The Sim Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Sim in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Sim
The Insider’s Guide
Open-source workspace for building and running AI agents
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among AI agents, read from Sim’s own pages.
Made by Sim Studio, Inc. · checked Oct 9, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Sim’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Sim’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 9, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.6
GPA, above 27 of the 51 other AI agents we grade
Sim is an open-source AI workspace where teams build, deploy and monitor agents. Agent logic is assembled from blocks on a visual canvas, described in a chat, or driven through the API and CLI, and it draws on built-in knowledge bases, tables and files. Workflows are deployed as an API, a chat or an MCP server, and every run is logged block by block. Sim is offered as a hosted cloud billed in credits and as Apache-2.0 code you can self-host with Docker or Kubernetes.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Sim, taken from its own pages and our grades.
No rating on record, and this is a canvas you build on.
- 1
Best for teams building and monitoring their own agents
Sim is an open-source workspace for building agents as blocks on a canvas, or by describing them in chat, and putting them out as an API, a chat or an MCP server.
- 2
Paid plans start at $21.25 a month for each person
As its pricing page puts it: $21.25 per user / month, billed annually ($255); $25 billed monthly.
- 3
There is a free plan
1,000 one-time credits (1 credit is $0.005), 1 workspace, 5 GB of file storage, 5 tables and 30 days of logs, with no teammates. The Apache-2.0 code can also be self-hosted.
- 4
It runs on 2 platforms
Web and macOS.
- 5
Workflow builder
Agent logic is laid out as connected blocks: agents, API calls, functions, conditions, routers, loops, parallel branches and human-in-the-loop steps.
- 6
Building in Chat
Describe a system in plain language and Chat scaffolds the workflows, tables and knowledge bases, which you then open, run and refine in the builder.
- 7
Knowledge bases, tables and files
Knowledge bases draw on uploaded documents and on connectors to sources such as Notion, Google Drive, Confluence and SharePoint. Tables hold structured rows, and files store agent inputs and outputs.
- 8
A 2.6 GPA, above 27 of 51
That is against the other AI agents we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
To replace Sim you would be making an AI agent, with the models and the safeguards behind it. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
Sim at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $21.25 per user / month, billed annually ($255); $25 billed monthly
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web, macOS
- Made by
- Sim Studio, Inc.
- Category
- AI Agents
- Our grade
- 2.6 GPA, good
The report card
Best for teams building and monitoring their own agents
Sim is an open-source workspace for building agents as blocks on a canvas, or by describing them in chat, and putting them out as an API, a chat or an MCP server. The free cloud plan is 1,000 credits once with 1 workspace and no teammates, Pro is $25 a user billed monthly, and every run costs a base credit even on your own keys. Sim Mailer and sandboxes wait at Max from $85, and if you want an assistant that's ready on day one, this isn't it.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | Pro is $21.25 a user a month billed annually, $25 monthly. That is exactly the middle for agent tools here, which is where most of them sit. It's priced per user, every workflow run costs a base credit even on your own model keys, and Sim Mailer, KB Live Sync and sandboxes wait at Max from $85. |
| Free plan and trial | B | Two free routes. The cloud one is a taster: 1,000 credits once, no weekly refresh, 1 workspace, no teammates. The real one is the Apache-2.0 code, which you can self-host with Docker or Kubernetes and run with no cap on it. One person could live on that, if they're the sort who'll do it. |
| Features | B | It covers the whole job: blocks for agents, API calls, conditions, loops, parallel branches and human-in-the-loop; triggers from a schedule, a webhook, an RSS feed or a table event; knowledge bases, tables and files; and runs traced block by block with cost per model. n8n and dify do the same, so no A. |
| Ease of use | C | No rating on record, and this is a canvas you build on. Chat will scaffold the workflows, tables and knowledge bases from a description, but you're still wiring blocks and connecting accounts before anything runs. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | A web app plus a desktop app for Mac only, and no phone app at all. It connects to Slack, GitHub, Gmail, Notion, Salesforce, Jira, Linear and HubSpot, with an API and a command-line tool behind them. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Sim is for
- Fits if your team builds internal agents that share knowledge bases, tables and logs
- Works for organizations that need to self-host an open-source agent platform
Who it is not for
- Tight if you're staying on the free cloud plan, with 1,000 one-time credits, 1 workspace and no teammates
- Skip it if you want an assistant that works out of the box, because here you build the agent first
- Pricey if you need Sim Mailer, sandboxes or Slack Connect, as those start at Max, from $85 a user
- Watch out: every workflow run costs a base credit even on your own model keys, and SSO is Enterprise only
- Skip it if you want a phone app or a desktop app outside Mac, as the only desktop app needs macOS 12 or later
Good to know
Good for
- Teams building internal agents that share knowledge bases, tables and logs
- Developers who want a visual builder plus an API and a CLI
- Organizations that need to self-host an open-source agent platform
Worth knowing
- The Free plan's 1,000 credits are a one-time grant with no weekly refresh, and it allows 1 workspace and no teammates.
- Every workflow run carries a base charge of 1 credit, even when you bring your own model keys.
- Sim Mailer, KB Live Sync, sandboxes and Slack Connect start at Max; access control and SSO are Enterprise only.
- The desktop app is for macOS only (macOS 12 or later); on other systems Sim is used in a browser.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$21.25
A month to start, for each person. There is a free plan too
Sim has a free plan. Paid plans start at $21.25 per user / month, billed annually ($255); $25 billed monthly.
That is exactly the middle for agent tools here, which is where most of them sit.
Free
$0
1,000 one-time credits, 1 workspace, 10 concurrent executions, 5 GB of file storage, 5 tables and 30-day log retention.
Pro
$21.25
per user / month, billed annually ($255); $25 billed monthly
6,000 credits a month plus 2,000 a week, 3 workspaces, teammates, 50 concurrent executions, 50 GB of storage and unlimited log retention.
Max
$85
per user / month, billed annually ($1,020); $100 billed monthly
25,000 credits a month plus 4,000 a week, 200 concurrent executions, 500 GB of storage, Sim Mailer, KB Live Sync, sandboxes and Slack Connect.
Enterprise
Custom
Custom credits and limits, with access control, SSO, SOC 2 compliance, self-hosting and dedicated support.
The free plan
1,000 one-time credits (1 credit is $0.005), 1 workspace, 5 GB of file storage, 5 tables and 30 days of logs, with no teammates. The Apache-2.0 code can also be self-hosted.
Read from sim.ai on Oct 9, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Annual discount
15% off with annual billing
Sim's docs list annual billing at a 15% discount on all paid plans: Pro is $255 a year instead of $25 a month, and Max is $1,020 a year instead of $100 a month.
Stated on docs.sim.ai
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
2
Places it runs: Web and macOS
Open-source workspace for building and running AI agents. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, self-hostable, public API, workflow automation, AI agents.
A web app plus a desktop app for Mac only, and no phone app at all.
- Workflow builder
- Agent logic is laid out as connected blocks: agents, API calls, functions, conditions, routers, loops, parallel branches and human-in-the-loop steps.
- Building in Chat
- Describe a system in plain language and Chat scaffolds the workflows, tables and knowledge bases, which you then open, run and refine in the builder.
- Knowledge bases, tables and files
- Knowledge bases draw on uploaded documents and on connectors to sources such as Notion, Google Drive, Confluence and SharePoint. Tables hold structured rows, and files store agent inputs and outputs.
- Triggers and deployment
- Workflows start from a schedule, a webhook, an RSS feed or a table event, and are deployed as an API endpoint, a chat interface or an MCP server.
- Logs and cost tracking
- Each run is traced block by block, with token counts and cost per model, and alerts can be set on the logs.
- Enterprise governance
- The Enterprise plan adds SSO and SCIM provisioning, permission groups that decide which models and integrations a group may use, audit logs and data retention settings.
Where it runs
- Web
- macOS
What it works with
- Slack
- GitHub
- Gmail
- Notion
- Salesforce
- Jira
- Linear
- HubSpot
Sim is made by Sim Studio, Inc.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
27/51
Other AI agents it is graded above
Sim's GPA of 2.6 is higher than 27 of the 51 other AI agents we grade, and level with 12.
It stands best on free plan and trial (B, above 40 of 51) and worst on ease of use (C, above 5).
Its paid plans start at $21.25 a month for each person, against a middle price of $21.25 for the category: 22 of the 44 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.7 out of 4. 7 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 52 AI agents we grade, cut by the letter each got. Sim’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 14 of 51
- BFree plan and trialAbove 40 of 51
- BFeaturesAbove 27 of 51
- CEase of useAbove 5 of 51
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 5 of 51
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 49 AI agents. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Sim is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
To replace Sim you would be making an AI agent, with the models and the safeguards behind it. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
It costs $255 a year. Sim is open source, so there is a third way: take its code and run it yourself.
What you could not
- An AI agent, with the models and the safeguards behind it.
- Connections to other products, each kept working as those products change.
- A real app for macOS. Something home-made would be a web page.
- It is priced for each person, which means accounts and billing for a team.
- What a company asks for before it lets staff use something: single sign-on, SCIM and audit logs.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. Sim’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
n8n, Gumloop, Dify, Langflow and Zapier
The 5 tools Sim is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.4GPA
n8n
Free plan · from €20/mo
Workflow automation and AI agents you can self-host.
- Only Sim lists a macOS app.
- Sim is open source, according to its own site.
- Sim also covers AI agents.
- 2.0GPA
Gumloop
Free trial · from $37/mo
AI agent builder for teams, with unlimited seats on shared credits.
- Sim has a free plan. Gumloop does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Sim lists a macOS app.
- Sim is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- 2.2GPA
Dify
Free plan · from $590/yr
Open-source platform for building AI agents and agentic workflows.
- Only Sim lists a macOS app.
- Dify also covers no-code.
- 2.8GPA
Langflow
Free plan
Open-source visual builder for AI agents and MCP servers.
- Only Langflow lists Windows and Linux apps.
- Sim also covers workflow automation.
- Langflow also covers templates.
- 2.6GPA
Zapier
Free plan · from $19.99/mo
Workflow automation across 9,000+ apps, with AI agents.
- Only Sim lists a macOS app.
- Only Zapier lists a browser extension.
- Sim is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
14
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Sim free?
Sim has a free plan. 1,000 one-time credits (1 credit is $0.005), 1 workspace, 5 GB of file storage, 5 tables and 30 days of logs, with no teammates.
How much does Sim cost?
Sim lists 4 plans. Free: $0.
What platforms does Sim work on?
Sim is available on Web and macOS.
Does Sim offer any discounts?
Sim publicly lists the following: 15% off with annual billing.
Does Sim have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. Sim is listed for Web and macOS.
Does Sim have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. Sim is listed for Web and macOS.
Is Sim open source?
Yes. Sim is open source, according to its own site.
Does Sim have an API?
Yes. Sim offers a public API, according to its own site.
What does Sim integrate with?
Sim's listing names Slack, GitHub, Gmail, Notion, Salesforce, Jira, Linear and HubSpot.
Who makes Sim?
Sim is made by Sim Studio, Inc.
What are the alternatives to Sim?
The closest alternatives to Sim in our directory are n8n, Gumloop, Dify, Langflow and Zapier.
How does Sim compare with other AI agents?
Sim's GPA of 2.6 is higher than 27 of the 51 other AI agents we grade, and level with 12.
Is Sim good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Sim C for value for money. Its paid plans start at $21.25 a month for each person, against a middle price of $21.25 for the category: 22 of the 44 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Sim?
To replace Sim you would be making an AI agent, with the models and the safeguards behind it.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Sim’s own pages on Oct 9, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Sim's own pages on 9 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-09-22.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Sim Studio, Inc. Prices change, so check sim.ai before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
3,189
Tools graded, in 94 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
3,189
tools graded
94
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Sim, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/sim
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Sim: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 9, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/sim
Know someone choosing between AI agents?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/sim/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded AI agents after Sim, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- AI Agents Insider's GuideEvery one of the 52 AI agents we grade, compared
- Genspark Insider's GuideAI workspace with an agent for research, slides, sheets and docs3.2 GPA
- Manus Insider's GuideGeneral AI agent for research, slides, websites and browser tasks3.2 GPA
- OpenClaw Insider's GuideOpen-source personal AI agent you run yourself and message in chat3.2 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Sim’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Sim is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Sim Studio, Inc. Prices and plans change: check sim.ai before you buy.