n8n introduces Agents that can use existing workflows as tools
By Automate Basics, written with AI from n8n's original
n8n has introduced Agents that work toward a goal using the tools and workflows a user gives them. The feature is aimed at teams handling requests whose next step depends on what they find or what a person says.
What changed with n8n Agents
n8n says users can now create an Agent by describing its job, choosing a model and giving it access to selected tools or workflows. Instead of following a fixed sequence, the Agent decides which allowed action to take as a request develops. The same Agent can respond in Slack, run on a schedule or be called from a workflow.
Existing workflows can serve as tools, so a team can keep a reliable process fixed while letting the Agent decide when to use it. A new Message an Agent node also lets a workflow ask an Agent to handle one step and pass its answer onward. n8n says the existing AI Agent node has not changed, and workflows already built with it will keep working. Sessions record the Agent's actions and tool calls for review.
Who can use n8n Agents, and what do they cost?
n8n Agents are available in preview to n8n Cloud users on the latest stable version, according to n8n. Self-hosted users can use them with additional setup, while availability for Enterprise is still to come. n8n says uploaded files for Agent knowledge are available on Cloud.
n8n counts each Agent turn as one execution against the same quota used by workflows. Calls from an Agent to workflows or other Agents do not count as separate executions. Creating an Agent with n8n Assistant uses AI credits. Users can try a model with n8n Gateway credits without supplying their own AI provider key. The announcement does not give a separate Agent subscription price or say how many Gateway credits users receive.
How do I try n8n Agents at work?
A small internal question-answering task is a sensible first trial for n8n Agents. n8n suggests a Slack bot connected to systems colleagues regularly ask about. Give the Agent a clear job and only the tools it needs, then try questions that require it to look up information or ask for clarification. Check whether its answer reflects the source material and whether the recorded session shows appropriate tool use.
n8n says users can start from the Agents tab with Create Agent, or describe the job to n8n Assistant. For a task that writes to another system, n8n recommends limiting the Agent's tools, using a test channel and requiring approval for sensitive actions. Review the draft before publishing it for the team. Agents are still in preview, so testing matters even when the initial task appears straightforward.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to rebuild my existing n8n workflows?
No. n8n says an Agent can call an existing workflow as a tool without changing that workflow. The AI Agent node also remains available, and workflows built with it continue to work. The new Message an Agent node offers another option when a workflow needs an Agent for one step.
Can an n8n Agent take action without a person approving it?
n8n says users choose which tools an Agent can access and can require approval before it uses a sensitive tool. For work that changes records or sends urgent messages, n8n recommends narrowly scoped tools, a test channel and approvals while the Agent is being tested.
How is usage counted for n8n Agents?
According to n8n, one Agent turn counts as one execution and shares the workflow execution quota. Calls to workflows and other Agents made during that turn are not counted separately. Using n8n Assistant to build an Agent consumes AI credits, as other Assistant conversations do.
Related reading
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Tools in this piece
Written with AI from n8n's original and published after automatic checks: every figure here appears in the original, and no sentence is copied from it. The picture is AI-generated. The original is the authority.
Source: Introducing n8n Agents, n8n, 25 Sept 2026.