixir notebooks
- The homepage presents interactive notebooks built on Elixir, so code cells run in that runtime and take advantage of its tooling and libraries. Elixir developers will find it familiar.
- Apps from notebooks
- One notebook can deploy apps as well as share knowledge, which lets a prototype or internal tool live in the same file as its documentation.
- Machine learning models
- The homepage lists running machine learning models from a notebook, though the pages we opened do not name the supported libraries. Supported libraries are not named.
- Outline and code navigation
- The version 0.14 release post from September 2024 describes an outline panel and go-to-definition, which helps in long notebooks. The blog is where release notes appear.
- Desktop and cloud installs
- Livebook Desktop runs locally, and the homepage lists install options for the cloud, giving teams a choice about where the notebook runs. Both are named on the homepage.
How Livebook handles your data
Livebook is open-source software that you run on your own machine or in a cloud you choose, so the notebooks and data stay wherever you install it. The pages we opened did not name a company, a privacy policy, a retention rule or any certification, and they described no hosted service that would receive customer data. No AI feature is named, so there is no prompt flow to review. A team that deploys Livebook in the cloud is responsible for access control, backups and upgrades, and should read the project's own security documentation first.
Where Livebook falls short in practice
- . The runtime is Elixir. Python notebooks are not described, so teams with Python-centered analysts and libraries will find little to use. Python analysts have no obvious path.
- . Neither the homepage nor the blog we opened names an AI assistant, so buyers who compare AI help by default will look elsewhere. The release post we read dates from 2024.
- . The pages describe no hosted plan, cloud limits, support or maker, so a company cannot judge who stands behind the software. Contact the project directly for answers.
Works with
Alternatives to Livebook
Livebook: common questions
Is Livebook free?
Yes. The homepage says Livebook is open source, free and ready to run anywhere, on your machine with Livebook Desktop or in the cloud. We found no paid plan, hosted price or support tier on the pages we opened. Source is on GitHub.
Does Livebook work with Python?
The pages we opened describe Elixir-based notebooks and do not describe Python support. If your analysts work in Python, Jupyter or Marimo are more natural choices, while Livebook suits teams that already write Elixir. Livebook is best treated as an Elixir tool, so check runtime support before you plan a Python workflow around it.
Can Livebook deploy apps?
The homepage says one notebook can share knowledge, deploy apps and run machine learning models. It gives no hosting details on the pages we opened, so ask the project or read its documentation to see how an app is served and secured.
Does Livebook have AI assistance?
No AI feature is named on the homepage or the blog page we opened. The release note we read, from September 2024, mentions an outline panel and go-to-definition. Check the current documentation if assistance matters to you. Ask the project directly.
Who makes Livebook?
The pages we opened do not state a company or legal entity, and we do not guess one. The homepage links to GitHub and Discord community pages, so the project's own repository is the place to look for maintainers and governance.