TL;DR: Activepieces is an open-source, AI-first automation platform — think Zapier-style flows, plus AI agents, tables, and MCP tools. Its cloud Free plan is one of the most generous in automation: $0 forever, no card, 1,000 credits a month, unlimited flows, and up to 5 users. And if you self-host the MIT-licensed core, runs are unlimited and free apart from your server.
What does Activepieces actually do?
Activepieces connects your apps with “Pieces” — pre-built integrations, listed at 760+ apps on its pricing page — and lets you build flows from a trigger and a sequence of actions, branches, and AI steps. It goes beyond classic automation in three ways: chat-to-automation (describe a flow and have it drafted), built-in AI agents that can use connected tools, and Tables, small built-in databases your flows and agents can read and update.
It also exposes MCP and API access, so flows can be used as tools by other AI systems.
What is actually free on Activepieces?
According to Activepieces’ official pricing page, checked October 22, 2026, the Free plan is “$0 — Free forever, no card” and includes:
- 1,000 credits a month
- Unlimited flows
- Up to 5 users
- Chat to automation
- Flows, Agents, and Tables
- MCPs and API access
How credits burn matters: current pricing explanations describe one credit as one flow run regardless of how many ordinary steps it has, while a step that uses an Activepieces-provided AI model costs extra credits depending on the model (listed at 2, 10, or 20). Bringing your own AI key is a paid-plan feature, so on free, lean on ordinary steps and use AI steps deliberately.
The second free route is self-hosting. The core is MIT-licensed open source: run it on your own server with no vendor-imposed run limit. Enterprise folders and white-label embedding are separate paid products — embedding starts at $36,000 a year — so “free” ends where reselling it under your own brand begins.
What do the paid plans add?
Plus is a flat $20 a month with 10× the free plan’s credits, then pay-as-you-go, still for up to 5 users, plus bring-your-own AI keys. Team is a flat $200 a month with 5× Plus, unlimited projects, 25 users, SSO, and email support. Ultimate is custom for enterprise scale.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Free forever, no card: 1,000 credits a month, unlimited flows, up to 5 users
- One credit per flow run for ordinary steps — multi-step flows stay cheap
- AI agents, Tables, MCPs, and API access included on the free plan
- Free self-hosted option with an MIT-licensed core and no run cap
Cons
- AI steps on platform-provided models burn 2–20 credits each on free
- Bring-your-own AI keys requires Plus
- Integration library is large (760+) but younger than Zapier’s
- White-label embedding is enterprise-priced, not a small-team upgrade
- Self-hosting means you own updates, backups, and uptime
Who is Activepieces best for?
Activepieces’ free plan is best for small teams, solopreneurs, and operations-minded builders who need real recurring automations — form-to-sheet-to-Slack, CRM updates, content pipelines — without paying per step, and for technical users happy to self-host later for unlimited runs. If you need a very specific legacy integration today, check the Pieces library first.
FAQ
Is Activepieces really free?
Yes. The cloud Free plan is $0, described by Activepieces as “free forever, no card,” with 1,000 credits a month. The self-hosted core is also free under the MIT license.
What is one Activepieces credit?
One credit covers one flow run for ordinary steps, however many steps the flow has. A step using an Activepieces-provided AI model costs additional credits (2, 10, or 20 depending on the model).
How is Activepieces different from Zapier or Make?
It is open-source at the core, prices paid plans flat rather than per task, includes AI agents and Tables in the builder, and can be self-hosted for free — trade-offs Zapier and Make do not offer in the same way.
Can I self-host Activepieces for free?
Yes. The MIT-licensed core runs with Docker on your own server with no vendor run limit. You pay only for the server, and enterprise features are separately licensed.
Research-based review — no hands-on testing claims. Free-tier details checked October 22, 2026 against Activepieces’ official pricing page. Plans can change; check Activepieces before you rely on a limit.