Where to host n8n
Four ways to host it, and the column most comparisons leave out: whose hours pay for the upkeep.
The four options
| Option | What you pay | What it also costs | Who controls the data | Who fixes it at 3am |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Official n8n Cloud | From about €20 a month | Little | n8n's EU cloud | n8n, for the infrastructure |
| Host it yourself | €10–50 a month for a server | Your hours: updates, backups, certificates, debugging | You, completely | You |
| One-click install on a VPS | €10–30 a month | Your hours, minus the initial setup | You, completely | You |
| We run it | Fixed monthly fee | Nothing further | You, on your infrastructure or ours | We do |
The column that actually decides this is the third one. A self-hosted instance costs almost nothing in server fees and a real number of hours a month in care. We put numbers on that in the honest maths.
When official n8n Cloud is right
Few workflows, no rules about where the data has to live, no need for custom nodes, and somebody in-house who enjoys building workflows. It is a good product and we set it up for customers when it is the right fit. We recommend by fit, not by what pays us (how we relate to n8n).
When hosting it yourself is right
You need custom nodes, or the data has to stay in a particular place, or your volume makes cloud pricing sting and you have a named person with maintenance time genuinely in their week.
What it takes: a small server, two CPUs and 4 GB of memory suits most businesses; Postgres rather than the built-in database once volume is real; worker processes when you outgrow one machine (how to scale it); and a plan for updates, backups and security.
When having it run for you is right
You want the control of self-hosting without becoming an ops team. We install n8n on your servers or your cloud account, or ours if you prefer, and then own the upgrades, backups, monitoring, hardening and the error handling inside the workflows themselves, which is the managed n8n layer. You keep root access, ownership and the exit door. We keep the pager.
It is also the only option where the workflows are covered rather than just the machine, including AI employees for the steps that need judgment and custom connectors when no node exists.
Deciding, in one question
Whose calendar do the maintenance hours come out of?
If that is a real person with real time, host it yourself. If the honest answer is "we will work it out", take official cloud for simple needs, and have it run for you when the workflows matter to the business.
FAQ
What are the options for hosting n8n?
Official n8n Cloud, hosting it yourself on a server you own, a one-click install on a cheap VPS, or having someone run it for you on your infrastructure or theirs.
What server does self-hosted n8n need?
A small machine goes a long way. Two CPUs and 4 GB of memory covers most small and mid-sized businesses. Move from the built-in database to Postgres once you are running real volume, and add worker processes when one machine is no longer enough.
Which option is cheapest?
On the invoice, doing it yourself. Once you count the hours somebody spends updating, backing up and fixing it, usually not. The server is €10 to €50 a month. The upkeep is the real number.
Can we keep our data in our own environment?
Yes. Self-hosting and operated hosting both run on your own servers or cloud account, so the data never leaves your environment. Someone else can still carry the pager.
How do we decide?
Ask whose calendar the maintenance hours come out of. If that is a real person with real time set aside, host it yourself. If the answer is that you will work it out later, do not host it yourself.