Best AI tools for automation

7 tools we'd consider, best first.

#1Zapier

freemium

From $19.99/mo (Professional) · Free tier available ✓ checked 2026-10-16

Connects apps and adds AI steps to workflows without code.

  1. Sign up at zapier.com
  2. Create a Zap: choose a trigger app and an action app
  3. Add an AI step if needed, test, and turn the Zap on
How people use it (2)
First no-code automation

Created a first Zap as part of a 30-day challenge and shared the workflow.

Try: When I star an email in Gmail, create a task in my to-do app

@Ebbbyy_A · 2026-07-17
Automated client onboarding

Built a client onboarding system, an SOP and a job tracker with Zapier, Forms, Airtable, Notion, Gmail and Slack.

Try: When a Google Form is submitted, add a row to Airtable and send a welcome Gmail

@chinweonuorah28 · 2026-04-20
Visit Zapier →

#2n8n

?

From £20/mo (Starter, billed annually) ✓ checked 2026-10-16

Visual workflow and agent builder with a big integration library; self-hostable.

  1. Start a free trial on n8n.io (or self-host)
  2. Create a workflow and add a trigger node
  3. Add an AI Agent node, connect tools, and activate
Visit n8n →

#3Lindy

freemium

From $49.99/mo (Team) · Free tier available ✓ checked 2026-10-16

AI assistant agents for inbox, meetings and scheduling with almost no setup.

  1. Start free at lindy.ai ($50 credits, 7 days)
  2. Connect email, calendar or Slack
  3. Pick a skill or describe the routine you want automated
Visit Lindy →

How people use it

Zapier · First no-code automation

Created a first Zap as part of a 30-day challenge and shared the workflow.

Try: When I star an email in Gmail, create a task in my to-do app

@Ebbbyy_A · 2026-07-17
Zapier · Automated client onboarding

Built a client onboarding system, an SOP and a job tracker with Zapier, Forms, Airtable, Notion, Gmail and Slack.

Try: When a Google Form is submitted, add a row to Airtable and send a welcome Gmail

@chinweonuorah28 · 2026-04-20

Also worth a look

LangGraph

freemium

From $39/seat/mo (LangSmith Plus) · Free tier available ✓ checked 2026-10-16

Open-source library for controllable, stateful agents in Python/JS.

  1. pip install langgraph
  2. Define your agent as a graph of nodes and edges
  3. Trace and debug runs in LangSmith
Visit LangGraph →

CrewAI

freemium

From Enterprise: custom (Basic is free) · Free tier available ✓ checked 2026-10-16

Framework and studio for multi-agent 'crews' that work together.

  1. pip install crewai (or sign up for CrewAI Studio)
  2. Define agents with roles and tasks
  3. Run the crew and review the output
Visit CrewAI →

Relevance AI

?

Price not verified

No-code platform for building teams of AI agents for sales and ops.

  1. Sign up at relevanceai.com
  2. Create an agent and give it instructions and tools
  3. Connect integrations and set a trigger
Visit Relevance AI →

OpenAI Agents SDK

?

Price not verified

OpenAI's code-first agent framework; recommended successor to Agent Builder.

  1. pip install openai-agents
  2. Create an Agent with instructions and tools
  3. Run it with Runner and inspect the traces
Visit OpenAI Agents SDK →