Calculators

AI and automation

Automation Plan-Tier Cost Calculator

Size n8n executions, Zapier tasks, or Make credits before a workflow becomes recurring platform spend.

When to use this

Use it before workflow volume picks a paid tier

This tool is for lead routing, support triage, AI enrichment, content ops, CRM syncs, alerting, and internal automations where runs, steps, retries, and platform billing units can grow quietly.

Default result

The server-rendered n8n example runs 2,640 times per month and fits Pro at EUR 50.00.

Estimate plan tier and usage

Start with a platform preset, then adjust runs, billable actions, retries, and high-volume quote assumptions.

n8n prices cloud plans by monthly workflow executions, regardless of workflow complexity.

For n8n, actions per run are shown as workflow complexity. For Zapier and Make, they multiply monthly billable units.

Monthly runs

2,640

Runs per day times active days per month.

Plan headroom

7,360 workflow executions

Headroom uses the first known tier that fits this estimate.

Unit economics

EUR 0.0189 per run

EUR 0.0189 per billable unit before AI API or infrastructure cost.

Worked example: n8n daily lead enrichment

The default scenario runs 120 times per day for 22 active days, so monthly workflow runs are 120 x 22 = 2,640.

n8n prices cloud plans by workflow executions regardless of steps, so the 8 action steps per workflow do not multiply the billable unit count. Billable units are 2,640 executions.

Starter includes 2,500 executions, so this workload is 140 executions over Starter. Pro includes 10,000 executions and costs EUR 50/month on the referenced annual-billing page.

Utilization on Pro is 2,640 / 10,000 = 26.4%, leaving 7,360 included executions. Cost per run is EUR 50 / 2,640 = EUR 0.0189 before add-ons, self-hosted infrastructure, or AI API charges.

How the automation tier estimate works

The calculator turns runs per day and active days into monthly workflow runs. For n8n, the billable unit is monthly workflow executions. For Zapier and Make, the billable unit estimate multiplies monthly runs by billable action steps, then adds extra monthly units for retries, replays, or credit-consuming features.

The recommended tier is the first sourced plan threshold that fits the unit count. When a platform exposes a variable usage selector or custom sales quote, the result uses the current quote input and labels the result as quote-based.

How many Zapier tasks will my automation use?

For planning, estimate successful action steps per run and multiply by monthly runs. AI steps, code, paths, and app actions can add task usage, so replace the estimate with Zapier task history once the workflow is live.

How many Make credits will my scenario use?

Most ordinary Make actions can be planned as one credit each, but code execution and some AI Provider features can consume more. Use scenario history after testing to replace the rough billable-actions-per-run input.

What this estimate excludes

The result excludes AI API tokens, vector database charges, self-hosted servers, managed databases, staff review time, error handling, maintenance, implementation effort, and taxes. Use the related calculators to finish the cost picture.

What to do next

Run a small live test, export actual usage, add retries and failure paths, then update the quote field with the current provider price before choosing a production platform tier.

Reference data used by the defaults

Topic Reference value Source Date Note
n8n billing unit and plan thresholds Pricing is based on monthly workflow executions regardless of complexity; Starter 2.5K at EUR 20/mo, Pro 10K at EUR 50/mo, Business 40K at EUR 667/mo, billed annually. n8n pricing As of June 20, 2026 This calculator treats n8n steps as design complexity, not billable step units.
Zapier task tiers and starting prices Free includes 100 tasks/month; Professional starts at $19.99/month; Team starts at $69/month; higher task tiers and custom limits are listed. Zapier pricing As of June 20, 2026 The page has a task-tier selector. Enter the exact checkout price for higher task tiers.
Zapier task-based pricing signal Zapier states that AI steps, code, and SDK usage follow the same task-based pricing model. Zapier pricing As of June 20, 2026 Count billable action steps from Zapier usage reports when replacing estimates.
Make plan prices and credit threshold Free includes up to 1,000 credits/month; Core is $9/mo, Pro $16/mo, Teams $29/mo, each shown for 10K credits/month. Make pricing As of June 20, 2026 The calculator recommends Core for usage fit and asks for a current price above 10K credits.
Make credit accounting Credits are the billing unit; most actions consume 1 credit, while code execution and some AI Provider features can consume more. Make pricing As of June 20, 2026 Use Make scenario history for exact credit consumption after a workflow runs.

Provider pages, task selectors, credit tiers, sales quotes, currency, taxes, and annual-billing discounts can change. Replace defaults with current account terms before approval.

FAQ

Is this the same as the Automation ROI Calculator?

No. The ROI calculator estimates labor value and payback. This calculator estimates platform usage units, plan fit, and monthly tier cost for n8n, Zapier, or Make.

Why are Zapier and Make prices marked for verification?

Both pages expose plan starts and usage selectors, and higher usage can depend on selected task or credit tiers. Use the calculator to size units, then enter the current checkout or sales quote before approval.

Why do n8n steps not multiply the billable units?

n8n states that pricing is based on monthly workflow executions regardless of complexity. Steps still matter for performance, maintenance, and failure risk, but they are not multiplied as billable step units in this estimate.

What should count as a billable action in Zapier or Make?

Use the provider usage report when possible. For planning, count successful action steps, modules, code steps, AI actions, and any extra credit-consuming features your workflow uses.

Should retries be included?

Yes. Retries, failed handoffs, duplicate triggers, polling noise, and replayed runs can increase monthly units. Add them through the extra monthly units field or raise the actions-per-run estimate.

Does this include AI API cost?

No. This estimates automation platform cost only. Add model tokens, embedding cost, vector storage, or local hardware cost with the related AI calculators before committing to a workflow.

Decision path

What to do next

ROI check

Compare spend with labor value

Use the platform cost as an input to the automation ROI and payback calculation.

 AI tokens

Add model API cost

Platform tasks are only one line item when the workflow calls an LLM, embedding model, or image model.

 Workflow path

Choose the automation stack

Move from usage sizing into n8n, Zapier, Make, Dify, and custom workflow tradeoffs.