Considering n8n for your workflow automation? Then you're facing an important decision: Self-Hosted or Cloud? In this article, we'll show you all costs transparently - including hidden expenses that are often overlooked. For a full platform comparison, read our Zapier vs. Make vs. n8n guide or the specific n8n vs. Make comparison.
n8n Pricing Models Overview
n8n offers two basic options:
1. n8n Cloud (Hosted by n8n)
The simplest option - n8n handles hosting, updates, and maintenance.
| Plan | Price/Month (annual billing) | Workflow Executions/Month |
|---|---|---|
| Starter | €20 | 2,500 |
| Pro | €50 | 10,000 |
| Business | €667 | 40,000 |
| Enterprise | On request | Negotiated |
As of August 2026. Vendor pricing changes — check current terms with the provider.
All cloud plans include unlimited users and unlimited workflows. The price depends solely on how many executions you run per month, not on how many people build workflows or how complex those workflows are. That is the structural difference to per-seat tools like Power Automate.
What is a workflow execution?
Every time a workflow is triggered and runs through, it counts as one execution. A workflow that runs hourly uses about 720 executions per month.
2. n8n Self-Hosted (Community Edition)
The open-source version is free to use. But beware: "free" doesn't mean "without costs".
Direct Costs Self-Hosted:
| Component | Cost/Month | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Server (VPS) | $10-50 | Hetzner, DigitalOcean, AWS |
| Domain + SSL | $1-2 | Optional but recommended |
| Backup Storage | $5-10 | Important for production |
| Total | $16-62 | Without labor time |
Hidden Costs Self-Hosted:
| Effort | Estimated Time | Value (at $80/h) |
|---|---|---|
| Initial Setup | 4-8 hours | $320-640 one-time |
| Updates (monthly) | 1-2 hours | $80-160/month |
| Troubleshooting | 2-4 hours/month | $160-320/month |
| Security Patches | 1-2 hours/month | $80-160/month |
Real Costs Self-Hosted: $300-700/month when you factor in your labor time.
3. n8n Enterprise (Self-Hosted)
For companies with special requirements:
- SSO/SAML Integration
- Advanced permissions
- SLA and Priority Support
- Audit Logs
- Price: on request — n8n does not publish Enterprise pricing
Cost Comparison: When Does What Pay Off?
Cloud makes sense when:
- You stay within the self-serve tiers (up to 40,000 executions/month on Business)
- No DevOps team available
- You want to start quickly
- Compliance is not an issue
Self-Hosted makes sense when:
- You have over 100,000 executions/month
- Server infrastructure already exists
- DevOps capacity is available
- Data must not leave your country
n8n vs. Competition: Price Comparison
| Tool | Entry Price | 10,000 Executions/Tasks | 100,000 Executions/Tasks |
|---|---|---|---|
| n8n Cloud | €20 | €50 (Pro) | On request (above Business) |
| n8n Self-Hosted | €0 | €0 | €0* |
| Zapier | $19.99 (Professional, 750 tasks) | approx. $129 (Professional) | $489 (Professional) |
| Make.com | $9 | $16 | $66 |
| Power Automate | $15/User | $15/User | $15/User |
*Server costs not included. Zapier figures are annual-billing prices; monthly billing is roughly a third more expensive. n8n's top self-serve tier (Business) covers 40,000 executions — beyond that you are in Enterprise territory and the price is negotiated.
Whether a given process justifies any of these plans is a separate question from which vendor is cheapest. If you are unsure which of your processes actually carry enough volume to earn their tooling, our bottleneck assessment works that out before you commit to a tier.
ROI Calculation: When Does n8n Pay Off?
Example calculation for an SMB:
Assuming you automate 3 processes that each save 10 hours/month of manual work:
| Factor | Value |
|---|---|
| Hours Saved | 30h/month |
| Employee Hourly Rate | €40 |
| Monthly Savings | €1,200 |
| n8n Costs (Cloud Pro) | €50 |
| Net Savings | €1,150/month |
| ROI | 2,300% |
The tool licence is almost never the deciding cost — implementation is. Budget separately for building the workflows themselves (see what we charge for implementation).
Common Questions About n8n Costs
Is there a free trial?
Yes, n8n Cloud offers a free trial. Self-Hosted is permanently free to use.
What happens when I exceed the limit?
Workflows are paused until the next billing period or you upgrade.
Can I switch later?
Yes, workflows can be migrated between Cloud and Self-Hosted.
What payment methods are available?
Credit card and for Enterprise also invoice.
Our Recommendation
For most companies, we recommend starting with n8n Cloud Pro (€50/month, 10,000 executions):
- Quick start without setup effort
- Enough capacity for first automations
- Easy upgrade when needed
- Focus on processes, not infrastructure
Only when you outgrow the Business tier's 40,000 executions/month, or when you have special compliance requirements, does switching to self-hosted make sense.
Next Steps
Not sure which option is right for you? We'll help you decide:
The choice of the right pricing model depends on your specific requirements. Let's find the best solution together. If you need professional setup, learn about our n8n implementation services. Contact us for a free consultation.
Prefer to learn, not outsource?
Before you worry about n8n tiers and server costs: does your team know the patterns that separate a productive workflow from a prototype? We publish ours as n8n reference architectures — GDPR handling, audit trail, error handling, and German APIs (DATEV, Lexoffice, Personio, SAP) — and they are free to read.
To be clear about what that page is: no course, no videos, no workbook. Beyond the free architectures, the only thing on offer is paid one-on-one work with your team, scoped and priced individually.