n8n is one of the rare tools where the vendor genuinely supports both paths: you can pay for n8n Cloud and let the vendor run it, or self-host the same product on your own infrastructure. Both are legitimate choices, and the right answer depends on your usage volume, your data requirements and how much your automations touch internal systems.
One thing to get out of the way first: Node does not offer managed n8n hosting, and this page is not a pitch for it. n8n's Sustainable Use Licence permits use for your own internal business purposes, but not for a provider to host it and charge you for access. We explain that in full on our n8n page, along with the automation tooling we do run. This comparison is therefore between n8n Cloud and self-hosting n8n yourself, which is a genuine decision plenty of teams face.
n8n Cloud vs self-hosted n8n at a glance
| n8n Cloud | Self-hosted n8n | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Per-plan subscription with execution limits; published pricing starts at around 20 euros a month at the time of writing | Your own compute, plus the time to run it; no per-execution charge |
| Workflow and execution limits | Capped per plan; more executions and active workflows mean a higher tier | No plan limits; capacity is bounded only by the resources you give it |
| Data residency | Hosted in Germany at the time of writing, on the vendor's infrastructure | Wherever you choose to run it, including UK-only |
| Single sign-on | n8n's built-in SAML SSO sits in its enterprise tier | The same enterprise licensing applies to n8n's built-in SSO; teams commonly put an authenticating proxy in front of the instance instead |
| Version control | Git-based source control is an enterprise-tier feature | Workflows export as JSON, so you can keep them in your own git repositories and build your own review and promotion process |
| Custom and community nodes | Verified community nodes are supported; arbitrary custom code is restricted at the time of writing | Any community node, any custom node your team writes, and direct network access to internal systems |
| Operations | Zero-ops: upgrades, uptime and scaling are the vendor's problem | Yours to own: upgrades, backups, monitoring and availability |
When n8n Cloud is the right choice
Very small teams and light usage: if you run a handful of workflows and a few thousand executions a month, the entry-level Cloud plan is likely to cost less than the compute and attention a self-hosted instance needs. Paying around 20 euros a month for something that just works is a perfectly rational decision.
No operations capacity: n8n Cloud is zero-ops. If you have no data residency constraints, your workflows only touch public SaaS APIs, and nobody on your team wants to own upgrade nights, the simplicity is worth a great deal.
Trying n8n out: Cloud is the fastest way to evaluate whether n8n fits your team at all. Workflows export as JSON, so nothing you build there is wasted if you later move.
When self-hosting wins
Volume: execution limits are where Cloud pricing bites. Automation tends to grow: one useful workflow becomes fifty, and a workflow that polls every five minutes burns thousands of executions a month on its own. A self-hosted instance has no per-execution meter, so heavy automation costs the same as light automation.
Data residency and compliance: every workflow execution passes your data through the platform. If that data includes customer records, financials or anything covered by UK GDPR obligations, running n8n on infrastructure you control is materially simpler to defend than routing it through a third-party processor in Germany.
Integration with internal systems: this is often the deciding factor. A self-hosted instance can sit inside your network and talk directly to internal databases, private APIs and on-premises applications, and can run any custom node your team writes. Reaching internal systems from a vendor-hosted cloud instance means tunnels, allow-lists or exposing services, and restrictions on custom code.
Predictable cost at scale: a fixed server cost that does not move when your execution count triples is easier to budget than a usage-based subscription.
What it costs in practice
Third-party prices change, so treat these as illustrations and check n8n's current pricing.
Light usage, a few workflows and a few thousand executions a month: n8n Cloud's starter plan, at around 20 euros a month at the time of writing, is hard to beat once you value your own time honestly. Self-hosting only makes sense here if data residency or internal integration forces it.
Medium usage, dozens of active workflows and tens of thousands of executions: you are into Cloud's higher tiers, published at around 50 euros a month and upwards at the time of writing, and approaching their limits. A modest self-hosted instance is comparable in raw cost, with no execution caps, if you have somewhere to run it.
Heavy usage, hundreds of workflows, polling triggers and six-figure monthly executions: Cloud pricing at this level is typically a custom enterprise conversation, and self-hosting usually costs a fraction of the equivalent usage-based bill, assuming you can staff the operational side.
The honest summary
If you are small, unregulated and light on volume, use n8n Cloud and enjoy it. If you are automating at volume, handling data that must stay in the UK, or wiring workflows into internal systems, self-hosting n8n wins. The instance must be yours (n8n's licence requires that), but you do not have to run it alone: we support customer-owned n8n instances on our infrastructure, with the licence relationship staying between you and n8n.
If what you actually want is for someone else to own the automation platform, that is a real requirement and we can meet it, just not with n8n. Apache Camel covers most of the same integration ground, Apache NiFi gives you a visual dataflow canvas, and Apache Airflow handles scheduled pipelines. All are open source, and we deploy, host and support them on our UK platform with high availability, backups, monitoring and support included. Talk to us about which side of this comparison you are actually on.
Frequently asked questions
Is self-hosting n8n legal and properly supported?
Yes, for your own business. n8n is published under the Sustainable Use Licence, which permits self-hosting for your own internal business purposes, and the community edition is a first-class product that the vendor develops and documents. The same licence is why third parties cannot host n8n for you and charge for access without an enterprise agreement with n8n, which is why Node does not sell hosted n8n. What Node offers instead is support for an instance you own and licence directly.
Does Node offer managed n8n hosting?
No. n8n's Sustainable Use Licence permits use only for your own internal business purposes, and n8n's own documentation names hosting n8n and charging for access as something it does not permit without an enterprise agreement. We do not hold one, so we do not sell managed n8n and it is not deployable from our portal. For workflow automation we can host, we run Apache Camel, Apache NiFi, Apache Airflow and Apache Kafka, all of which are open source.
Who handles n8n upgrades and security patches if I self-host?
You do, or whoever runs your infrastructure. n8n releases frequently, so a self-hosted instance needs a routine for testing and applying upgrades, alongside operating system patching, backups and monitoring. That operational burden is the main thing you are taking on in exchange for the cost and data-residency benefits, and it is worth being honest with yourself about who owns it.
Where does my data live with n8n Cloud versus self-hosted n8n?
n8n Cloud is hosted in Germany at the time of writing, so your workflow data and credentials sit on the vendor's EU infrastructure under their terms. A self-hosted instance runs wherever you put it, which is the point: your own cloud account, your own datacentre, or UK infrastructure of your choosing, with no third-party processor in the middle of your workflows.
How does migrating from n8n Cloud to self-hosted n8n work?
Workflows export as JSON, so migration is mechanically straightforward: stand up your instance, import your workflows, recreate credentials securely, and run both environments in parallel while you verify each workflow. Most teams cut over gradually with no interruption to running automations.
What does self-hosted n8n cost compared with n8n Cloud?
n8n Cloud's published pricing starts at around 20 euros a month at the time of writing, with execution and workflow limits per plan, and costs rise as usage grows. Self-hosting costs you compute plus your own time: at light usage n8n Cloud is usually cheaper once you count the operational effort; at medium to heavy usage the flat cost of a server you already run usually wins.
Can I use custom and community nodes on each option?
Self-hosted n8n can run any community node and any custom node your team writes, which matters when you integrate internal systems. n8n Cloud supports a set of verified community nodes but is more restrictive about arbitrary custom code, at the time of writing.