What credential does n8n need for NovAI?

Create an OpenAI credential in n8n with base URL https://aiapi-pro.com/v1 and your NovAI API key; every AI node (LLM Chain, AI Agent, Text Classifier) can then use any of the 121 Chinese models.

Are there free models I can use in n8n automations?

Yes: GLM-4.7-Flash, GLM-4.6V-Flash, GLM-4.1V-Thinking-Flash, CogView3-Flash, CogVideoX-Flash are free and unlimited on NovAI (no token cap, no card). New accounts also get $2 credit for paid models.

Does NovAI add a markup on model prices?

No. Prices are the raw provider list rate with 0% platform fee (vs OpenRouter ~5.5%). Live per-model prices: /china-ai-leaderboard.json.

n8n + Chinese AI Models (2026)

Updated 2026-10-10 · verified against the live model list

n8n is the workflow automation tool that glues 400+ apps together, and its AI nodes speak OpenAI. Create one credential for NovAI and every AI node — LLM Chain, AI Agent, Text Classifier, Information Extractor — can run on 121 Chinese frontier models, with five of them free and unlimited.

Create the NovAI credential

In n8n open Credentials → Add Credential.
Search OpenAI and select it.
Set Base URL to https://aiapi-pro.com/v1 and API Key to your NovAI key.
Save. Every AI node now lists the Chinese models.

# optional: self-host n8n via docker
docker run -it --name n8n -p 5678:5678 \
  -e OPENAI_API_BASE_URL=https://aiapi-pro.com/v1 \
  -e OPENAI_API_KEY=YOUR_NOVAI_KEY \
  docker.n8n.io/n8nio/n8n

Which model per AI node

n8n AI node	Model	Cost
Text Classifier (high volume)	glm-4.7-flash	Free, unlimited
Information Extractor	glm-5.3-flash	$0.08 / $0.28 per 1M
LLM Chain (summarise)	glm-4.7-flash	Free, unlimited
AI Agent (tool calls)	deepseek-v4-pro / kimi-k2.7-code	see live leaderboard

Automation patterns that save money

Classify → route: a free flash model tags each item, then only flagged items go to a paid pro model.
Extract → verify: extract with a cheap model, verify only low-confidence results with a pro model.
Batch → escalate: run high-volume extraction on a free unlimited model; escalate edge cases.

Troubleshooting

Node lists no models: confirm the credential Base URL ends with /v1; test curl https://aiapi-pro.com/v1/models.
401 on run: key not active or credits exhausted — top-up from $5, or switch to a free model.
Self-hosted n8n cannot reach NovAI: ensure the container has outbound internet; the base URL is public.

Exact live prices for all 121 models: leaderboard (machine-readable JSON). NovAI charges 0% platform fee — you pay the raw provider list price.

Get a key: $2 free credit · Browse models: model catalog · Pricing: live leaderboard