I am using n8n Cloud intensively to build and refine a fairly complex workflow. I have already upgraded my plan, but I have now run out of AI Workflow Builder credits again while the project is still in progress.
The main problem is not simply reaching the monthly limit. It is that once the credits run out, work on an active project can come to an abrupt stop, sometimes in the middle of diagnosing or correcting a workflow. At that point, waiting for the next monthly reset is not a practical solution.
Has anyone else encountered this problem when using the AI Workflow Builder extensively?
I have seen a similar discussion here:
In that case, support reportedly offered an additional monthly credit package. However, I think n8n would also benefit from offering one-off credit purchases or immediate top-ups.
For example, users could purchase an additional pack of 25, 50 or 100 credits whenever needed, without changing their main plan or committing to another recurring subscription. A pay-as-you-go option with a spending limit would also work.
This would be particularly useful when:
a project is temporarily consuming more credits than usual;
credits run out in the middle of debugging or correcting a workflow;
the user does not need a permanently higher monthly allowance;
waiting until the next billing cycle would leave an active business project unfinished.
I am willing to pay for additional usage. The frustrating part is being unable to do so at the moment when the credits are actually needed.
Would anyone else find one-off AI credit packs useful? Is n8n considering an immediate top-up or pay-as-you-go option?
Thanks.
My use case:
I think it would be beneficial to add this because:
I am experiencing the real-world consequence of this policy.
I paid $63.96 to renew n8n Cloud Pro on August 6. Before renewal, I downgraded so the $63.96 would not automatically roll over into the same package again, as it had done the previous month. I then moved to the Starter plan, and n8n converted the unused subscription balance into account credit. However, because AI credits reset only on the first of the calendar month, the renewal provided no new AI credits, the downgrade did not result in usable Starter AI credits, and n8n does not allow customers to purchase additional top-ups.
The result is that I paid for renewed service but cannot use the AI Workflow Builder—and n8n will not even let me pay for additional credits so I can continue working.
Support has explained the reset policy but has not resolved the underlying service entitlement and billing issue. My human-review request is ticket T-86275.
This policy effectively blocks paying customers in the middle of production work. n8n needs either purchasable top-ups, billing-cycle-based resets, or a prorated credit allocation after plan changes.
Thanks for sharing this, Walter. Your experience is a very good example of the problem I was trying to highlight when I opened this thread.
I completely understand that AI Workflow Builder usage needs to have limits and that additional usage may need to be paid for. The frustrating part is reaching a point where you are willing to pay to continue working, but there is simply no way to do so until the credits reset.
In my case, I also ran out of AI Workflow Builder credits while actively working on n8n workflows. I would have been perfectly happy to purchase an additional pack of credits and carry on.
Your situation also highlights another issue I hadn’t considered when I started the thread: plan changes and billing dates don’t necessarily align with the calendar-month AI credit reset.
Hopefully n8n will consider introducing top-ups or some form of pay-as-you-go option. It seems like a relatively straightforward way of avoiding this kind of disruption for customers who are actively using the AI Workflow Builder.