Workflow automation
What it costs to self-host n8n
Fair-code workflow automation platform with native AI capabilities. Combine visual building with custom code, self-host or cloud, 400+ integrations. Below is the server it needs at each team size, what that costs, and how long the 2 commercial products it replaces would take to cost more.
| Team size | Memory | Disk | Cheapest plan that fits | Server | With backups and your time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| solo | 1.3 GB | 10.1 GB | CX23 (cost-optimized) · Hetzner Cloud | $6.70 | $121 |
| 5 people | 1.4 GB | 10.5 GB | CX23 (cost-optimized) · Hetzner Cloud | $6.70 | $121 |
| 10 people | 1.5 GB | 11 GB | CX23 (cost-optimized) · Hetzner Cloud | $6.70 | $121 |
| 25 people | 1.9 GB | 12.5 GB | CX23 (cost-optimized) · Hetzner Cloud | $6.70 | $121 |
| 50 people | 2.5 GB | 15 GB | CX23 (cost-optimized) · Hetzner Cloud | $6.70 | $121 |
| 100 people | 3.7 GB | 20 GB | CX23 (cost-optimized) · Hetzner Cloud | $6.70 | $121 |
| 250 people | 7.3 GB | 35 GB | CX33 (cost-optimized) · Hetzner Cloud | $10.06 | $125 |
The sizing model for n8n
The base figure covers a single main process with SQLite. Heavy workflow volume wants PostgreSQL and queue mode with separate workers, which roughly doubles the floor.
- 1 GB of memory for the whole stack at rest, every container the project ships included.
- 20 MB more per active user, then 25% on top so the box is not running at its ceiling.
- 10 GB of disk to begin with, growing 0.1 GB per user.
- 1 vCPU. Carried through from the project's baseline and not scaled with team size, because for this workload memory is what runs out first.
These base figures come from the project's own documented requirements. The per-user increments are ours in every case. They are deliberately generous rather than optimistic: a comparison that undersizes the server flatters self-hosting.
Time, not just money
n8n is rated medium to operate, which in this model means about 6 hours to get it running properly the first time and 1.5 hours a month after that. At $75 an hour that is $450 once and $112 a month, which is usually the largest line in the whole calculation.
What it replaces
| Commercial product | Its cost at 10 people | n8n at 10 people | Break-even | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zapier Professional | $29.99 | $121 | never | full breakdown |
| Make Core | $10.00 | $121 | never | full breakdown |
Where to put n8n
1.5 GB of memory and 11 GB of disk is what this needs at 10 people. The cheapest plan that fits, among the providers whose prices we have read ourselves, is the CX23 (cost-optimized) at Hetzner Cloud for $6.70 a month.
Go to Hetzner Cloud Compare hosts
We are not claiming this is the cheapest server on the internet. It is the cheapest one we can honestly quote. Vultr and PikaPods publish prices we could not read programmatically, and may well undercut it. Price them yourself before you commit.
Project facts
| Licence | Other not a standard open-source licence |
|---|---|
| Licence caveat | Source-available under the Sustainable Use Licence, not a classic open-source licence. Internal business use is permitted; reselling n8n as a service is not. |
| Written in | TypeScript |
| GitHub stars | 204,061 |
| Open issues | 1,139 |
| Latest release | n8n@2.38.7 |
| Last commit | 2026-09-12 |
| Repository checked | 2026-09-12 |
| Project | n8n.io · n8n-io/n8n |
Get the migration checklist for this tool
A one-page pre-flight list: data export path, sizing, backup plan, and the rollback step most people skip.