You get a working no-code agent builder rather than a demo: one agent, 1,000 runs a month and the full library of 200+ AI models.
Best Free AI Automation Tools
Find the best free AI automation tools by what the free plan actually counts: tasks, runs, executions, credits or operations. The list is grouped by kind, from agent builders to workflow tools and sales automation, so you compare plans that meter the same way. Each entry says where its limit bites, and whether self-hosting, your own AI key or extra seats change the picture.
Our top 3 Free AI Automation Tools
Self-host the Community Edition and nothing is metered: unlimited workflows and no execution limits enforced by n8n, though the server and its upkeep are yours.
The free tier covers marketing, sales, service, content and data tools for up to two users, with no credit card.
Best free AI agent builders
7 picksA free AI agent builder is metered by runs, credits or messages, so one plan lasts a month for a single agent and a week for several. MindStudio gives 1,000 runs, StackAI 500, Dify's Sandbox 200 message credits, SmythOS $5 of credits and Dust 500 credits once. Pick MindStudio for no-code breadth, StackAI for a governed pilot, Dify when you would rather host it.
1 agent, 1,000 runs/month, 200+ AI models, no coding required
↻ Renews monthlyPaid $20/moShow detailsHide details01
MindStudio: Best for no-code agents across 200+ models9.3Score 9.3 out of 101 agent, 1,000 runs/month, 200+ AI models, no coding required↻ Renews monthly$20/moVisit site ↗ReviewDetailsCloseShow more about MindStudio
1 agent, 1,000 runs/month, 200+ AI models, no coding required

You get a working no-code agent builder rather than a demo: one agent, 1,000 runs a month and the full library of 200+ AI models. That suits a single internal helper for one person. A second agent needs the Individual plan, while self-hosting, SSO and audit logs sit on Business. Choose it over StackAI when model choice matters more than a compliance pitch, and bring your own key if you prefer.
- The MindStudio Service Router lets you access 200+ AI models including Claude, Google Veo3, and FLUX from a single workflow, preventing vendor lock-in.
- The no-code drag-and-drop visual editor makes building AI agents accessible to non-technical users without hiding the option for custom code.
- The platform only launched in 2023, raising legitimate questions about production-readiness and long-term stability for enterprise use cases.
500 runs/month, 2 projects, 1 seat, community Discord support
↻ Renews monthlyNot listedShow detailsHide details02
StackAI: Best for a governed agent pilot on one seat8.4Score 8.4 out of 10500 runs/month, 2 projects, 1 seat, community Discord support↻ Renews monthlyNot listedVisit site ↗ReviewDetailsCloseShow more about StackAI
500 runs/month, 2 projects, 1 seat, community Discord support

Start here when a security reviewer will ask questions before anyone is allowed to try anything. The free plan gives 500 runs a month across two projects, with one seat and Discord community support. SOC 2, HIPAA, GDPR, on-prem or VPC deployment and SSO arrive with Enterprise, which is custom priced. Choose it over MindStudio for a governed pilot, and expect the next step to be a quote.
- No-code drag-and-drop visual flow builder makes it accessible for enterprise IT teams without deep coding expertise.
- Supports 100+ integrations and multiple LLMs including OpenAI and Anthropic Claude, avoiding vendor lock-in on AI models.
- Asana's pending acquisition creates significant uncertainty around pricing, roadmap, and the product's future as a standalone platform.
Community plan at no cost, then pay per agent run
Paid $0.03/moShow detailsHide details03
Lyzr: Best for agents priced per run later7.7Score 7.7 out of 10Community plan at no cost, then pay per agent run$0.03/moVisit site ↗ReviewDetailsCloseShow more about Lyzr
Community plan at no cost, then pay per agent run

Lyzr lists a free Community plan, and beyond it the price is per agent run: $0.08 on its managed cloud, $0.03 if you self-host in your own VPC or on-prem. That makes cost easy to forecast, so 1,000 runs a month on the cloud comes to $80. It suits builders who expect volume and want data on their own servers, where MindStudio and StackAI price by plan.
- The Control Plane governance layer provides configurable policies that can block, flag, or reroute agent outputs, giving enterprises meaningful oversight of AI behavior.
- Immutable audit logs track every tool call and user interaction with timestamps, which is a critical feature for regulated industries.
- Pricing is completely invisible on the website, making it impossible to evaluate cost without engaging the sales team.
$5 credits a month, 1 seat, visual builder, local use
↻ Renews monthlyPaid $39/moShow detailsHide details04
SmythOS: Best for developers trying agents locally7.3Score 7.3 out of 10$5 credits a month, 1 seat, visual builder, local use↻ Renews monthly$39/moVisit site ↗ReviewDetailsCloseShow more about SmythOS
$5 credits a month, 1 seat, visual builder, local use

The free Public plan gives $5 of credits a month, one seat, the visual agent builder and local deployment, though agents are public and model usage is billed at 2.5 times cost. A free Docker image lets a developer run it locally. Private agents start with Builder, which also cuts model prices by 40 percent. Pick it over StackAI when you would rather experiment on your own machine.
- Supports deployment across cloud, edge, on-premise, and desktop from a single build, offering rare infrastructure flexibility.
- Includes both a visual drag-and-drop Agent Studio and a full SDK, making it accessible to non-technical users and engineers alike.
- The platform is dense and complex by design, not something new users can pick up in an afternoon.
Sandbox: 200 message credits, 5 apps, or self-host Community
Paid $59/moShow detailsHide details05
Dify: Best for hosting your own open source builder6.9Score 6.9 out of 10Sandbox: 200 message credits, 5 apps, or self-host Community$59/moVisit site ↗ReviewDetailsCloseShow more about Dify
Sandbox: 200 message credits, 5 apps, or self-host Community

Dify gives two free routes. The cloud Sandbox has 200 message credits, one workspace, five apps, 50 knowledge documents and 50MB of storage, with 30 days of logs. The open source Community edition has all core features in a single workspace. Choose Community if you can host it yourself and want to stop counting messages, and look at MindStudio if you prefer runs to message credits.
- Supports over 100 AI models including OpenAI, Anthropic Claude, Mistral, and local Llama models through a consistent visual interface.
- RAG pipeline support is built natively into the workflow builder, eliminating the need to bolt on document retrieval separately.
- The platform is genuinely difficult to categorize, suggesting an unclear or overly broad product identity that may confuse buyers.
Free tier, plus an agency trial with no card needed
Not listedShow detailsHide details06
Voiceflow: Best for agencies building agents for clients6.9Score 6.9 out of 10Free tier, plus an agency trial with no card neededNot listedVisit site ↗ReviewDetailsCloseShow more about Voiceflow
Free tier, plus an agency trial with no card needed

Voiceflow has a free tier, and its agency track adds a free trial that needs no credit card. It is built for agencies and partners running customer-facing agents for several clients, with multi-client workspaces, white-labelling, client handoff and all major model providers. Billing on the agency track is usage-based. Choose it over Dust when the agents you build are for your clients, not for your own team.
- The canvas-based visual workflow builder is consistently praised, allowing designers and developers to collaborate without stepping on each other.
- The Agentic Context Engine manages LLM behavior to keep agents on task, preventing AI from going off-script unexpectedly.
- Pricing is not clearly published.
500 lifetime credits; best for occasional users or trialing Dust
Paid $30/moShow detailsHide details07
Dust: Best for a one-off trial of shared team agents5.8Score 5.8 out of 10500 lifetime credits; best for occasional users or trialing Dust$30/moVisit site ↗ReviewDetailsCloseShow more about Dust
500 lifetime credits; best for occasional users or trialing Dust

A one-off pot of 500 credits is the whole free plan and it does not renew, so treat it as a trial for a team before you commit. After it, Pro is 8,000 credits per seat a month and Max 40,000 for heavier automations. Dust is aimed at agents that draw on shared knowledge from connected sources, and it adds a Chrome extension. Choose it over MindStudio when shared company knowledge matters more than free runs.
- Shared AI agents across departments ensure consistent outputs for all team members rather than siloed per-user chat threads.
- Multi-model backend supports GPT, Claude, Gemini, Mistral, and DeepSeek, giving teams flexibility in model selection.
- The collaborative AI thesis works better for some teams than others, meaning it is not a universal fit.
Best free workflow automation tools
9 picksFree AI workflow automation tools each count something different: Zapier 100 tasks, Make 1,000 operations, Pipedream 100 credits, Workato a one-off 50K credits, Activepieces ten active flows with unlimited runs. n8n counts nothing when self-hosted. Choose Make for volume on a visual canvas, Activepieces for unlimited runs, UiPath or Retool when the output is a business process or an internal app.
Self-hosted, unlimited workflows
Paid $20/moShow detailsHide details08
n8n: Best for self-hosted automation with no run cap8.8Score 8.8 out of 10Self-hosted, unlimited workflows$20/moVisit site ↗ReviewDetailsCloseShow more about n8n
Self-hosted, unlimited workflows

Self-host the Community Edition and nothing is metered: unlimited workflows and no execution limits enforced by n8n, though the server and its upkeep are yours. There is no free cloud plan, only a trial that needs no card, and cloud Starter counts 2,500 executions a month. Choose it over Make when run counts would otherwise set your bill, and over Zapier if owning the server matters more than 9,000 ready connectors.
- The self-hosted community edition is genuinely free with no workflow limits, which is rare among automation platforms.
- Code nodes allow JavaScript or Python to be inserted anywhere in a workflow, so developers never feel constrained by visual node limitations.
- Non-technical users tend to bounce off the platform quickly due to its complexity and technical design philosophy.
Try It Now free access, limited in what runs at scale
Paid $25/moShow detailsHide details09
UiPath: Best for business process automation, tried first8.6Score 8.6 out of 10Try It Now free access, limited in what runs at scale$25/moVisit site ↗ReviewDetailsCloseShow more about UiPath
Try It Now free access, limited in what runs at scale

The Try It Now free access lets you look at UiPath's robots and AI agents together, and the review calls it real but limited in what you can run at scale. Paid Basic is meant for individuals and small teams, with Standard and Enterprise sold on contact. Choose it over n8n when the work involves desktop and document processes rather than app-to-app calls, and expect to talk to sales as you grow.
- UiPath has nearly two decades of enterprise RPA experience, giving it a proven and stable automation foundation.
- The platform combines RPA robots, AI agents, and human-in-the-loop orchestration via Maestro into a unified automation loop.
- Teams that underestimate setup complexity frequently report dissatisfaction, suggesting a steep and punishing onboarding curve.
Free plan, limits not published
Paid $12/moShow detailsHide details10
Retool: Best for internal apps plus workflow runs8.5Score 8.5 out of 10Free plan, limits not published$12/moVisit site ↗ReviewDetailsCloseShow more about Retool
Free plan, limits not published

Retool is where you build internal tools first and automation second. A free plan is listed, and the paid Team plan adds 5,000 workflow runs and 1,000 AI credits a month, charged per builder and per internal user. Self-hosting calls for real infrastructure knowledge, with Kubernetes and Helm for production. Pick it over Zapier when the result is an app your staff click through, not a job that runs in the background.
- The drag-and-drop app builder allows developers to ship internal tools in an afternoon that would otherwise take weeks of custom engineering.
- Enterprise-grade governance features including audit logging, permission controls, staging environments, and source control are built into the core product, not added as afterthoughts.
- Retool occupies an awkward middle ground between no-code and developer platform, which creates real friction for teams that don't fit that specific profile.
50K one-time credits
One-off creditsNot listedShow detailsHide details11
Workato: Best for enterprise integrations on a credit pot8.0Score 8.0 out of 1050K one-time creditsOne-off creditsNot listedVisit site ↗ReviewDetailsCloseShow more about Workato
50K one-time credits

Fifty thousand one-time credits, not a monthly allowance, make up the free plan, and it includes AI agents, Enterprise MCP, workflow orchestration and the 10,000-plus app integrations. That makes it a good place to try an enterprise platform properly before anyone signs. Pro then starts at 2,500 credits a month. Choose it over Zapier when the work reaches core business systems, and plan on paying once the pot is spent.
- Combines iPaaS, AI agent orchestration, API management, ETL pipelines, and composable MCP servers into a single governed platform, reducing tool sprawl.
- The recipe builder is low-code and visual, with conditional logic and error handling baked directly into the orchestration engine rather than added as an afterthought.
- Pricing is entirely opaque, the pricing page provides no actionable information, making cost evaluation difficult without engaging sales.
100 tasks/month, two-step Zaps, unlimited workflows, Tables, Forms, Zapier Copilot
↻ Renews monthlyPaid $29.99/moShow detailsHide details12
Zapier: Best for simple two-step app connections7.9Score 7.9 out of 10100 tasks/month, two-step Zaps, unlimited workflows, Tables, Forms, Zapier Copilot↻ Renews monthly$29.99/moVisit site ↗ReviewDetailsCloseShow more about Zapier
100 tasks/month, two-step Zaps, unlimited workflows, Tables, Forms, Zapier Copilot

Free here counts 100 tasks a month and stops at two-step Zaps, a cap the review says people hit quickly, though Tables, Forms and Copilot come with it. Multi-step Zaps, webhooks and AI fields arrive with Professional. Choose it for the widest app library, 9,000 connectors, and the gentlest learning curve. Make gives 1,000 operations if volume matters more to you than ease.
- Zapier integrates with over 9,000 apps, making it one of the largest integration libraries available on any automation platform.
- The visual workflow builder supports logic branches, conditional paths, and AI processing steps without requiring any coding knowledge.
- Users tend to stay not out of satisfaction but because rebuilding existing workflows on another platform is too costly and time-consuming.
1,000 credits a month, unlimited flows, chat to automation, MCPs and API access
↻ Renews monthlyPaid $20/moShow detailsHide details13
Activepieces: Best for unlimited runs on ten flows7.7Score 7.7 out of 101,000 credits a month, unlimited flows, chat to automation, MCPs and API access↻ Renews monthly$20/moVisit site ↗ReviewDetailsCloseShow more about Activepieces
1,000 credits a month, unlimited flows, chat to automation, MCPs and API access

The free plan gives 1,000 credits a month with unlimited flows, chat to automation, MCP servers and API access. Credits are the cap, so heavy automations use them up first, and Plus at $20 a month raises them to 10,000 for up to five users. It is open source under an MIT license and can be self-hosted. Choose it over Make when you want to own the software.
- Unlimited automation runs are included at no extra charge regardless of plan, making it cost-effective for high-volume teams.
- MIT-licensed open-source platform allows full self-hosting on Docker, Helm, or any cloud provider for maximum data control.
- Relatively young platform founded in 2022, which may raise concerns about long-term stability and enterprise maturity.
1,000 operations a month, 2 active scenarios
↻ Renews monthlyPaid $10.59/moShow detailsHide details14
Make: Best for visual scenarios with a thousand operations7.3Score 7.3 out of 101,000 operations a month, 2 active scenarios↻ Renews monthly$10.59/moVisit site ↗ReviewDetailsCloseShow more about Make
1,000 operations a month, 2 active scenarios

A thousand operations a month and two active scenarios on a visual canvas, with schedules held to 15-minute intervals on the free plan. That suits a couple of light automations, not anything that needs speed. Core adds unlimited active scenarios. Pick it over Zapier for multi-step logic with iterators and routers, accepting a smaller app library and email and community support only.
- The visual canvas builder lets users construct complex multi-step automation workflows without writing a single line of code.
- Routers, iterators, and aggregators enable branching, conditional logic, and array processing that most competing tools cannot handle.
- Steep learning curve means new users need significant time investment before they can use the platform effectively.
Up to 100 credits/mo
↻ Renews monthlyPaid $45/moShow detailsHide details15
Pipedream: Best for developers wiring APIs with code7.3Score 7.3 out of 10Up to 100 credits/mo↻ Renews monthly$45/moVisit site ↗ReviewDetailsCloseShow more about Pipedream
Up to 100 credits/mo

You get 100 credits a month, three active workflows, three connected accounts and a million AI tokens, and the plan is permanent, not a countdown. Webhooks, cron and email triggers work, though the shortest schedule is five minutes and event history is kept for seven days. It is built for developers who want code inside their steps. Choose it over Zapier if you write code, and note it has no bring-your-own-key option.
- Over 3,000 integrations and 10,000+ pre-built actions give developers extensive connectivity options out of the box.
- Supports custom code in Node.js, Python, Go, and Bash, allowing developers to drop into code whenever the visual builder isn't expressive enough.
- The Workday acquisition introduces uncertainty about the product roadmap and future priorities.
15 messages/day, 200 credits/month, basic tools only
↻ Renews monthlyPaid $29/moShow detailsHide details16
Lutra AI: Best for describing an automation in chat5.1Score 5.1 out of 1015 messages/day, 200 credits/month, basic tools only↻ Renews monthly$29/moVisit site ↗ReviewDetailsCloseShow more about Lutra AI
15 messages/day, 200 credits/month, basic tools only

You describe the job in chat and an AI agent writes and runs the automation. The free plan gives 15 messages a day, 200 credits a month and basic tools such as Google Workspace and Slack, with only a trial of tools like Apollo. Essentials adds scheduling and webhooks. Choose it over Make when you would rather describe a task than draw it, and expect to upgrade for anything recurring.
- Lutra generates and executes real code on the fly, allowing connections to virtually any API rather than being limited to pre-built connectors.
- Plain English workflow creation means no drag-and-drop canvas or node diagrams are required, lowering the technical barrier significantly.
- Error handling is not publicly documented, which is a serious concern for anyone running mission-critical scheduled workflows.
Best free AI sales and marketing automation
2 picksSales and marketing automation is measured in users and lookups rather than runs. HubSpot's free tier covers up to two users across its marketing, sales and service tools, while Persana AI's free plan is a pot of 50 credits for finding emails and phone numbers. Pick HubSpot to hold contacts and run campaigns, Persana to judge prospect data before paying.
Free CRM and marketing tools for up to 2 users
Paid $20/moShow detailsHide details17
HubSpot: Best for a free CRM for two people8.7Score 8.7 out of 10Free CRM and marketing tools for up to 2 users$20/moVisit site ↗ReviewDetailsCloseShow more about HubSpot
Free CRM and marketing tools for up to 2 users

The free tier covers marketing, sales, service, content and data tools for up to two users, with no credit card. It is a CRM first, so automation shows up as contacts, seats and HubSpot Credits rather than runs, with 500 credits on Starter. Choose it over Salesforce when two people want to start free, and over Persana AI when you need a contact database, not lookups.
- The visual workflow builder is highly intuitive, supporting automation across marketing, sales, and service from a single interface with webhooks, form submissions, deal stage changes, and behavioral event triggers.
- HubSpot's unified CRM acts as a central data layer, giving marketing, sales, and support teams shared visibility into contact records, deal stages, tickets, and email activity.
- The platform has grown sprawling and complex, meaning what you actually pay for depends heavily on which version and tier you need.
50 credits, 50 emails, 5 phones, unlimited users, 100+ data providers, up to 500 people/company search
Paid $85/moShow detailsHide details18
Persana AI: Best for testing prospect data before paying6.5Score 6.5 out of 1050 credits, 50 emails, 5 phones, unlimited users, 100+ data providers, up to 500 people/company search$85/moVisit site ↗ReviewDetailsCloseShow more about Persana AI
50 credits, 50 emails, 5 phones, unlimited users, 100+ data providers, up to 500 people/company search

A free pot of 50 credits covers 50 email lookups and 5 phone lookups across more than 100 data providers, with unlimited users, which is enough to judge data quality on a few prospects. Bring-your-own-key is listed. Paid plans add credit rollover, sequencing integrations and autopilot agents. Choose it over Bardeen when you want data from providers instead of pages you scrape yourself.
- Access to 100+ data providers allows finding contact data that tools like Apollo.io alone cannot surface.
- Tracks 75+ buyer intent signals including job changes, funding rounds, hiring trends, and website visits, more than most tools at this price point.
- Recent acquisition by Rox creates uncertainty around pricing, product roadmap, and support continuity.
More free AI automation tools
7 picksThese tools do different jobs. CrewAI runs teams of cooperating agents, Salesforce is a CRM, Browse AI watches and scrapes websites, Supademo records interactive product demos, Cassidy AI hosts shared team agents and Bardeen collects leads from a Chrome extension. Choose Cassidy AI when three teammates need one workspace, and Bardeen when the data sits in pages you already browse.

#19CrewAI: Best for multi-agent crews under developer control
50 workflow executions a month, visual editor
↻ Renews monthlyNot listedShow detailsHide details19
CrewAI: Best for multi-agent crews under developer controln/a50 workflow executions a month, visual editor↻ Renews monthlyNot listedVisit site ↗ReviewDetailsCloseShow more about CrewAI
#19CrewAI: Best for multi-agent crews under developer control
50 workflow executions a month, visual editor

The free Basic plan gives 50 workflow executions a month with a visual editor, GitHub integration and an AI copilot, which is a try-out of multi-agent crews rather than production use. CrewAI began as an open source framework, and Enterprise adds unlimited executions, a dedicated VPC, SSO and RBAC. Choose it over MindStudio when you want several agents cooperating under developer control.
- Supports both no-code visual editor and code-first Python API, making it accessible to non-developers and engineers alike.
- All visual editor work exports to Python, preventing vendor lock-in and enabling clean handoffs to engineering teams.
- Trying to serve both no-code and developer audiences simultaneously risks being a poor fit for both if execution falls short.

#20Browse AI: Best for watching and scraping sites without code
50 credits per month
↻ Renews monthlyPaid $48/moShow detailsHide details20
Browse AI: Best for watching and scraping sites without coden/a50 credits per month↻ Renews monthly$48/moVisit site ↗ReviewDetailsCloseShow more about Browse AI
#20Browse AI: Best for watching and scraping sites without code
50 credits per month

Unlimited robots, two domains and 50 credits a month make up the free plan, enough to watch or scrape a couple of sites lightly without code. It is cloud only. Personal raises that to 2,000 credits and five websites. Choose it over Bardeen when the target is a website you want monitored over time, and over Zapier when the job is getting data out of a page rather than moving it between apps.
- 200+ prebuilt robots for popular sites like LinkedIn, Amazon, and Glassdoor let non-technical users get started immediately without building from scratch.
- The visual point-and-click robot builder requires zero coding knowledge, making web scraping accessible to marketers and sales teams.
- Data transformation features are locked behind the Premium plan at $500/month, leaving Professional users at $69/month unable to shape output before export.

#21Salesforce: Best for teams planning on a Salesforce CRM
Free Suite CRM tier at no cost per user per month
↻ Renews monthlyPaid $25/moShow detailsHide details21
Salesforce: Best for teams planning on a Salesforce CRMn/aFree Suite CRM tier at no cost per user per month↻ Renews monthly$25/moVisit site ↗ReviewDetailsCloseShow more about Salesforce
#21Salesforce: Best for teams planning on a Salesforce CRM
Free Suite CRM tier at no cost per user per month

A Free Suite tier exists at no cost per user, with Starter Suite as the first paid CRM plan covering sales, marketing and service. Free suits a small team that expects to settle on Salesforce, since the 30-day trial of paid features is short for a real test and the platform rewards configuration and training. Pick it over HubSpot for AppExchange apps and deep customisation.
- Flow Builder provides a comprehensive drag-and-drop workflow canvas that handles branching logic, record changes, scheduled runs, and API events with more completeness than most competitors.
- Einstein AI is embedded across sales, service, marketing, commerce, and IT workflows, providing an integrated AI layer throughout the entire platform.
- The platform requires dedicated admin resources to manage effectively, making it a poor fit for organizations without the staffing to support it.

#22Supademo: Best for interactive product demos from one creator
1 creator, 5 demos, 50 4K video recordings
Paid $450/moShow detailsHide details22
Supademo: Best for interactive product demos from one creatorn/a1 creator, 5 demos, 50 4K video recordings$450/moVisit site ↗ReviewDetailsCloseShow more about Supademo
#22Supademo: Best for interactive product demos from one creator
1 creator, 5 demos, 50 4K video recordings

Free for one creator: five interactive demos, 50 video recordings in 4K and unlimited demo views, so a solo founder can publish product tours and share them widely. Growth bundles five creators and charges per extra one, and the AI Demo Agent that qualifies buyers is a usage-based add-on at 50 to 80 cents per qualified demo. Pick it over HubSpot when the job is showing a product.
- The visual builder is cleaner and faster to set up than most competing tools in the interactive demo category.
- The AI Demo Agent runs 24/7, qualifying buyers and surfacing relevant demos without requiring a sales rep to be present.
- API access via Supademo MCP is locked behind the Scale plan, meaning lower-tier users cannot integrate it with their existing tech stack.

#23Cassidy AI: Best for three teammates sharing agents
3 seats, 10K AI credits a month, 5 agents, 5 workflows
↻ Renews monthlyNot listedShow detailsHide details23
Cassidy AI: Best for three teammates sharing agentsn/a3 seats, 10K AI credits a month, 5 agents, 5 workflows↻ Renews monthlyNot listedVisit site ↗ReviewDetailsCloseShow more about Cassidy AI
#23Cassidy AI: Best for three teammates sharing agents
3 seats, 10K AI credits a month, 5 agents, 5 workflows

Three seats, one workspace, 10K AI credits a month, five agents and five workflows let three teammates share a real set of agents rather than one person testing alone. The help center is open on every plan, and browser and Office add-ons are listed. Business is custom priced with onboarding support. Choose it over StackAI, which gives one seat, when the whole team will use it.
- Model-agnostic architecture allows users to choose between OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google without vendor lock-in.
- No-code workflow builder enables non-technical operations staff to build multi-step automations without engineering support.
- Cassidy is not a full helpdesk replacement, meaning teams needing end-to-end customer service tooling will need additional solutions.

#24Bardeen: Best for collecting leads from your browser
100 credits/month always free; build your own scrapers, basic access
↻ Renews monthlyPaid $10/moShow detailsHide details24
Bardeen: Best for collecting leads from your browsern/a100 credits/month always free; build your own scrapers, basic access↻ Renews monthly$10/moVisit site ↗ReviewDetailsCloseShow more about Bardeen
#24Bardeen: Best for collecting leads from your browser
100 credits/month always free; build your own scrapers, basic access

The free plan gives 100 credits a month and lets you build your own scrapers, and unused credits expire at the end of each billing period. It runs as a Chrome extension with a companion web app, so it works on pages you are already viewing. Basic adds premium scrapers and enrichment. Choose it for lead sourcing from your browser over Browse AI, which suits ongoing site monitoring.
- No-code visual scraper builder makes it accessible to non-technical users like sales reps and solopreneurs.
- AI qualification layer filters leads against your ideal customer profile before you ever review them.
- The platform is English-first, which limits usability for international teams without prior investigation.

#25Apollo.io: Best for B2B prospecting on 75 monthly credits
Free plan, limits not published
Paid $65/moShow detailsHide details25
Apollo.io: Best for B2B prospecting on 75 monthly creditsn/aFree plan, limits not published$65/moVisit site ↗ReviewDetailsCloseShow more about Apollo.io
#25Apollo.io: Best for B2B prospecting on 75 monthly credits
Free plan, limits not published

Apollo's free plan gives each seat 75 credits a month, two sequences, basic filters, five AI Assistant chats, 100 CRM enrichments a month and API access, and unused credits expire each cycle. It is a sales database and outreach tool with a 240M+ contact database and an MCP server for Claude and ChatGPT, not a general agent builder. Basic, at $65 a seat, brings 2,500 credits and unlimited sequences. Pick it over MindStudio when the job is finding and emailing prospects.
- The database holds more than 240 million contacts and more than 30 million companies, and it syncs both ways with Salesforce and HubSpot.
- The Free plan includes 75 credits per seat per month, 2 sequences and API access.
- Apollo can train its own models on usage data and its contact database, with no customer opt-out.
How to choose a free AI automation tool
Free AI automation tools differ less in what they can build than in what they count. One plan counts runs, another counts tasks, credits, flows, seats or lookups, and the same number means a month of work in one unit and a week in another. Where the tool runs also changes the price: some can be hosted on your own server, which removes the meter and adds a chore. This guide covers the jobs these tools do, what each free plan rations, and which tool suits which kind of operator.
Start with the job, not the tool
Automation work falls into a handful of jobs, and few products do more than two of them well on a free plan.
- Building AI agents. An agent takes a goal, picks steps and calls a model, rather than following a fixed path. MindStudio, StackAI, CrewAI, Dify, Lyzr, SmythOS and Dust are agent builders, and Voiceflow targets agents that talk to customers.
- Connecting apps. A trigger in one product starts an action in another. Zapier, Make, Activepieces, Pipedream and n8n are built for it, and Workato covers the same ground for larger companies.
- Describing a task in plain language. You write what you want and the tool writes the automation. Lutra AI works this way, with an agent that writes and runs code from your instructions.
- Collecting leads and web data. The work is pulling names, emails and page content into a table. Bardeen and Browse AI collect from websites, and Persana AI looks up emails and phone numbers from over 100 data providers.
- Running customer data. Contacts, campaigns and pipeline sit in one system with automation attached. HubSpot and Salesforce are the two on this page, and Supademo adds interactive product demos for sales teams.
Pick the job that fills most of your week, then read the matching row below.
| Job | Start with | Runner-up, and the trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Build a first agent with no code | MindStudio | Dify Sandbox has a smaller allowance, but its Community edition can be hosted by you |
| Link two apps with a quick trigger | Zapier | Make gives 1,000 operations a month, while Zapier limits free Zaps to two steps |
| Run busy automations with no per-run charge | Activepieces | n8n Community Edition, if you will host it |
| Put code inside a flow | Pipedream | n8n, which lists low-code building and runs on your server |
| Hand a task over in plain words | Lutra AI | MindStudio, where you assemble the agent yourself |
| Keep contacts and send campaigns | HubSpot | Salesforce, priced per user from the first paid tier |
| Find prospect emails and phone numbers | Persana AI | Bardeen, which collects from pages you view in a Chrome extension |
| Watch or scrape a website | Browse AI | Bardeen, which works from a Chrome extension |
What you actually get for free
Free allowances come in different units, so convert each one to a daily figure before comparing.
- Agent builders. They count runs, message credits or one-off credits. MindStudio gives 1 agent and 1,000 runs a month, about 33 a day. StackAI gives 500 runs and 2 projects on one seat, about 16 a day, and CrewAI gives 50 workflow executions. Dify's Sandbox gives 200 message credits, which is about 6 a day. Dust gives 500 credits once, with no monthly refill.
- Workflow tools. They count tasks, operations, credits or active flows. Zapier gives 100 tasks a month, around 3 a day, and Make gives 1,000 operations across 2 active scenarios. Pipedream gives 100 credits, 3 active workflows and 1 million AI tokens. Activepieces allows 10 active flows with unlimited runs, so flows are the meter. Workato opens with 50,000 credits that are spent once.
- Collection and prospecting tools. They count credits and lookups. Bardeen and Browse AI give 100 and 50 credits a month, and Persana AI gives 50 credits that include 50 email lookups and 5 phone lookups. One prospect can use several of these, so a free plan suits a small test list.
- Seat based tools. They count people. HubSpot's free tier covers up to 2 users, Cassidy AI gives 3 seats with 10,000 AI credits, 5 agents and 5 workflows, and Supademo gives 1 creator with 5 interactive demos.
Which tool fits which operator
- No-code builders. Start with MindStudio, because it lists a visual editor, branching and access to over 200 models on the free plan. Add Zapier for the app connections it covers, since Zapier lists more than 9,000 integrations.
- Founders running lean. Start with Activepieces, because unlimited runs mean a busy month costs the same as a quiet one. Add HubSpot for contacts, which holds up to 2 users free of charge.
- Ops people with a few routine jobs. Start with Make, because 1,000 operations a month across 2 scenarios suits a couple of steady routines. Add Lutra AI for the odd job you would rather describe than build.
- Technical operators. Start with n8n Community Edition, because it has unlimited workflows and no execution limits enforced by n8n. Add Pipedream when a flow needs code.
- Teams that need private data to stay put. Start with StackAI, which lists on-prem and VPC deployment on its Enterprise plan, or Dify Community, which is open source. Add Lyzr, which prices self-hosted runs at $0.03 against $0.08 in its cloud.
- Sales and lead work. Start with Persana AI for contact data and Bardeen for page collection. Add HubSpot when the leads need somewhere to live.
Where free plans stop
| Limit | Tools | What happens when you hit it |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly runs or executions | MindStudio, StackAI, CrewAI | Jobs wait for the next month or a paid plan |
| Tasks, operations or credits | Zapier, Make, Pipedream, Bardeen, Browse AI | The count renews each month |
| One-off pots | Workato, Dust | Once spent, the pot does not refill |
| Active flows or workflows | Activepieces, Make, Pipedream | The next flow needs a paid plan or a per-flow charge |
| Seats | StackAI, SmythOS, Dify, HubSpot, Supademo | A second person means upgrading, or two at HubSpot |
| Daily messages | Lutra AI | 15 messages a day, renewing each morning |
| No free cloud | n8n | Host Community Edition yourself or start a trial |
Work out the cost of your busiest automation in the plan's own unit before you build anything. A job that fires every hour is about 720 runs a month, which fits MindStudio but overshoots StackAI and CrewAI. Daily meters like Lutra AI's suit steady use, and monthly meters suit bursts of work.
What you give up by staying free
Some limits are features rather than counts. SmythOS keeps agents public on its free plan and charges 2.5 times model usage cost, while Builder gives private agents and a 40 percent model discount. Zapier's free plan stops at two-step Zaps, and multi-step Zaps, webhooks and AI fields arrive with Professional. Make's free plan allows 2 active scenarios, and unlimited active scenarios plus API access begin at Core.
Free also means few seats and little support. StackAI points free users to a community Discord, and Dify's Sandbox keeps 30 days of execution logs. Team workspaces, single sign-on and audit logs sit on paid or custom plans across most of these products.
Privacy, training and where your data runs
Most tools on this page state that they do not train on your content, so the differences that matter are hosting and who holds the model key.
| Tool | Training on your content |
|---|---|
| MindStudio, UiPath, n8n, Retool, StackAI, Activepieces, Lyzr, Make, Dify, Dust, Salesforce, Cassidy AI | Not used for training |
| HubSpot, Zapier, Lutra AI | You can opt out |
Bring your own model key, which lets you pay a model provider directly, is listed by MindStudio, StackAI, Lyzr, SmythOS, Dify, n8n, Retool, Workato, Zapier, Make, Activepieces and Persana AI, and Pipedream does not list it. Zapier, Make, Pipedream, Workato, HubSpot and Salesforce run in the cloud only, while MindStudio, StackAI, Dify, n8n, Activepieces and UiPath can also be hosted by you.
Mistakes to avoid
- Counting runs when the meter is flows. At Activepieces the limit is 10 active flows, not runs. List your automations first, then compare.
- Choosing a tool for its app count. Zapier lists 9,000 integrations and Activepieces 764, but you need the five apps you use. Check those five before the total.
- Treating a one-off pot as a monthly one. Workato's 50,000 credits and Dust's 500 do not renew. Spend them on a real trial job.
- Skipping the model key question. Agents that call models cost money somewhere. Tools that list bring your own key, such as Dify and n8n, let you choose the model and see the bill.
- Hosting without the time to look after it. Community Edition at n8n and the Docker image at SmythOS remove limits, but updates and uptime become yours.
When to move up a plan
The signs are plain: you split one job into two to fit a step cap, you hold back a run until the month turns, or a colleague needs access and the plan has one seat.
| If you are | Upgrade to | What changes |
|---|---|---|
| Running multi-step jobs | Zapier Professional | Multi-step Zaps, premium apps, webhooks and AI fields |
| Past a thousand operations | Make Core | 10,000 credits a month and unlimited active scenarios |
| Needing more than one agent | MindStudio Individual | Unlimited agents and runs |
| A developer with real traffic | Pipedream Basic | 2,000 credits a month |
| A team building private agents | SmythOS Builder | Private agents, a 40 percent model discount and $20 in credits |
| Prospecting past a test list | Persana AI Starter | 24,000 credits a year with rollover |
Billing period moves the price. Pipedream lists 36 percent off for yearly billing, Zapier 33, Lutra AI 21, MindStudio, Retool, Activepieces, Dust and Persana AI 20, n8n and Dify 17, and Make 15. Trials exist too: UiPath offers Try It Now, and Voiceflow's agency track advertises a free trial with no credit card.
Using two free tools together
Because the meters differ, two or three free tools can cover a month that none handles alone.
- Trigger in Activepieces. Ten active flows with unlimited runs carry the schedules, webhooks and routing.
- Hand the AI step to MindStudio. It lists API access and webhooks, and 1,000 runs covers a month of one daily job.
- Fill the app gaps with Zapier. Send the odd job to a two-step Zap within its 100 tasks.
For lead work, collect prospects with Bardeen's 100 monthly credits and keep them in HubSpot's free tier, which two users can share.
Add our top picks (MindStudio, n8n, HubSpot and 1 more) to the calculator and see the monthly total, then swap in the plans you would pay for.
How we picked
Every tool here is ranked by its score, and each score is worked out from the vendor’s own published pages: pricing, plans, features and terms. No score is adjusted by hand. 18 of the 25 tools have enough published facts to show a score, and on average 84% of each score comes from facts the vendor publishes. The facts behind these scores were checked between 13 September 2026 and 28 October 2026.
Scores compare tools that do the same job, which is why the list is grouped by job: a video editor and a grammar checker are never ranked against each other.
| Ranked as | On this page | What we score | Scoring guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| AI agent builders18 reviewed | 9 | 7 criteria, 20 checked facts: AI agents, building workflows, pricing, apps it connects to, reliability and control, hosting and security, support | How we score these → |
| Workflow automation tools11 reviewed | 9 | 7 criteria, 20 checked facts: AI agents, building workflows, pricing, apps it connects to, reliability and control, hosting and security, support | How we score these → |
| Go-to-market platforms15 reviewed | 4 | 7 criteria, 20 checked facts: AI agents, building workflows, pricing, apps it connects to, reliability and control, hosting and security, support | How we score these → |
Common questions
What is a good Zapier free alternative?
Make, Activepieces and Pipedream each fit a different reason for leaving. Make gives a larger monthly count and multi-step logic, Activepieces gives unlimited runs on ten active flows, and Pipedream suits people who write code. All three list far fewer integrations than Zapier's 9,000,, so the apps you rely on decide the move.
Which are the best free automation tools like n8n that need no server?
Activepieces is the closest in spirit, since it is open source and also runs in a hosted cloud with ten active flows free. Make and Pipedream are cloud only. n8n itself has no free cloud plan, only a trial that needs no card, so the free route there is self-hosting the Community Edition.
Is there an open source AI agent builder with a free plan?
Dify's Community edition is open source with all core features in one workspace, and its cloud Sandbox is the hosted option. SmythOS ships a free Docker image alongside its Public plan, and Activepieces is MIT licensed with a built-in agent builder. CrewAI began as an open source framework before its commercial platform.
Is there a free AI agent builder no-code beginners can use?
MindStudio is the plainest answer: no-code visual building, one agent and 1,000 runs a month across 200+ models. StackAI is also visual with 500 runs on one seat, and Dify's Sandbox suits people comfortable with message credits. Cassidy AI adds five agents and three seats if a small team will share them.
Can I use my own AI model key with these tools?
Bring-your-own-key is listed for MindStudio, StackAI, Lyzr, SmythOS, Dify, n8n, Retool, Workato, Zapier, Make, Activepieces and Persana AI. Pipedream does not list it and offers a million AI tokens on its free plan instead. A key lets you pay your model provider directly rather than spending the tool's own credits, which helps when model costs would otherwise drain a small allowance.
Do free automation plans include team members?
Seats vary widely. StackAI, SmythOS and Dify give one, Supademo one creator, HubSpot two users and Cassidy AI three seats, while Persana AI lists unlimited users. Retool charges per builder and per internal user on its paid plan, and Zapier's Team plan covers 25 users. If several people must edit, shortlist Cassidy AI, HubSpot or Persana AI.
Do free AI automation credits expire or renew?
It depends on the tool. Workato's 50K credits and Dust's 500 are one-off and never refill. Bardeen's 100 credits renew monthly and unused ones expire at the end of the period. Pipedream's plan is permanent rather than a trial, and Dify's Sandbox and Activepieces' free plan are listed as lasting indefinitely.