The best AI agent builder is the one that matches your team's skills and the systems the agent must touch. No-code builders suit owners who want quick wins, while open source and low-code platforms suit technical teams who want control and self-hosting. Most offer a free way in. This page lists ten in no particular order.
An AI agent is only as useful as the jobs you trust it with. The building part has become surprisingly easy; deciding what the agent is allowed to read, write and send is where most of the thinking should go, and it's the part most guides skip.
Here are ten agent builders in no particular order, sorted alphabetically, ranging from no-code tools for non-technical owners to open source platforms you can host yourself. Each description comes from the platform's own website, re-checked today. If you're not sure an agent is the right answer yet, read my guide on when an agent is worth building first.
How the ten agent platforms line up
In the free plan column, Yes means the platform's own site describes a free plan, free credits or a free self-hosted edition, and Trial only means a time-limited trial. For two of the open source tools, the free answer rests on the self-hosted or community edition rather than the hosted plans.
| Tool | Type | Good for | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Botpress | AI agent platform | Visual builder for chat agents | Yes |
| Dify | Open source agent platform | Sandbox plan or open source self-hosting | Yes |
| Flowise | Open source agent builder | Visual builder for agents and LLM flows | Yes |
| Langflow | Low-code AI builder | Agentic and RAG apps on a canvas | Yes |
| Lindy | No-code AI agent builder | Starter credits, no card needed | Yes |
| MindStudio | No-code AI agent platform | Free plan with one agent | Yes |
| n8n | Workflow automation with AI agents | Self-hosted Community Edition | Yes |
| StackAI | No-code AI workflow builder | Free plan with monthly runs | Yes |
| Voiceflow | Conversational agent builder | Chat and voice agents for clients | Trial only |
| Zapier | Automation platform with AI agents | Free forever plan for simple automations | Yes |
Ten AI agent builders, alphabetically
Botpress
Best for: Teams who want to build AI agents visually, with a free plan that includes three seats and a monthly conversation allowance.
Dify
Best for: Builders who want a platform for agentic workflows, with a free Sandbox plan to try it or an open source edition to self-deploy.
Flowise
Best for: Developers and technical teams who want an open source visual builder for AI agents and LLM workflows, with tracing and evaluations.
Langflow
Best for: Aimed at builders who want a low-code visual canvas for agentic and RAG applications, with a free cloud account or self-hosting.
Lindy
Best for: Non-technical owners who want AI teammates for roles such as sales, support and operations, starting with free credits and no card.
MindStudio
Best for: Non-technical teams that want to build AI agents without code, starting on a free plan with one agent plus usage.
n8n
Best for: Technical small teams who want workflow automation with AI agents and AI nodes, including a self-hosted Community Edition; hosted plans start with a trial.
StackAI
Best for: Aimed at teams that want to build and deploy AI workflows and agents, starting on a free plan with a monthly run allowance.
Voiceflow
Best for: Agencies and businesses building conversational AI agents for customers, with multi-client workspaces and a free trial that needs no card.
Zapier
Best for: Non-technical owners who want AI steps and agents connected to thousands of apps, starting on a free forever plan.
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Four security areas the NCSC wants covered
The UK's National Cyber Security Centre, the NCSC, publishes guidelines for secure AI system development, and they're more practical than the title suggests. They split the life of an AI system into four areas: secure design, secure development, secure deployment, and secure operation and maintenance. The point they press is that security has to be a core requirement the whole way through, not something added while it's being built.
For a small business wiring an agent into its inbox, CRM or spreadsheets, those four areas make a handy pre-launch checklist. Design: what should the agent never be able to do? Development: which data and tools does it get, and with what permissions? Deployment: who can switch it on and change it? Operation: who checks its work each week, and how do you turn it off fast if something goes wrong?
No-code, low-code or open source?
- No-code builders suit owners who want an agent running in an afternoon and are happy inside the platform's limits.
- Low-code canvases suit people comfortable with a little logic who want more control over each step.
- Open source platforms suit technical teams who want to self-host, keep data on their own servers and extend the code.
- Automation platforms with agent features suit businesses whose real need is connecting apps, with AI as one step in the chain.
Building your first agent in six steps
- Write down one job, in one sentence, that the agent will do.
- List every app and data source it needs, and give it the narrowest access that works.
- Build it on a free plan or trial with test data, never live customer records.
- Run it alongside a person for a fortnight and compare the results.
- Add a clear hand-off to a human for anything it isn't sure about.
- Set a weekly review and a way to switch it off in one click.
Agent mistakes small teams make early on
- Starting with the hardest process. Pick something dull and repetitive first.
- Giving it every permission. An agent that can send emails can send the wrong ones.
- No owner. Someone has to be responsible for what it does.
- Skipping the test plan. Decide what good looks like before you build.
If you want a ready-made structure, my checklist of agent guardrails and test plan template for agents turn the steps above into something you can tick off.
Do you make AI agent builders or agent platforms? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
My plain advice on picking an agent platform
If nobody on your team writes code, start with a no-code builder or an automation platform with agent steps, and give it one small, boring job. If you have a developer and care about where your data sits, look at the open source options you can host yourself, and set aside time for hosting, updates and backups.
Whatever you choose, treat the NCSC's four areas as your launch gate. An agent that's been designed with limits, tested on dummy data and given a named owner is worth far more than a clever one nobody's watching.
Frequently asked questions
What is an AI agent builder?
It's a platform for creating AI agents that follow instructions, use tools and complete tasks, often through a visual editor.
Can I build an AI agent without coding?
Yes. Several no-code builders let you set up an agent with plain-language instructions and ready-made app connections.
Are there free AI agent builders?
Yes. Many describe a free plan, free credits or a free open source edition you host yourself, and others start with a trial.
Is open source better for AI agents?
It gives you more control and the option to self-host, but you'll be responsible for setup, updates and security.
How do I keep an AI agent secure?
The NCSC's guidelines cover secure design, development, deployment, and operation and maintenance. Limit permissions, test with dummy data and review its work regularly.
What should my first AI agent do?
Something repetitive and low-risk, such as sorting enquiries or drafting replies for a person to check before they go out.
