Zapier AI agents or AI teammates
Zapier Agents are AI teammates in Zapier that work across your apps. Instead of following fixed steps like a Zap, an agent follows your instructions and decides which of its allowed actions to use.
Zapier Agents are AI helpers you build inside Zapier. You give an agent instructions in plain English, connect the apps and data it can use, and choose what starts it, like a new email or a schedule.
The big difference from a Zap is who decides the steps. A Zap does the same steps every time. An agent reads the situation and picks which of its allowed actions to take, so it can handle messier jobs like researching a lead or drafting a reply.
Standalone Agents are billed in activities, not tasks. Each action, web browse or knowledge lookup counts as one activity. The Free plan includes 400 activities a month, and the Agents Pro add-on raises that to 1,500, with a cap on how many one run can use. Zapier is now moving agents into AI by Zapier steps inside Zaps, which use tasks based on the AI model you pick. So I build new agent work inside a Zap, with approval switched on for any tool that sends something.
Most of what my clients need is still a Zap. If the steps are the same every time, a Zap is cheaper, faster and easier to check.
I use agents for the judgement bits, like reading an enquiry and deciding which service it's about, or pulling together background on a new lead. And I put an approval step before anything the agent sends to a customer, so a person checks it first.
The agent does the legwork. A person sends the email.
Use a Zap when the steps are always the same. Use an agent when the job needs judgement, like reading text and deciding what to do. Lots of good setups use both.
Standalone Agents use activities, not tasks: 400 a month free, or 1,500 with the Agents Pro add-on. Zaps an agent starts still use tasks. Agents moved into AI by Zapier steps use tasks, and the number depends on the model tier.
Only with limits. Give an agent the fewest actions it needs, keep it to read only where you can, and add an approval step before anything goes to a customer. If you're building agent work inside a Zap with AI by Zapier, switch on 'Require approval before running' for any tool that sends something.
I set these up and train your team, in your own ClickUp or Zapier account.
Book a callContact Jack - jack@withtoki.co.uk