Airtable automation run limits: what happens when you run out
How Airtable counts automation runs, the monthly limit on each plan, what stops when you hit it, and how to use fewer runs.
Published · Updated · By Edgars Lapins
On this page
It usually happens near the end of the month: the new-lead email stops arriving, the Slack alert goes quiet, and nobody changed anything. Very often the reason is simple. The workspace has used its monthly Airtable automation runs. This guide explains how Airtable (airtable.com) counts them, what to check, and how to use fewer. It is based on Airtable’s Help Center, not on our own testing.
Checked 13 October 2026 on Airtable’s Help Center.
The limits by plan
Airtable lists these monthly limits, per workspace:
| Plan | Automation runs a month | Automations per base | Run history kept |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | 100 | 75 | 2 weeks |
| Team | 25,000 | 100 | 6 months |
| Business | 100,000 | 150 | 1 year |
| Enterprise Scale | 500,000 | 200 | 3 years |
The limit on automations per base counts every automation, including ones that are switched off. Only deleting one frees a slot. On the Free plan, the Run a script action is not available. For plan prices, check Airtable's pricing page.
How runs are counted
According to Airtable, a run is counted each time a trigger is invoked, whether the automation then succeeds or fails. The counter is per workspace and resets on the first day of each calendar month, not on your billing date.
What happens at the limit
Airtable’s troubleshooting article says automations stop running once the monthly allowance is used, and resume when the limit resets on the 1st, or sooner if you move to a plan with a higher limit. Workspace owners are emailed when usage reaches 80%, 90% and 100%.
Two things are worth knowing:
- A failed payment does not stop automations on its own. Airtable says runs are gated only by the monthly run limit, not by invoice status.
- Runaway automations can be paused. Airtable says it may automatically pause an automation that retriggers itself or fires continuously, and shows a banner when it does.
First checks when automations stop
- Open the workspace’s usage. Airtable shows run usage in the workspace summary, which needs Owner permissions.
- Check which workspace the base is in. Airtable notes that a common cause is a base sitting in a different workspace from the one on your paid plan.
- Check for a downgrade. A workspace moved to a lower plan has a lower limit.
- Look at the date. If it is near the 1st, the counter may simply be about to reset.
How to use fewer runs
- Stop loops. An automation that updates a field that triggers itself again can use runs very quickly.
- Tighten triggers. “When a record is updated” on a busy table fires often. Watch one specific field, or use a condition so only relevant changes trigger it.
- Batch scheduled jobs. One daily summary uses about 30 runs a month; one every 15 minutes uses about 2,900.
- Delete what you do not use. It frees automation slots, though only active triggers use runs.
- Move heavy jobs out. If a single process needs thousands of runs, a dedicated automation tool may be cheaper. Make (make.com) counts credits per action and n8n (n8n.io) counts one execution per full workflow run. See Make vs n8n for how they compare.
When to get help
If your bases have grown into a core business system, an agency can audit the automations and move heavy jobs to a better-suited tool. Browse Airtable specialists in the UK or workflow automation agencies.
Good for
- Small teams whose Airtable automations stopped mid-month
- Free-plan users wondering how far 100 runs go
- Anyone planning a new automation in a busy base
Not for
- Airtable API rate limits or record limits, which are separate
