10 best AI workflow automation tools I'm using in 2026

On a fall afternoon in 2022, I opened my laptop in the New York City public library (on 5th Avenue and 42nd Street) and started playing around with what at the time was called the OpenAI playground.

It was an interface where you got to talk to a chatbot and it said stuff back (like Clever Bot, anyone remember that?)

And it blew my mind.

A couple months later, ChatGPT was officially launched and it changed the AI game forever.

As the year went on, more and more tools started to pop up. And the use cases for AI started to grow.

Now, AI could actually interact with our everyday tools. And this resulted in the birth of AI workflow automation tools.

As someone who's an AI and marketing enthusiast, I've been using these tools pretty extensively for some time now. And in the past couple of years, some amazing platforms have come out.

But also, some pretty shady tools have also launched. And at times, it can be hard to know which are the best automation tools that actually create a notable step function in our productivity and which ones are smoke and mirrors.

So in this article, I want to go over the best AI workflow tools that I have tested and know to be worth checking out. I'll also go over some examples of what you can do with them.

Let's get started.

What is an AI automation workflow tool?

An AI automation workflow tool is a platform that allows you to connect your everyday tools with an LLM to give them AI functionality. With these tools, you can streamline entire workflows that you currently do manually.

You can connect your favorite apps like Gmail, Slack, Google Sheets, Notion, or whatever tools you use daily, and then add workflow AI reasoning on top of them. Instead of just moving data from one app to another (like traditional automation), these tools let you actually process, analyze, and make decisions with that data using AI.

For example, you could build a workflow that monitors your company's mentions on social media, uses AI to analyze the sentiment of each mention, and then automatically creates tasks in your project management tool based on whether the feedback is positive or needs immediate attention.

The cool part is that you don't need to know how to code or hire a developer. These platforms give you drag-and-drop interfaces where you can visually connect your apps and tell the AI what you want it to do in natural language.

What are examples of workflow automation?

AI workflow automation can handle pretty much any repetitive task you can think of. The possibilities are honestly endless, but here are some practical examples that people are building right now:

Content and marketing workflows:

Sales and lead generation:

Productivity and admin:

This is just the tip of the iceberg though. I wrote a whole article on more AI agent examples you can check out to see what's possible. It’s actually insane. There are even now agentic AI tools that make it easier than ever to create these workflows.

Now, before I get into my top AI workflow automation tools, let me briefly go over how AI can actually automate this stuff.

How can AI automate workflows?

AI can automate workflows by letting LLMs handle decision-making processes between your tools. What I mean by this is that instead of just moving data from Point A to Point B (like traditional automation tools), AI can actually think about that data and make smart decisions about what to do next.

This is so powerful because LLMs can process unstructured data (like emails, documents, or social media posts) and turn it into structured actions.

By now, we all know LLMs and generative AI can hallucinate pretty badly. And when it does, it makes many AI tools unreliable.

But when you give LLMs real data from your existing tools, it takes that data and works with it (so little to no hallucination). It doesn’t need to make up data because your tools are supplying it.

The LLMs can read, analyze, summarize, categorize, and even generate responses based on context. With some of the tools I’m about to show you, you can literally tell the AI what you want instead of learning complex programming logic.

Now that you understand what these tools can do, let's jump into the best AI workflow automation platforms you can use to build these smart automations for yourself or your team.

10 best AI workflow automation tools in 2026 (free + paid)

Here are the best AI workflow automation tools:

  1. Gumloop
  2. Zapier
  3. n8n
  4. Make
  5. Relay.app
  6. Pipedream
  7. Lindy AI
  8. Vellum AI
  9. StackAI
  10. Workato

Okay, let’s go over each one.

1. Gumloop

Gumloop is an AI-powered workflow automation tool that I've fallen in love with over the past year. It's one of the easiest tools to use when automating workflows, and one of the amazing things about the platform is its visual canvas where you connect all of your favorite tools with the latest LLM AI models.

It's used by teams at Shopify, Instacart, Webflow, and a ton more big brands. The platform has grown quite a bit in the marketing and automation space (they recently raised a $50M Series B led by Benchmark).

In fact, Greg Isenberg, a popular creator, did a full demo with Max, the CEO of Gumloop:

I built an AI Agent in 43 min to automate my workflows (Zero Coding) - YouTube

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I built an AI Agent in 43 min to automate my workflows (Zero Coding) Greg Isenberg

Greg Isenberg687K subscribers

The thing I like about Gumloop compared to some other automation tools is that the platform gives you everything you need to build any powerful automation and includes it all in just one subscription. This means you don't even have to use your own LLM API keys (but you can if you want). The tool is built for anyone from a solo creator like myself to an enterprise company that can have multiple team members in the workspace.

And before you start thinking that I included this as the first one because it's on the Gumloop blog (I don't actually work there). They just asked me if I wanted to write because I've been a customer of theirs.

Here are some things I love about Gumloop:

Here are some things I think can be improved:

Overall, this is one of my favorite AI workflow automation tools regardless of what stage your business is in. From helping enterprise level teams at Shopify and Instacart to freelancers and agencies selling AI automation services, Gumloop can help you automate anything.

Gumloop pricing

Here are Gumloop's pricing plans:

You can learn more about what each plan includes on their pricing page.

Gumloop reviews

Here are what customers of Gumloop say about the platform:

"Gumloop has been critical in helping all teams at Instacart - including those without technical skills - adopt AI and automate their workflows, which has greatly improved our operational efficiency."
— Fidji Simo, CEO @ Instacart

"Gumloop wins time back across an org. It puts the tools into the hands of people who understand a task and lets them completely automate it away."
— Bryant Chou, Co-Founder @ Webflow

2. Zapier

Zapier is one of the most reliable no-code AI workflow builders on the market. Similar to Gumloop, it has a visual canvas where you can add different nodes (your tools) and connect them using conditional logic.

I've actually been using Zapier for well over 6 years now for my own media website, and throughout those years it's been mostly reliable. There have been times where things have broken when they decided to update their UI, but for the most part it's pretty solid.

And similar to Gumloop, Zapier can be used by a wide range of people anywhere from small agencies all the way to big companies that use them like Lowe's, Alibaba, Hermes, Equifax, and more.

What makes Zapier great is how long it's been around. Out of all the tools on this list, it probably is used the most when it comes to automation. They integrate with thousands of tools and have a bunch of different integration templates that you can use.

Some things I like about Zapier:

Some things I don't like:

Overall, it's a solid choice and one I would recommend to anyone when it comes to building AI automated workflows.

Zapier pricing

Here are Zapier's pricing plans:

You can learn more about what each plan includes on their pricing page.

Zapier reviews

Here’s what customers of Zapier rate the tool on third-party websites:

3. n8n

n8n is an AI workflow automation tool designed for technical teams. It's somewhat similar to Zapier and Gumloop in that you can drag tools into a visual canvas and connect them together to create automated workflows.

The platform has grown quite a bit and has become synonymous with AI automation. Today there are tons of creators, especially on YouTube, creating n8n workflow tutorials and teaching you how to sell automation services to small businesses.

n8n Beginner Course (1/9) - Introduction to Automation - YouTube

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n8n Beginner Course (1/9) - Introduction to Automation n8n

n8n245K subscribers

The platform is actually used by some pretty big companies like Vodafone, Zendesk, Wayfair, Paddle, and more. What makes n8n different is that it is a bit more complex to use and it's designed more for technical people. If you have knowledge of backend logic and some coding, and you're interested in a self-hosted platform, n8n is probably for you.

Here are some things I like about n8n:

Here are some things that could be potentially a downside with n8n:

Overall, it's a pretty solid platform and there's a good reason why it's become so popular. In fact, it's probably the most popular AI workflow builder on the market right now.

n8n pricing

Here are n8n's pricing plans:

You can learn more about what each plan includes on their pricing page.

n8n reviews

Here’s what customers of n8n rate the tool on third-party websites:

4. Make

Make (formerly Integromat) is another automation platform that allows you to create AI-powered workflows. It's very similar to Gumloop, Zapier, and n8n in that it has a drag and drop interface to connect your tools together.

Similar to Zapier or n8n, there are a lot of online resources on how to use the platform. From YouTube videos to courses and templates, there are tons of creators that use Make. And it's become popular among creators because it's budget-friendly. I would say that it's the more budget-friendly alternative to n8n.

A cool thing about Make is that you can create multiple different business logic like creating time delays and connecting different OpenAI models to run specific prompts with your existing tech stack.

Here are some things I like about Make:

Here are some things to watch out for with Make:

Overall, if you want to start getting your feet wet in the automation space and you don't have a lot to pay for a paid plan, Make is a decent platform to get started with. However, even if you don't have the budget, I would still recommend using Gumloop if you want to use any platform that has a free plan.

Make pricing

Here are Make's pricing plans:

You can learn more about what each plan includes on their pricing page.

Make reviews

Here's what customers of Make rate the tool on third-party websites:

5. Relay.app

Relay.app is a simple to use AI agent builder that allows you to create different automated workflows. It has a very simple and clean user interface very similar to Zapier. The tool can help you create workflows anywhere from automated social media posters, meeting follow-up senders, competitor report generators, and a ton more.

While the platform does feel quite simple, it's actually used by some pretty big teams at companies like Cursor, Ramp, and Motion.

And what makes the tool really nice is its simplicity. Where tools like n8n or Make appeal to a more technical audience, Relay.app lets you build simple workflows without much technical expertise.

The founder even runs a YouTube channel and has a bunch of tutorials on different use cases with Relay.app:

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Here are some things I like about the platform:

Here are some things that could be improved with the platform:

Overall, it's a solid platform if you want to create simple AI-powered automations. And it's probably a good alternative to Zapier if you're looking for that simple workflow builder.

Relay.app pricing

Here are Relay.app's pricing plans:

You can learn more about what each plan includes on their pricing page.

Relay.app reviews

Here's what customers of Relay.app rate the tool on third-party websites:

6. Pipedream

Pipedream is an automation tool that is growing in popularity, mostly among developers and those looking to build AI agents. If you're looking for a tool that can integrate with existing APIs from your other tools, this is a platform to definitely look into.

The tool is actually pretty powerful and it's used by teams at companies like Scale, Appcues, Logitech, LinkedIn, Gorgias, and more. Which makes sense since a lot of these big companies have existing tech stacks, and being able to integrate their APIs seamlessly makes sense.

The tool does lean more on the enterprise side, so if you're a small startup or a freelancer or even an agency owner, this probably isn't the tool for you. But if you work in-house at a decently sized company and you have a lot of existing tools that are standardized, this is a platform to look into.

Here are some pros of Pipedream:

Here are some things that can be improved about the platform:

Overall, if you're a developer trying to build AI automated workflows within your product, this is definitely a platform to check out.

Pipedream pricing

Here are Pipedream's pricing plans:

You can learn more about what each plan includes on their pricing page.

Pipedream reviews

Here's what customers of Pipedream rate the tool on third-party websites:

7. Lindy AI

Lindy AI is an AI workflow automation tool that markets itself as an AI employee builder. It has a similar feel to Pipedream in that it gives you examples of things you can automate straight on their homepage.

Lindy AI has the functionality to help you automate routine tasks related to customer support, outbound sales calls, LinkedIn outreach, and general support chatbots.

It's great if you're in customer support or sales operations, as many of their use cases and integrations fulfill that type of audience.

What makes Lindy AI cool is that it has a simple three-step process where you:

Here are some things I like about Lindy AI:

Here are some things that can be improved about the platform:

Overall, it's a solid tool if you're in operations, sales, or customer support and it's one you should at least check out given it has a free plan. However, if you are looking for something geared more towards marketing or AI services, you might want to look into an alternative.

Lindy AI pricing

Here are Lindy AI's pricing plans:

You can learn more about what each plan includes on their pricing page.

Lindy AI reviews

Here's what customers of Lindy AI rate the tool on third-party websites:

8. Vellum AI

Vellum AI is an enterprise-grade AI agent builder that allows large businesses to automate their manual tasks. The platform has AI features that allow you to deploy complex agents. This means that you will definitely need to have a technical background and the platform is best used by engineering teams.

The platform is used by some pretty big companies like Redfin, Ogilvy, Brilliant, Ashby, and more. And what makes Vellum AI stand out is it's an all-in-one platform for creating your AI pipelines.

What I mean by this is that you can do everything from experimentation, analysis, deployment, and monitoring all within one platform. It's a fully end-to-end platform for development and IT teams and one of the more advanced workflow automation platforms out there.

Vellum AI pricing

Here are Vellum AI's pricing plans:

You can learn more about what each plan includes by booking a demo on their website.

Vellum AI reviews

Here's what customers of Vellum AI rate the tool on third-party websites:

9. StackAI

StackAI is another enterprise-level AI workflow builder. It's actually one of my favorite automated workflow builders in terms of its user interface. It's super clean.

The platform is geared more towards government, healthcare, and financial companies, with some customers including University of Michigan, Smart Asset, and Circle Medical.

Similar to Vellum AI, it's a complete end-to-end platform for deploying AI agents. Everything from automating complex workflows, eliminating the need to do manual data entry, to optimizing existing business processes, StackAI is designed to help employees speed up time-consuming tasks internally.

The user experience is also pretty impressive. The platform pays lots of attention to security and privacy, given that companies dealing with financial or health data hold a lot of sensitive information.

Overall, if you fit those types of companies, this is a tool to definitely check out.

StackAI pricing

Here are StackAI's pricing plans:

You can learn more about what each plan includes by booking a demo on their website.

StackAI reviews

Here's what customers of StackAI rate the tool on third-party websites:

I also wrote a pretty in-depth review of StackAI on my blog if you want to check that out.

10. Workato

Workato is an AI agent builder designed to help you with automating tasks in real time. It's another enterprise-level tool similar to StackAI and Vellum AI. But it's not a self-serve tool like StackAI, so you do need to book a demo or talk to their sales department if you want to see what the platform can do.

The platform is widely used though and I know it has some pretty impressive AI capabilities. It can create agents in departments like marketing, sales, recruiting, HR, IT security, and customer service.

And it's used by some pretty big companies like HubSpot, Monday.com, NYU, Zendesk, and more. So if your company is the size of any of those, this is probably a good tool to look into. But if you're a smaller startup, it might be worth looking into a different tool.

Workato pricing

Here are Workato's pricing details:

All plans include security and data protection, agile governance, and in-product support. You'll need to book a demo to get specific pricing details.

Workato reviews

Here's what customers of Workato rate the tool on third-party websites:

What is the difference between workflow automation and AI?

Workflow automation refers to building systems that automate repetitive tasks. The tools that help you do this have been around for a while, well before the whole AI craze started. AI (artificial intelligence), on the other hand, is the process of using machine learning to create systems and products that can help humans improve their productivity.

When you combine AI with workflow automation, you now get a system where you can connect your existing day-to-day tools like Gmail, Slack, Microsoft Teams/ Power Automate, WordPress, and whatever tech tool you use, and you can combine it with the powers of LLMs (large language models).

With this, you get a new wave of tools like the ones I listed above that can help you take your automated workflows to an entirely new level. For example, now you can tell LLMs like ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini to access your existing tools like a Google Sheet, and then tell them to write or read information within that spreadsheet. From there, you can create other automations that can send you a text or an email when something is updated in that spreadsheet, and all of this can happen automatically.

That's why automated workflow software like Gumloop, Zapier, and n8n are really awesome because you can stack different workflows together and use AI to interact with all of your existing tools. Essentially, now you have the ability to give your favorite tools the power of AI. And if you're looking for the best free automation apps to get started, tools like Gumloop, Zapier, and Make all have free plans that let you build your first workflows without paying a thing.

Here's to building more AI workflows!

Automate any workflow

with AI

No coding required.