Free AI agents: where to build one and what is really free
The short version: you can build an AI agent for free on several platforms, but "free" means something different on each. There is a starter balance (the agent works until the tokens or credits run out), a free plan with limits (on messages or runs) and open source on your own server (the software is free, the server and the model are not). Below: what to choose for your situation, and a platform filter.
Three kinds of "free"
| Kind | How it works | What you end up paying for | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starter balance | You get tokens or credits when you sign up, and the agent spends them as it works | Nothing until the balance runs out; after that, a subscription or a top-up | Trying an agent on real tasks today |
| Free plan | The platform is free up to a limit: messages, runs, an AI credit | Going over the limit, extra features, sometimes the models | A small bot or agent with predictable load |
| Open source | The software is free and you install it on your own server | The server, updates, backups, model API keys | A team with a technical person and data requirements |
A free platform ≠ a free model
Where it is free, and how: filter by your constraints
Tick what you cannot do without. Platforms that do not fit drop to the bottom and fade.
Matches: 5 of 5
| Platform | What "free" means | No server | No code | Schedule | Documents | Media |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Twelver No-code builder | starter tokens when you sign up, then a subscription or a top-up | |||||
n8n Automation | Community Edition is free on your own server; the cloud is paid, with a trial | |||||
Botpress No-code builder | a free plan with a monthly AI credit and a message cap | |||||
Flowise For developers | free on your own server; models are paid for separately | |||||
ChatGPT (agent mode) Ready-made agent | agent mode is on paid OpenAI plans |
Checked 17 September 2026. "No server" for n8n means its paid cloud; the free edition runs on your own server.
Free and serverless: try it today
Twelver
An agent chat where you build the agent in an editor: instructions, tools ticked from a list, a knowledge base, memory and scheduled runs. Creating agents is free, you get starter tokens when you sign up for the agent to work with, and your first agent earns another 50,000 tokens. When you want more, a subscription or a top-up. Step by step: how to build an agent without code.
Botpress
A builder for bots and agents on your website and in messaging apps. There is a free plan with a monthly AI credit and a message cap; anything above that is paid.
n8n Cloud
The cloud version of n8n has a free trial with no card, then paid plans. It is a handy way to find out whether the "workflow from nodes" approach suits you before you install n8n on your own server.
Free on your own server: open source
n8n Community Edition
The most popular "free forever" option: no cap on runs and hundreds of integrations. You need a VPS with Docker and someone to keep it updated. The AI Agent node connects the model and the tools, and you can give the agent external services through MCP.
Flowise
A visual builder for chains and agents whose strength is working with documents (RAG). Good for an "agent that answers from our knowledge base" prototype.
Completely free: a local model
An open-source platform plus a local model (through LM Studio or Ollama) costs nothing but electricity and a graphics card. The price is quality: local models are noticeably weaker than cloud ones at multi-step tasks and make more mistakes with tools. How to give a local model tools is covered in MCP in LM Studio.
What an agent's work actually costs
Even on a free platform an agent uses resources. Knowing exactly what on helps a starter balance or a free limit last longer.
- Every step is a separate model call. An agent that took ten steps has spent roughly what ten chat messages would.
- Long instructions and many tools make every step bigger: the model reads their descriptions each time.
- Searching and reading websites are billed separately on most platforms.
- Images, video and voice-over cost noticeably more than text.
How to stretch a free limit
What to choose
| Your situation | The free option |
|---|---|
| I want an agent today, with no server | Twelver: starter tokens + the first-agent bonus |
| I need CRM and email integrations, and I have a server | n8n Community Edition |
| I need a support bot on my website | Botpress, free plan |
| The data must not leave my computer | Flowise or n8n + a local model |
If you have a budget and quality matters more, see the ranking of the best AI agent platforms with its four-question picker. What an agent is and what it is made of is in the main guide.
Platform terms checked 17 September 2026. Free plans change more often than paid ones — check the platform's own site before you choose.
Frequently asked questions
Are there completely free AI agents?
Where can I build an AI agent for free without a server?
Is n8n free for AI agents?
Why does a free agent use up its limit so fast?
Try it yourself
Everything in this guide runs inside Twelver
One chat for text, images, video, music and voice — no separate services or subscriptions.
Open Twelver chat