scalable trace ingestion and storage with proprietary brainstore database
Ingests production execution traces (prompts, responses, tool calls, latency, cost metadata) from AI applications via native SDKs (Python, TypeScript, Go, Ruby, C#) and stores them in Braintrust's proprietary Brainstore database optimized for nested AI data structures. The system handles millions of traces with full-text search and supports querying large, deeply-nested trace hierarchies without flattening. Traces are retained for 14 days (Starter), 30 days (Pro), or custom periods (Enterprise), with per-GB pricing ($4/GB overage on Starter, $3/GB on Pro).
Unique: Proprietary Brainstore database designed specifically for AI observability with claimed 0.0x faster full-text search and 0.00x faster write latency vs. competitors; handles nested trace structures natively without flattening, enabling structurally-aware queries across multi-turn conversations and chained tool calls
vs alternatives: Faster trace querying and storage than generic observability platforms (Datadog, New Relic) because Brainstore is purpose-built for AI trace schemas rather than generic logs
llm-as-judge and code-based evaluation scoring with automated quality gates
Evaluates AI application outputs using three scoring approaches: (1) LLM-as-judge evaluators that use Claude or GPT-4 to score responses against custom rubrics, (2) code-based scorers written in Python/TypeScript that implement custom logic (regex, semantic similarity, domain-specific checks), and (3) human evaluators who manually score outputs via annotation UI. Scores are tracked per evaluation run with versioning, and automated quality gates can block deployments if scores fall below thresholds. Pricing is per-1k scores ($2.50/1k on Starter, $1.50/1k on Pro, with 10k/50k monthly included respectively).
Unique: Unified evaluation framework supporting three scoring modalities (LLM-as-judge, code-based, human) with automatic regression detection in CI/CD pipelines; integrates directly with version control to block deployments based on score thresholds, enabling quality gates without custom orchestration
vs alternatives: More integrated than point solutions (Weights & Biases, Arize) because evaluation, tracing, and deployment gates are unified in one platform rather than requiring separate tools
role-based access control (rbac) and saml sso for enterprise compliance
Enterprise-grade access control with role-based permissions (viewer, editor, admin) and SAML/OAuth SSO integration for identity management. Supports fine-grained permissions on projects, datasets, and evaluations. SAML SSO enables centralized authentication via corporate identity providers (Okta, Azure AD, etc.). Available on Pro/Enterprise tiers; Starter tier has basic roles only. Enterprise tier supports custom RBAC policies and BAA (HIPAA) agreements.
Unique: SAML SSO and fine-grained RBAC with HIPAA BAA support; unlike consumer-grade platforms, Enterprise tier enables centralized identity management and compliance-grade access control for regulated industries
vs alternatives: More compliant than basic role systems because SAML SSO integrates with corporate identity providers and HIPAA BAA enables handling of protected health information
evaluation result comparison and regression analysis across versions
Compares evaluation scores across prompt versions, model changes, or time periods to detect regressions and improvements. Generates comparison reports showing score deltas, statistical significance (if applicable), and affected test cases. Supports baseline selection (previous version, main branch, or custom baseline). Regression alerts can be configured to notify teams when scores drop below thresholds. Comparison results are visualized in dashboards and can be exported for reporting.
Unique: Automated regression detection across evaluation runs with configurable baselines and alerts; unlike manual comparison, regression analysis is integrated into the evaluation workflow and can block deployments if thresholds are violated
vs alternatives: More integrated than external analytics tools because regression detection is built into the evaluation platform rather than requiring post-hoc analysis
compliance and security certifications with data governance
Provides SOC 2 Type II, GDPR, and HIPAA compliance certifications with Business Associate Agreement (BAA) available on Enterprise tier. Implements data governance controls including encryption, access logging, and data residency options. Supports on-premises or hosted deployment for Enterprise customers requiring data sovereignty.
Unique: Provides multiple compliance certifications (SOC 2, GDPR, HIPAA) as standard features rather than add-ons, treating compliance as a core platform concern. On-premises deployment option enables data sovereignty for regulated industries.
vs alternatives: More compliant than generic observability platforms because it's specifically designed for regulated industries; more flexible than cloud-only solutions because on-premises deployment is available for Enterprise customers.
interactive prompt playground with a/b comparison and environment tagging
Web-based IDE for iterating on prompts with real-time execution against live LLM APIs (OpenAI, Anthropic, etc.). Supports side-by-side A/B comparison of prompt versions, variable templating, and environment-specific configuration (dev/staging/prod with different models or parameters). Prompt versions are automatically versioned and tagged with metadata (author, timestamp, environment). Playground annotations enable inline comments on prompt iterations. Available on Pro tier and above; Starter tier has no playground access.
Unique: Integrated playground with environment-aware prompt versioning and A/B comparison UI; unlike standalone prompt editors, versions are automatically linked to evaluation results and deployment history, enabling traceability from prompt iteration to production performance
vs alternatives: More integrated than PromptHub or Prompt.com because playground results are directly comparable to evaluation scores and production traces in the same platform
versioned dataset management with test case organization and export
Centralized repository for organizing evaluation test cases (inputs, expected outputs, metadata) with automatic versioning and branching. Datasets can be created from production traces (sampling real user inputs), manually uploaded (CSV/JSON), or generated by the Loop agent. Datasets are tagged with metadata (version, author, creation date) and can be filtered by attributes. Supports exporting datasets for use in external evaluation frameworks. Dataset versions are immutable, enabling reproducible evaluations across time.
Unique: Immutable dataset versioning with automatic sampling from production traces; unlike generic test management tools, datasets are directly linked to evaluation runs and prompt versions, enabling traceability of which test set was used for each evaluation decision
vs alternatives: More integrated than external test frameworks (pytest, Jest) because datasets are versioned alongside evaluation results and prompt history in a single system
ci/cd integration with automated regression detection and deployment gates
Integrates with CI/CD pipelines (GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, etc.) to automatically run evaluations on prompt or model changes and block deployments if quality scores regress below configured thresholds. Compares current evaluation results against baseline (previous version or main branch) and generates pass/fail reports. Supports custom quality gates (e.g., 'accuracy must stay above 90%' or 'latency must not increase by >10%'). Integration is framework-agnostic and triggered via webhook or API calls from CI/CD runners.
Unique: Automated regression detection integrated directly into CI/CD pipelines with configurable quality gates; unlike manual evaluation workflows, changes are automatically evaluated against baselines and deployments are blocked if thresholds are violated, enabling quality gates without human intervention
vs alternatives: More automated than manual evaluation processes because regressions are detected before deployment rather than after production issues occur
+5 more capabilities