We’ve been deploying workflow automation tools for clients since 2022. n8n keeps coming up as the go-to Zapier replacement – open source, self-hosted, unlimited executions. But the question everyone asks is: what does it actually cost to run n8n yourself?
The answer depends on your setup. n8n Cloud starts at $24/mo with strict execution limits. Self-hosting removes those limits but introduces hosting costs and maintenance trade-offs. Here’s what each option actually costs after you account for everything.
n8n Cloud Pricing in 2026
n8n’s official hosted service has three tiers:
| Plan | Price | Executions/mo | Active Workflows |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | $24/mo | 2,500 | 5 |
| Pro | $60/mo | 10,000 | 50 |
| Enterprise | Custom | Unlimited | Unlimited |
The execution limits are the real constraint. One workflow triggering every 5 minutes burns through 8,640 executions per month. The Starter plan runs dry in 9 days from a single workflow.
For teams running multiple webhook-triggered workflows, the Pro plan’s 10,000 executions disappears fast. You’re either paying overages or upgrading to Enterprise with custom pricing.
Self-Hosting: The Actual Options
“Free” software still needs to run somewhere. Here are the realistic hosting options ranked by cost.
Managed one-click hosting ($3-7/mo)
Platforms like InstaPods and PikaPods let you deploy n8n with a single click. No Docker, no nginx, no SSL setup. You get a running n8n instance with HTTPS in under a minute.
- InstaPods: $3/mo (Launch) or $7/mo (Build – recommended for 10+ workflows)
- PikaPods: ~$3.80/mo (minimum resources)
- Maintenance: None. Updates, SSL, backups handled by the platform.
- Executions: Unlimited on both.
At $3-7/mo with zero maintenance, this is the lowest total cost of ownership for most developers. You’re paying roughly 1/8th of n8n Cloud Starter and getting unlimited executions.
Raw VPS + Docker ($4-5/mo)
Rent a Hetzner CX22 ($4.51/mo), install Docker, run n8n with Docker Compose. Full control over everything.
- Cost: $4-5/mo for the VPS
- Setup: 30-60 minutes if you know Docker
- Maintenance: OS updates, Docker updates, n8n updates, SSL renewal, backups, firewall rules
- Executions: Unlimited
The cheapest raw option, but you’re the sysadmin. When n8n pushes a breaking update or your SSL cert expires at 2am, that’s on you.
Coolify on a VPS ($5-8/mo)
Coolify gives you a Heroku-like PaaS on your own VPS. GUI deployments, automatic SSL, basic monitoring.
- Cost: $5-8/mo (VPS cost)
- Setup: 30-60 minutes for Coolify, then a few minutes for n8n
- Maintenance: VPS and Coolify updates
- Executions: Unlimited
Good if you’re running multiple self-hosted apps on one server.
Elestio (~$17/mo)
Fully managed, but expensive. At $17/mo you’re close to n8n Cloud Starter pricing ($24/mo), though without execution limits.
Makes sense if you want managed hosting and budget isn’t the primary concern.
The Execution Math
Let’s make this concrete. Say you run four workflows:
- Slack notification bot: webhook-triggered, ~200 executions/day
- CRM sync: runs hourly, 24 executions/day
- Invoice processor: webhook-triggered, ~10 executions/day
- Weekly report: 4 executions/month
That’s ~7,020 executions per month.
On n8n Cloud Starter ($24/mo, 2,500 limit): you hit the cap in 11 days. Need Pro at $60/mo.
On self-hosted ($3-7/mo): same workload runs without any limits. That’s a $53-57/mo difference, or $636-684/year.
For one developer running moderate automation, self-hosting saves over $600/year. For a team, the savings multiply.
When n8n Cloud Makes Sense
Self-hosting isn’t always the right call:
- Zero-ops teams: If nobody on the team wants to think about infrastructure, n8n Cloud removes that entirely
- Low-volume automation: Under 2,500 executions/month, the Starter plan is fine
- Enterprise compliance: n8n Cloud Enterprise includes SSO, LDAP, and audit logs out of the box
- Rapid prototyping: Need to test n8n before committing? Cloud’s free trial gets you started immediately
Our Recommendation
For solo developers and small teams running any meaningful automation volume: self-host. The cost difference is too large to ignore, and platforms like InstaPods have removed the traditional self-hosting pain (server setup, SSL, maintenance).
If you’re running fewer than 2,500 executions per month and never want to touch infrastructure, n8n Cloud Starter is reasonable.
For a complete breakdown of every n8n pricing tier, execution costs, and which plan fits which use case, check out this detailed n8n pricing guide for 2026.