n8n Hosting Cost Calculator

What this tool does

The calculator puts two columns side by side. On the left, self-hosting: the virtual server, the managed database if you use one, object storage for binary data, backups, a domain and certificate, and — the line everyone omits — the hours per month you spend on updates, migrations and incident recovery, priced at whatever your time is worth.

On the right, n8n Cloud at the plan your execution volume requires. The output is a monthly difference and the execution volume at which the two cross over.

Rates are inputs. Server pricing is easy to check on DigitalOcean or Hetzner, and n8n's own plans are on the n8n pricing page.

A worked example

A freelancer runs about 4,000 executions a month across a dozen client workflows. Self-hosted, that fits comfortably on a small virtual server with SQLite or a small managed Postgres, plus backups.

The infrastructure line is genuinely small. Then add two hours a month — one for the monthly version upgrade and the config drift it occasionally causes, one amortised across the quarter for the upgrade that breaks something and needs rolling back. At a freelance rate, those two hours are usually worth several times the server.

The conclusion is not that self-hosting loses. It is that self-hosting wins on cost only once your execution volume is high enough that Cloud pricing has scaled past the fixed cost of a server, or when you need something Cloud cannot give you. n8n sets out that decision in its own deployment guide, and the self-hosting documentation covers what you are taking on.

What self-hosting actually costs

Where people go wrong

Costing the server and stopping. The server is the cheapest part. The maintenance is the expensive part, and it is invisible until an upgrade fails on a Friday.

Running SQLite in production. It works until concurrent executions collide, and then it corrupts. Move to Postgres before you need to, not after.

Under-provisioning memory. n8n holds workflow data in memory. A workflow processing a large dataset on a 1GB server dies mid-run, and the failure mode is a silent restart rather than a clean error.

Ignoring which features need a licence. Several capabilities — SSO, environments, projects, external secrets among them — require a paid plan whether you self-host or not. Check the feature list before assuming self-hosting means everything for free.

Forgetting backups until the first restore. Snapshot the volume and export the workflows. Credentials are encrypted with a key that must also be backed up, or your restore is a fresh install.

FAQ

Is self-hosted n8n free?

The Community edition licence is free. The hosting, the database, the backups and your time are not. That distinction is the whole reason this calculator exists.

What server size do I need?

2GB of RAM is a realistic floor for light use, 4GB once you run queue mode or handle sizeable payloads. CPU matters less than memory for most workflows.

Does Cloud limit executions?

Plans differ in execution allowance and in which features are included. The pricing page is the definitive source, and it changes, which is why the calculator asks you for the plan cost rather than assuming one.

When is self-hosting clearly right?

When you need data to stay on your own infrastructure, when you want custom nodes or system-level dependencies, or when your execution volume has scaled past what Cloud pricing makes comfortable.

Can I move later?

Yes, in both directions. Workflows export as JSON. Credentials do not travel, so budget an afternoon for reconnecting them — and sanitise the exports first with the n8n JSON sanitiser.

Next steps

If you are self-hosting for the first time, the n8n Self-Hosted Setup Guide walks through the whole install, and n8n vs Make.com is worth reading if you have not settled on the platform yet.

Want someone else to own the upgrades? Book a discovery call.