I track pricing for 11 automation and AI-agent tools, re-checking each vendor's official pricing page every day. "Free plan" means very different things depending on the tool, so here is what each one actually includes. Last checked Nov 12, 2026.
7 of the 11 tools list a free plan.
| Tool | Free plan? | What's included | Cheapest upgrade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zapier | Yes | 100 tasks/mo, two-step Zaps only, 15-min polling | $29.99/mo (Professional) |
| Make | Yes | 1,000 credits/mo, 15-min minimum interval | $16/mo (Core) |
| n8n | No | No free cloud plan (14-day trial). Community Edition is free to self-host | $24/mo (Starter) |
| Activepieces | Yes | 1,000 credits/mo, unlimited flows, up to 5 users | $20/mo (Plus) |
| Pipedream | Yes | Free for development only (no production) | $150/mo (Startup) |
| Power Automate | Not listed | Not on the pricing page | $15/user/mo (Premium, annual) |
| Tines | Yes | 3 live workflows, unlimited users, one-time $50 AI allowance | Quote only |
| Lindy | Yes | $50 in free credits, lasts 7 days | $29.99/user/mo (Team) |
| Gumloop | Not listed | 14-day free trial of Pro | $37/mo (Pro) |
| Relevance AI | Not listed | Not shown on the pricing page | Quote only |
| Bardeen | Yes | 100 free credits/mo | $10/mo (Basic) |
When does the free plan run out?
The headline number is less useful than the billing unit:
- Zapier counts each action step as a task, so 100 free tasks is about 100 runs of a two-step Zap. Multi-step Zaps need a paid plan.
- Make counts the trigger and each module as a credit, so 1,000 credits is about 250 runs of a 3-module scenario.
- Activepieces includes 1,000 credits a month, and runs past the quota wait for the refresh.
- n8n has no free cloud plan, but the Community Edition is free to self-host (you pay for the server).
A free self-hosted license still costs you a server, so "free" n8n or Activepieces isn't quite $0.
The full table, with links to each vendor's pricing page, is here: Free plan limits compared. Prices change, so always confirm on the vendor's site before you buy.
