n8n Cloud adds Gateway credits to use AI models without API keys

n8n announced Gateway credits on September 17, 2026. Starting with n8n version 2.36, users on the Starter and Pro plans of n8n Cloud can run supported AI models and tool services without creating an account with each provider or pasting in an API key. Usage is paid from one prepaid balance in n8n. On September 30, n8n also let Cloud users buy extra credits for its building assistant.

What Gateway credits cover

When you add a node for a supported service, you pick Gateway credits instead of your own credentials. At launch that covers six model providers and five tool services:

• Models: Anthropic, Google Gemini, OpenAI, Alibaba Cloud (Qwen), Kimi.ai and MiniMax
• Tools: Brave Search, Browserbase, Firecrawl, LlamaParse and PDF.co

n8n says it aims to charge each provider’s published list price wherever one exists, lists every rate on a public page, and shows the balance in real currency. The post does not give the rates themselves. The provider receives the content of each request, but not your identity or n8n account details. Usage can be tracked by workflow or service in the Cloud Admin Panel, and Gateway credits can be switched on or off for everyone on the instance in Workspace settings.

New Cloud accounts, including trials, start with a small balance, and existing paying Starter and Pro customers got a one-time allowance during the rollout. The post does not say how much. Gateway credits are not available on self-hosted n8n yet.

Assistant top-ups

n8n Assistant, which builds and fixes workflows from prompts, has its own monthly credits. Since September 30, 2026, Starter and Pro users can buy more when they run out, by hand or with auto top-up, which has a monthly spending cap that is on by default. Extra credits carry over and expire 12 months after purchase. Included credits still reset on the 1st of each month.

n8n also changed each plan’s monthly Assistant allowance and gave credits one fixed value across paid plans. It says the new allowance will go further for most people but does not publish the numbers. Its rough guide: a quick question uses 10 to 20 credits, a simple workflow 50 to 100, and a larger build or long debugging session 300 to 600.

What to do

Gateway credits are handy for trying a model or service before you sign up with that provider. For heavy, steady use, compare the rates on n8n’s page with a direct account, since bringing your own key still works as before.