n8n expands AI credits up to 91x across cloud plans

n8n just made its AI Assistant usable for everyone on cloud plans — not just a token inclusion gathering dust. The Starter plan now packs 2,300 AI credits per month (up from 50), and Pro plans deliver up to 13,700 (up from 150). That's a 46x jump on Starter and up to a 91x increase on Pro — the difference between rationing credits and actually using AI-assisted workflow building as a daily tool.

What happened

n8n updated its cloud plan pricing to reflect a massive expansion of AI Assistant credits across every tier. The previous allotments — 50 credits on Starter and 150 on Pro — were effectively a demo: try it twice, then go back to building manually.

The new numbers (n8n Pricing, 2026(opens in new tab)):

Plan	Previous Credits	New Credits	Increase
Starter	50/month	2,300/month	46x
Pro	150/month	Up to 13,700/month	Up to 91x
Business	—	Coming soon	—

The AI Assistant, currently in early preview, generates workflow structures from natural language prompts — describe what you want to automate and n8n builds the node layout. Credits are consumed per request based on complexity, refresh monthly, and don't roll over.

Self-hosted users get a different model: the AI Assistant is coming soon with bring-your-own-API-key, meaning no credit limits at all. N8n hasn't announced a release date, but the pricing FAQ confirms it explicitly.

Why n8n's credit expansion matters

This isn't a price cut — it's an access unlock. At 50 credits per month, the AI Assistant was window dressing. You could try it once or twice, conclude it wasn't practical, and move on. At 2,300 on Starter, a solo developer can use AI-assisted workflow creation as a routine tool without rationing.

Two things amplify the impact:

1. The execution model multiplies the value. N8n charges per workflow execution, not per step (n8n Pricing, 2026(opens in new tab)). A single execution can contain unlimited steps — something that would cost thousands of operations on Zapier or Make. Combine unlimited-step executions with enough AI credits to build those workflows quickly, and the value gap against per-step competitors like Zapier and Make widens fast.

2. Self-hosted gets BYOK. The coming bring-your-own-key model for self-hosted instances means unlimited AI-assisted building with no credit framework at all. You bring the API key, n8n handles the orchestration. This mirrors the broader strategy: generous included credits on cloud, no limits on self-hosted with your own keys.

N8n holds Recommended in our directory — it's our top pick for teams that want full control over their automation stack with native AI integration. This credit expansion doesn't change the verdict; it reinforces it. N8n isn't adding AI features for the press release. It's making them practical to use.

What changes for you

On Starter or Pro cloud plans: You already have these credits. Log into n8n and start using the AI Assistant — you've got the headroom to build without counting.

If 50 credits felt pointless: That objection is gone. 2,300 credits is enough for regular AI-assisted building all month. Start a free trial if you haven't already.

On Business plan: The AI Assistant isn't live yet — the pricing page lists it as "coming soon." No timeline, but the credit expansion on lower tiers signals n8n is serious about making this a core feature.

Self-hosted: Wait for the BYOK release. No credit limits, your own API keys — it'll be the most flexible configuration when it lands.

FAQ

What are n8n AI credits?

AI credits power n8n's AI Assistant — a natural-language interface that builds workflows from your descriptions. Each time you prompt it to generate or modify a workflow, credits are consumed based on request complexity. Credits refresh monthly and unused balances don't roll over. The feature is in early preview and available on all cloud plans except Business (coming soon).

Can I buy more AI credits if I run out?

Not yet. N8n's pricing FAQ states "it's not yet possible to buy additional credits." If you consistently exhaust your allowance, upgrading to a higher plan tier is the only current path. Self-hosted users will bypass this entirely with the coming BYOK model.

Does this affect the Community (self-hosted) edition?

Not directly. The Community edition is free and self-hosted. The AI Assistant with bring-your-own-key is coming soon with no credit limits — that's the path for self-hosted users, not credit pools.