n8n Cloud vs Self-Hosted Pricing (2025): What Does It Really Cost?
💰 Introduction
Wondering whether to use n8n Cloud or go the self-hosted route? The decision often comes down to price vs control.
In this post, we’ll break down the actual monthly and yearly costs of both options in 2025 — including server fees, electricity, domain names, SSL, and other hidden costs you might not expect.
☁️ n8n Cloud Pricing (2025)
n8n Cloud is the official managed service offered by the n8n team. It provides hosting, scaling, monitoring, and security — all handled for you.
| Plan | Monthly Price | Yearly Price | Workflows | Executions/mo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | €24 | €240 (save 20%) | 5 | 2,500 |
| Pro | €60 | €600 (save 20%) | 20 | 10,000 |
| Custom/Enterprise | Contact Sales | — | Unlimited | Unlimited |
✅ All plans include: Hosting, SSL, backups, access control, updates, and support.
🖥️ Self-Hosted n8n Pricing Breakdown
Running n8n on your own infrastructure can be significantly cheaper — but comes with extra responsibilities.
🔧 Core Costs (Monthly)
| Item | Estimated Monthly Cost |
|---|---|
| VPS (e.g., Hetzner, DO) | $4–15 (1–2 vCPU, 2GB–4GB RAM) |
| Domain Name | $1–1.5 (avg annual cost divided by 12) |
| SSL Certificate | Free (via Let’s Encrypt) |
| Electricity (if self-hosting on local PC/server) | ~$2–5/month |
| Backup Solution (optional) | $1–5/month (or DIY) |
| Maintenance Time (est. value) | Variable |
⚠️ Important: If you self-host on your own hardware, calculate energy use. A small home server uses ~15W idle:
15W × 24hr × 30d ÷ 1000 = 10.8 kWh × $0.15 = ~$1.62/month💵 Total Monthly Estimate
| Hosting Type | Low-End VPS | Mid VPS | Local Server |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly Cost | ~$6–8 | ~$10–20 | ~$3–6 |
| Yearly Cost | ~$70–100 | ~$120–240 | ~$40–70 |
✅ Benefits: Full control, unlimited workflows, no forced limits.
📊 Price Comparison Summary
| Feature | n8n Cloud | Self-Hosted |
|---|---|---|
| Setup Time | ✅ Instant | ❌ 30–90 mins |
| Monthly Price (Base) | $20–$120+ | $5–20 (avg VPS) |
| Yearly Price (Base) | $200–$600 | $60–240 |
| Workflows Limit | Plan-based | Unlimited (hardware-based) |
| Hosting & Monitoring | ✅ Included | ❌ You manage it |
| Backups & SSL | ✅ Included | 🟡 Manual or scripted |
| Data Ownership | ❌ Third-party | ✅ 100% yours |
🧐 Which One Should You Choose?
Use n8n Cloud if:
- You don’t want to manage servers or updates
- You’re okay paying more for convenience
- You need SLAs or team access control out of the box
Use Self-Hosted if:
- You’re a developer or dev team
- You want full data ownership
- You’re looking for the lowest long-term cost
- You need custom DBs, storage, or integrations
⚡ Bonus Tip: Hybrid Approach
Some teams prototype on n8n Cloud and deploy to VPS for production. This gives the best of both: speed + savings.
🧰 Need Help With Setup?
I offer a turnkey self-hosting service:
- ✅ VPS setup & hardened config
- ✅ n8n + SSL + domain + database
- ✅ Optional backups & Docker support
👉 Get started now — typically completed in just a few hours.
🔗 Related Reads
- n8n Cloud vs Self-Hosting: What’s Best for You in 2025?
- How to Install n8n on Ubuntu VPS (with Domain & SSL)
- How to Safely Update Your Self-Hosted n8n Instance
