{"id":83819,"date":"2026-06-18T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-06-18T15:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dhblog.dream.press\/blog\/?p=83819"},"modified":"2026-08-25T11:46:09","modified_gmt":"2026-08-25T18:46:09","slug":"n8n-self-hosted","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/n8n-self-hosted\/","title":{"rendered":"Self-Hosted n8n: How to Run n8n on Your Own Server"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Self-hosted n8n is the free Community edition of the n8n automation platform running on a server you control: you pay no n8n licensing or execution fees for permitted uses, but you still cover the server and any domain, backup storage, and administration costs. n8n Cloud’s Starter plan includes 2,500 workflow executions a month (\u20ac20\/month, billed annually); the self-hosted Community edition applies no execution quota.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You’ll need a VPS with root access (4 GB of RAM is a cautious starting allocation), Docker Compose, PostgreSQL, and a willingness to own updates and backups. This guide walks through the full 11-step deployment. Prefer to skip it? DreamHost VPS Hosting includes n8n in its one-click app library, pre-installed with PostgreSQL and automatic SSL.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

You’ve been watching your Zapier bill climb for six months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Every new workflow adds another line item, and every successful action step counts as a task. The monthly invoice now costs more than your project management tool.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You start Googling alternatives and land on n8n<\/strong>, an automation platform you can self-host on your own virtual private server (VPS) for the price of a small server.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No execution quota. No per-task pricing. No surprise bills when your automations take off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And yep, we walk you through the whole thing, command by command, from a bare Ubuntu server to a running instance with HTTPS, backups, and a tested restore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Is n8n and Why Are People Self-Hosting It?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

n8n is a workflow automation platform that lets you connect apps, move data between services, and build complex automations through a visual editor. Think of it as the engine behind “when X happens, do Y and Z,” except you’re dragging nodes and drawing connections instead of writing code.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Workflow<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The project has passed 200,000 GitHub stars<\/a>, and its official Docker image shows over 100 million pulls<\/a>. A lot of servers out there are running n8n.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The platform runs under a Sustainable Use License<\/a>, which is worth understanding before you commit. It’s not traditional open source (n8n itself says it doesn’t use the term, since OSI-approved licenses can’t restrict use), but it’s not locked down either. You can run it freely for your own internal business purposes. You can’t sell a product, service, or module whose value derives entirely or substantially from n8n functionality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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“In practice this means all use is allowed unless you are selling a product, service, or module in which the value derives entirely or substantially from n8n functionality.” \u2014 n8n’s license FAQ<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

People self-host<\/a> n8n because the economics flip once you move past basic usage. n8n Cloud<\/a> starts at \u20ac20\/month (billed annually) for 2,500 executions on the Starter plan, and if you’re running any real volume, those limits show up fast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On your own VPS? No execution quota, control over the data your n8n instance stores, and no n8n licensing or execution bill, though your server, domain, backup storage, and administration still carry costs. Executions themselves cost nothing extra; heavier volume does use more memory and storage, which is a sizing question (covered below), not a billing one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Can You Automate With n8n?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

n8n’s 400+ integrations cover a wide range, and community-built nodes extend the list further. n8n is also one of many self-hosted alternatives to SaaS tools; the same logic applies to everything from CRM to project management.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some common setups:<\/p>\n\n\n\n