A task is any successful action that runs in Zapier. Only successful actions count toward your task usage. This article explains what counts and what does not.
What counts toward task usage
In Zap workflows, the following count as tasks:
- All successful action steps.
- Any successful step within an error handler path.
- Any previously successful steps that run again when you replay an entire Zap run.
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In a sub-Zap:
- Each action step within the sub-Zap.
- The Call a Sub-Zap action step in the Zap.
- The Return From a Sub-Zap action step in the Zap.
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In search actions, the number of tasks depends on your settings:
- Yes (proceed if nothing found): the search action uses 1 task.
- No: the search action uses no tasks.
- In AI by Zapier, task usage depends on the model tier you select. Learn more about AI by Zapier model tier pricing.
- In Code by Zapier, steps use 1 task per run with standard runtime, and can use more tasks if you extend the runtime. Learn more about how Code by Zapier usage is measured.
Some Zapier products have different task rates:
- In Zapier Lead Router, each successful lead routed counts as 5 tasks.
- In Zapier MCP, each successful tool call counts as 2 tasks. Failed tool calls do not count toward your task usage.
What does not count toward task usage?
In Zap workflows, the following do not count as tasks:
- All trigger steps.
- Any Filter or Paths step.
- All action steps that error or halt.
- All steps that do not run, either because of a previous filter or path condition, or because the Zap errored.
- In a sub-Zap, the Start a Sub-Zap trigger.
- Steps for Zapier Tables and Zapier Forms.
- Steps for the following Zapier apps:
Zapier Agents usage does not count as tasks. Agents use a separate activity quota. Learn more about how Zapier Agents usage is measured.
You have a Zap that:
- Triggers when a new email with an attachment is received in Gmail.
- Uploads the attachment to Dropbox.
- Sends a direct message in Slack with a link to the newly uploaded file.
Uploading the file to Dropbox and sending a message in Slack automates two tasks. If your Zap runs ten times, it will use 20 tasks.
Zap triggers and tasks
Zap triggers never use tasks. A Zap's first step is always a trigger. Polling triggers will poll an app or check for new trigger events at a regular interval, but these polls never use tasks.
You have a Zap that polls Facebook every two minutes to check for new leads, then sends them to your CRM app. If your plan has a two-minute polling interval, Zapier will check Facebook for new leads five times in a ten-minute period (every two minutes). If the Zap finds two new leads during that 10-minute period, two tasks will be used when those leads are successfully sent to the CRM.
If a Zap checks an app every two minutes, it will complete over 20 thousand polls per month. Zapier does not charge for these events.
Task limits and pricing
The number of tasks your account can use depends on the pricing plan you select. Once your plan reaches its task limit, you'll be charged separately for any extra tasks.
Zapier will email you once you reach the plan's task limit and start using pay-per-task billing. After this, you will be notified by email:
- When you reach 80% of the pay-per-task billing limit.
- When you reach 100% of pay-per-task billing tasks, equivalent to 3x your selected plan's task limit.
Once you reach that limit, all other tasks will be held until the end of your billing cycle. If you do not want to wait to replay held Zap runs, you can upgrade your plan.
Plans without pay-per-task billing
If your plan does not include pay-per-task billing or if you have turned it off, when your plan reaches its task limit Zapier will hold any new Zap runs until your billing cycle resets.
Zapier will also send you emails:
- When you reach 80% of your task limit.
- When you reach 100% of your task limit.
You can replay held Zap runs and continue using Zapier MCP and Lead Router once one of these happens:
- Your billing cycle resets.
- You upgrade your plan.
- You enable pay-per-task billing.
All these actions reset your usage and let you continue using tasks.
Monitor task usage
Task usage is displayed in different areas for different users and purposes. Learn more about where to find your task usage.
The owner and any super admins on an Enterprise plan, or the owner of a Team plan, can export a breakdown of task usage per account member as a CSV file.
- Go to your member settings.
- In the upper right, click Export member data.
- Select Save when prompted.
The file contains the following information for the current billing cycle:
- The names and email addresses of all members of your account.
- Their member role in your Zapier account.
- The number of Zap workflows they have turned on.
- The number of tasks they've used.
You can review all the tasks your Zap workflows attempted in your Zap history. Learn more about what information is available in Zap history.
If you're on an Enterprise plan, you can also set up usage alerts to get notified when task usage exceeds a threshold you define.