Before You Shortlist
Document your top 3 use cases in writing. Every platform looks good until you test it against a specific workflow.
Write down your volume expectations: executions per month, users, integrations needed.
Identify your deal-breakers: self-hosting, specific compliance, existing tool compatibility.
Set a budget range, including LLM token costs.
Features Checklist
Visual builder: can non-technical team members build workflows?
AI nodes: does it have native LLM integrations with the models you want?
Conditional logic: can it branch, loop, and handle complex decisions?
Human-in-the-loop: can humans approve steps before execution?
Error handling: what happens when a step fails?
Versioning: can you roll back workflows or see history?
Templates: are there starting templates for common use cases?
Testing: can you test workflows safely before going live?
Integrations Checklist
List every tool you need to connect: CRM, email, CMS, database, APIs.
Check that each one has a native integration or accessible via webhook.
Test the native integration in a trial. Docs often exaggerate capabilities.
Check auth flows: do they support your SSO, OAuth, and API key patterns?
Ask about integration stability and how quickly they add new ones.
Compliance and Security Checklist
Data residency: where does the data live? Can you keep it in your region?
Compliance certifications: SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA BAA, GDPR.
Data retention: how long does the platform keep your data? Can you configure it?
Model training: do they train on your prompts? Get it in writing.
Audit logs: full visibility of who did what when.
Access controls: roles, permissions, SSO support.
Incident response: what is their breach notification process?
Pricing Checklist
Base platform cost.
Per-user costs.
Per-execution costs.
Token costs (LLM providers usually separate).
Premium integration costs.
Overage costs: what happens if you exceed limits?
Annual discount availability.
Exit costs: can you export your workflows or are you locked in?
Support Checklist
Documentation quality. Read it before buying.
Community size. Active forums and Discord matter.
Response time for support tickets.
Dedicated customer success manager at which tier?
Onboarding assistance.
SLA terms for your tier.
Status page and uptime history.
Trial Process Checklist
Build one of your real workflows, not a demo.
Connect to at least two real integrations.
Test error handling: what happens when things go wrong?
Get a second team member involved. How easy is it for them to understand?
Test the mobile experience if relevant.
Contact support with a real question. How do they respond?
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Explore Agent Console HQFrequently Asked Questions
Plan for 1 to 2 weeks. You want to build a real workflow, test it, and stress-test the platform. Anything shorter is a demo, not a trial.
Token costs. Platforms advertise subscription pricing and forget to mention that LLM tokens are separate and can double the bill.
Build the same workflow in each candidate. Measure time to build, cost to run, and ease of maintenance. Use a spreadsheet.
Walk away. Any credible platform has a free trial. If they are unwilling, they do not believe in their product.
Not automatically. Cheap tools can cost more in time spent working around limitations. Factor in your time.
Assume switching costs 3 to 6 months of rebuild time. Try hard to pick well upfront, but do not treat it as irreversible.
Partially. Well-funded vendors are more likely to be around in 3 years. But massive funding does not guarantee product quality. Check customer references too.