Detection reference
These are the patterns MarginKit can identify in an exported n8n workflow. Read each row as a practical translation: what the pattern means, where cost or delivery risk appears, and the plan that shows the evidence.
Everything runs locally on the exported file. Unknown behavior stays visible as unknown; estimates are ranges, not guarantees.
| Pattern | What it means | Why it can cost | Plan that shows it |
|---|---|---|---|
| NO_AI_NODES | No active AI node | There is no model spend to estimate in this export. | Free |
| UNSUPPORTED_AI_NODE | An AI-shaped node is not recognized | A node may be omitted from cost and risk totals until its type is mapped. | Free |
| UNCOUNTED_LLM_TOOL | A language-model tool is not counted | Tool usage can add paid calls that the visible model total misses. | Audit Pass |
| PINNED_DATA_PRESENT | Pinned execution data is present | Old sample data can be mistaken for live behavior and leak into a delivered export. | Audit Pass |
| HARDCODED_SECRET | A secret-like value is embedded in parameters | The export can carry a credential value into email, tickets or source control. | Audit Pass |
| LOOP_DETECTED | The workflow contains a real cycle | A paid node in the cycle can run repeatedly rather than once per trigger. | Audit Pass |
| AI_INSIDE_LOOP | An AI node sits inside a cycle | Every iteration can add model and tool spend. | Audit Pass |
| AGENT_ITERATIONS_UNBOUNDED | An agent has no explicit iteration limit | A failed tool or bad input can keep paid model calls running. | Audit Pass |
| AGENT_ITERATIONS_HIGH | An agent iteration limit is above the recommended ceiling | The first abnormal input has a larger cost ceiling. | Audit Pass |
| AGENT_TOOL_NO_ERROR_PATH | An agent tool has no error path | A failure can be interpreted as another reason to call the tool. | Audit Pass |
| RETRY_STORM | Retries can multiply a paid call | A transient failure can become several billable attempts. | Audit Pass |
| NON_TEXT_MODEL_PRICED_SEPARATELY | A non-text model uses a separate billing unit | Image, audio or other units cannot be estimated as ordinary text tokens. | Audit Pass |
| CODE_NODE_DANGEROUS_API | Code uses a high-impact API | File, process or network access can create delivery and data exposure. | Unlimited |
| RETRY_ON_SIDE_EFFECT | A side-effecting node retries | A timeout after success can duplicate a message, write or charge. | Unlimited |
| CONTINUE_ON_FAIL_MASKS_ERROR | An error is passed on as normal data | Downstream steps can act on a failed result as if it succeeded. | Unlimited |
| UNBOUNDED_PAGINATION | Pagination has no page ceiling | Production volume can turn a small test into an unexpectedly large bill. | Audit Pass |
| WHOLE_PAYLOAD_TO_MODEL | The whole upstream payload is sent to a model | Unused fields increase billed input and may expose data the prompt does not need. | Audit Pass |
| RETRY_NO_BACKOFF | Retries have no delay | A provider incident can cause a burst of repeated paid requests. | Unlimited |
| PREMIUM_MODEL | A premium model is used for a detected task | The same workload may cost more than a smaller model family. | Audit Pass |
| CHEAPER_MODEL_AVAILABLE | A cheaper same-family option is available | The current model may be costing more than an evidence-backed alternative. | Unlimited |
| LARGE_CONTEXT | The prompt carries a large context | Input tokens can dominate the bill even when output is short. | Audit Pass |
| UNKNOWN_MODEL | The model cannot be resolved | The estimate excludes the unresolved model and marks the total as a lower bound. | Free |
| MODEL_DEPRECATED | The selected model is scheduled for retirement | A working workflow can fail or change pricing when the provider removes it. | Free |
| PAID_API_HTTP | An HTTP node targets a paid AI API | Direct provider calls can add spend outside the model node total. | Audit Pass |
| EMBEDDING_COST_NOT_BILLED | Embedding usage is present but not billed | Vector workloads can create a cost gap if usage is not attributed. | Audit Pass |
| COMMUNITY_NODE_UNVERIFIED | A community node is not in the offline catalog | Its behavior and cost surface need review before delivery. | Unlimited |
| AGENT_UNTRUSTED_INPUT_WITH_ACTIONS | Untrusted input reaches an agent with actions | Content can be treated as instructions while the agent has tools that affect the outside world. | Unlimited |
| SCHEDULE_HIGH_FREQUENCY | A trigger runs at high frequency | The real cadence can produce far more monthly calls than a manual estimate. | Free |
| WEBHOOK_NO_DEDUPE | A webhook lacks de-duplication | Redelivery can repeat every paid step for the same event. | Unlimited |
| NO_ERROR_WORKFLOW | Paid work has no error workflow | Failures can go unnoticed until a client reports missing or partial output. | Unlimited |
Purchase path: start with the free browser analyzer. The Audit Pass is $9 for 30 days on one evolving workflow; Unlimited is $99/year; Agency is $249/year. Compare plans.