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n8n & AutomationIs n8n Free? n8n Pricing and the Real Cost Explained
Yes, n8n is free if you self-host it, and it also offers paid Cloud plans if you would rather not manage a server. This guide breaks down exactly what n8n costs in 2026, the difference between the free self-hosted version and n8n Cloud, and the real total cost of ownership once you include hosting and time.
Is n8n really free?
The self-hosted Community Edition is free and open source. You run it on your own server and pay nothing to n8n; your only cost is the server itself. There is no per-task fee, which is the single biggest structural difference between n8n and tools like Zapier and Make.
n8n pricing options in 2026
| Option | What you pay | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Self-hosted Community | Free software, server cost only | Teams that can host and want no task limits |
| n8n Cloud (Starter / Pro) | Monthly subscription by executions | Teams that want managed hosting, no ops |
| Enterprise | Custom pricing | Larger orgs needing SSO, scaling, support |
Exact plan prices change over time, so always confirm current figures on n8n.io, but the structure above has held steady: free if you self-host, subscription if you want it managed.
The real total cost of ownership
Free software is not the same as free to run. If you self-host, the true cost is a small server plus the time to update, secure, and monitor it. If you use n8n Cloud, you trade that time for a predictable subscription. For many businesses the smartest middle path is self-hosting managed by a partner: you keep the free software and full data control, without carrying the maintenance yourself.
How n8n cost compares to Zapier and Make
Zapier bills per task and Make bills per operation, so multi-step automations get expensive fast. n8n's execution-based and self-host-free model is why teams running lots of steps move to it. We compare all three in n8n vs Zapier vs Make, and explain the tool itself in what is n8n.
Which option should you choose?
If you have someone to manage a server and you run high volume, self-hosting is the cheapest by far. If you want to start today with zero ops, n8n Cloud is the simplest. If you want the savings of self-hosting without the maintenance, a managed setup is usually the best value.
Frequently asked questions
Is n8n free?
Yes, the self-hosted Community Edition is free and open source. You only pay for the server it runs on. n8n also sells paid Cloud plans for teams that prefer managed hosting.
How much does n8n Cloud cost?
n8n Cloud is a monthly subscription priced by the number of workflow executions, with Starter and Pro tiers. Exact prices change, so check n8n.io, but it is billed per execution rather than per task.
Does n8n charge per task?
No. n8n charges per workflow execution, not per step. A single workflow with many steps counts as one execution, which makes it much cheaper than per-task tools for multi-step automations.
Is self-hosting n8n cheaper?
For most teams with any real volume, yes. Self-hosting is free software on a small server, so the ongoing cost is far below subscription tools. The tradeoff is that you or a partner must maintain it.
Do I need a server to use n8n for free?
Yes, the free version is self-hosted, so you need somewhere to run it, such as a small cloud server. If you do not want to manage a server, n8n Cloud runs it for you on a paid plan.
Is the free version of n8n limited?
The self-hosted Community Edition is fully featured for building and running workflows. Some advanced enterprise features like SSO and certain collaboration tools are reserved for paid tiers, but core automation is not limited by task count.
Want the free version, without managing the server?
We host and maintain self-hosted n8n for you, so you get free-software economics with none of the ops. Book a free automation audit and we will size it for your workload.
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