In this guide · 7 sections
Short answer
Since 15 June 2026, AI by Zapier costs 1 task (Standard), 3 (Advanced) or 5 (Premium) per run, plus the same rate for each tool call. Using your own AI account costs 1 task per run plus your AI provider's fees. Check which tier each AI step uses; new steps default to Premium.
What changed on 15 June 2026
Zapier announced the change in a help article, AI by Zapier: new model-based pricing starting June 15, 2026. Before this, an AI step used tasks like any other action. Now the model tier you pick sets the cost, and the step can also call tools, each billed separately. Zapier's detailed model tier pricing article gives the rates.
| Model tier | Tasks per run | Tools allowed | Example models listed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | 1 | No | GPT-5 mini, GPT-5.4 Mini, Gemini 2.5 Flash |
| Advanced | 3 | Yes | GPT-4.1, Claude 4.5 Haiku, Gemini 2.5 Pro |
| Premium | 5 | Yes | GPT-5.4, Claude 4.6 Sonnet, Claude 4.8 Opus |
| Your own AI account (BYOK) | 1 | Only with Advanced or Premium models | Any supported provider, on your own API key |
The formula Zapier publishes is: tasks per run = (1 x model rate) + (number of tool calls x model rate). A Premium step that calls two tools uses 5 + 10 = 15 tasks per run.
Legacy AI steps and the per-run task limit
- Steps created before 15 June 2026 are not updated automatically and cannot use tools. Zapier says the same tier logic applies to them even though they do not display a tier.
- Knowledge sources on legacy steps: from 30 June 2026, legacy steps using knowledge sources with a Standard model are paused. To keep using knowledge sources, create a new step on an Advanced or Premium model.
- Task limit per run: the default is 75 tasks; you can raise it to 500. If a live run hits the limit, Zapier pauses the step and asks you to approve it in Zap history.
- Plans: model tiers apply on Professional, Team and Enterprise. On the Free plan you can only preview AI steps, on the Standard tier, in an unpublished Zap.
Worked example: a lead-sorting Zap
A common small-business Zap: a website form sends a new lead, an AI step labels it (sales, support, spam), then Zapier adds a row to Google Sheets and emails the right person. The trigger does not use tasks; each action does. Assume 500 leads a month.
| Set-up | Tasks per lead | Tasks per month | Zapier Professional tier needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| AI step on Standard + 2 normal actions | 1 + 2 = 3 | 1,500 | 1.5K tasks: US$39/mo yearly, US$58.50 monthly |
| AI step on Advanced + 2 normal actions | 3 + 2 = 5 | 2,500 | 5K tasks: US$89/mo yearly, US$133.50 monthly |
| AI step on Premium (default) + 2 normal actions | 5 + 2 = 7 | 3,500 | 5K tasks: US$89/mo yearly, US$133.50 monthly |
| Premium AI step doing the sheet and email as 2 tool calls | 5 + 10 = 15 | 7,500 | 10K tasks: US$129/mo yearly, US$193.50 monthly |
| Your own AI key + 2 normal actions | 1 + 2 = 3 | 1,500 | 1.5K tasks: US$39/mo yearly, plus AI provider fees |
The same job costs between US$39 and US$129 a month on a yearly plan depending only on settings. Sorting a lead into three categories is a simple task; the Standard tier, or a small model on your own key, is usually enough. Test it on 20 real enquiries before committing.
If you bring your own key, the AI provider's fee for 500 short classifications on a small model is a few cents a month on October 2026 list prices. Our guide to matching the AI model to the task shows the token sums.
How to cut AI task usage in an existing Zap
List every Zap with an AI by Zapier step
Open Zap history and filter for runs using AI steps. Note the model tier shown in each run's details.
Drop simple tasks to Standard
Classification, short summaries and field extraction rarely need Advanced or Premium. Create a test copy, switch the tier and compare 20 outputs.
Replace tool calls with normal actions
If the AI step only writes a row or sends an email, a normal Zapier action after it costs 1 task instead of 3 or 5.
Consider your own API key for busy Zaps
BYOK charges 1 task per run and per tool call. You then pay your AI provider directly, so set a spend limit on that key.
Check the per-run task limit
Leave it at 75 unless a step genuinely needs more. It is your guard against a loop calling tools repeatedly.
When Make, n8n or a small script is cheaper
Zapier is the easiest to learn, but it is no longer the cheapest place to run AI-heavy workflows. Make bills by credits per module action, with its Core plan from about US$9 a month for 10,000 credits as of October 2026; check how its AI modules are counted before you move. n8n can be self-hosted, where you pay for the server and your AI provider rather than per step.
Stay on Zapier if
- The Zap is simple and runs a few hundred times a month
- Staff edit Zaps themselves and need the easiest tool
- You rely on an app only Zapier connects to
Look at alternatives if
- AI steps run thousands of times a month
- The AI calls several tools per run
- You already pay for an AI API and a server
- You need detailed control over retries and costs
Our Zapier vs Make comparison covers the non-AI differences, and Power Automate vs Zapier suits Microsoft 365 offices.
Do it yourself or get help?
Reviewing tiers on a handful of Zaps takes an hour: open each AI step, set the tier deliberately, and re-test. Our guide to what workflow automation costs in Singapore helps you weigh tool fees against staff time.
If you want a workflow rebuilt so it uses fewer tasks, or moved to Make or Google Apps Script, our Workflow Automation (S$390) builds one workflow of up to five steps in your own account, with error alerts and documentation. IT Sorted is a Singapore-based team of developers with over 10 years of experience; you pay upfront, send the brief in writing and follow progress on your order page.
Frequently asked questions
Since 15 June 2026 it depends on the model tier: 1 task per run on Standard, 3 on Advanced and 5 on Premium. Each tool call the AI makes costs the same multiplier again. With your own AI account the rate is 1 task per run and per tool call, and you pay your AI provider separately.
Zapier's model tier pricing article, as of October 2026, says new AI by Zapier steps on paid plans default to Premium, the 5x tier. The original June announcement said Advanced. Check the tier on each step you create rather than relying on the default.
Zapier says legacy steps created before 15 June 2026 do not display a tier but follow the same tier logic, so their cost depends on the model they use. Legacy steps with knowledge sources on a Standard model were paused from 30 June 2026. Recreate important steps so you can see and choose the tier.
For busy or tool-heavy steps, often yes. Zapier counts 1 task per run and per tool call with your own key, instead of 3 or 5 on its Advanced and Premium tiers. You then pay token fees to your AI provider, which for short tasks on a small model are usually a few cents per thousand runs.
Zapier sets a per-run task limit on AI steps, 75 tasks by default and adjustable up to 500. If a live run reaches the limit, the step pauses and asks for approval in Zap history. Keep the default unless a step genuinely needs more.