n8n: what it is, how it is hosted and who it suits
Short answer
n8n is a workflow automation tool that connects apps and AI models on a visual canvas. It can be used as a cloud service hosted by n8n or installed on your own server, and its licence allows use for internal business purposes. Prices are published in euros, so Philippine buyers should plan for the exchange rate and read the licence before running it for clients.
On this page
n8n at a glance
- Maker
- n8n (n8n.io)
- Described by n8n as
- “a fair-code licensed workflow automation tool that combines AI features with business process automation”
- Ways to run it
- n8n Cloud (hosted by n8n) or self-hosted; the Business plan is self-hosted only
- Pricing basis
- Number of workflow executions per month, not users or steps
- Published currency
- Euro (EUR)
- Pricing page read
- 12 Oct 2026
What n8n does
A workflow in n8n is a chain of nodes. One node is the trigger, for example a webhook call, a schedule or a new row in a sheet. The nodes after it fetch data, transform it, call an AI model, or act on another app. n8n’s documentation covers expressions for data transformation, flow logic and executions as its core concepts.
Three features from n8n’s pricing page shape how teams use it:
- Unlimited users and workflows on every plan. The page states: “All plans include unlimited users & workflows and every integration.”
- Pricing by execution. An execution is “a single run of your entire workflow”, however many steps it has. A workflow with ten steps and a workflow with two steps each count as one execution per run.
- AI nodes. The plans list “Agents, MCP and AI nodes”, so a workflow can include a large language model step or an AI agent step alongside ordinary steps.
The pillar guide explains the five stages that any workflow follows. n8n draws each of them as a node or a group of nodes.
Editions and where each runs
| Edition | Hosted by | Notes from n8n’s pricing page |
|---|---|---|
| Cloud: Starter | n8n | 2.5K executions per month, 1 shared project, forum support |
| Cloud: Pro | n8n | 10K executions per month, 3 shared projects, admin roles |
| Business | You (self-hosted only) | 40K executions per month, SSO and LDAP, queue mode, Git version control. The page says the Business plan is currently available only for self-hosted n8n |
| Enterprise | n8n or you | Custom number of executions, dedicated support with an SLA |
| Community Edition | You | “A standard, self-hosted version of n8n is available on GitHub” |
Swipe the table sideways to see all columns.
The pricing page lists no subscription charge for the Community Edition. Prices for the paid plans, converted to pesos, are on the n8n pricing in PHP page.
The licence in plain terms
n8n’s source code is published on GitHub under the Sustainable Use License. Two of its conditions, quoted from the licence file:
You may use or modify the software only for your own internal business purposes or for non-commercial or personal use.
You may distribute the software or provide it to others only if you do so free of charge for non-commercial purposes.
Running n8n for your own company’s workflows fits the first condition. Offering access to n8n to other companies is a different situation, and the second condition is relevant to it. This site does not interpret licences. If your plan involves running n8n on behalf of clients, read the full licence at licence file on GitHub and ask n8n directly.
Self-hosting options
n8n’s hosting documentation describes several routes:
- Docker Compose. Listed for production deployments with databases and additional services. It requires Docker and Docker Compose.
- One-line setup. A script that uses Docker and handles dependencies and configuration. It requires Docker on Linux or macOS, or WSL on Windows.
- Cloud providers. Guides are listed for AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, DigitalOcean, Hetzner, Heroku and OpenShift.
- npm. The documentation states that npm installation is deprecated from n8n 3.0.
The hosting page does not state minimum server specifications. Self-hosting also moves routine tasks to you: updates, backups, access control and monitoring. Server hosting is billed by the hosting provider and is separate from anything n8n charges.
What to plan for
Pricing is in euros. The plans are priced in EUR, so the peso cost moves with the exchange rate. The pricing page shows the conversion and the rate used.
Technical comfort helps. n8n is a builder, not a finished product. Teams that can describe their process clearly and test a workflow before it goes live get the most from it. A developer or an implementation partner can set up connections and error handling.
Executions are the budget. A workflow that runs on a short schedule uses many executions. n8n’s own FAQ estimates that a schedule running every five minutes uses about 8,600 to 8,900 executions in a month, so the plan limit matters.
Data location matters for personal data. If a workflow handles customers’ personal data, the Data Privacy Act of 2012 applies to the business. Check where n8n Cloud stores and processes data, or choose self-hosting where you decide the location, and review the National Privacy Commission guidance covered in the pillar guide.
Alternatives to compare
Zapier, Make, Microsoft Power Automate and HighLevel’s workflow builder all cover similar ground, with different pricing units (tasks, operations, users or sub-accounts) and different hosting choices. A like-for-like comparison depends on how many steps a workflow has and how often it runs, which is why this site compares prices from each vendor’s own page rather than from third-party summaries. The HighLevel pricing page is the first of those.
Frequently asked questions
What is n8n used for?
Connecting apps and AI models into automated workflows, for example reading incoming messages, updating a CRM, creating documents or notifying staff. It is used by teams that want to see and control each step of a workflow.
Is n8n free?
A self-hosted Community Edition is available on GitHub, and n8n’s pricing page lists no subscription charge for it. n8n Cloud is paid, with a free trial whose limits n8n states as 1,000 executions, 5 concurrent executions, a 180-second execution timeout and 1 team project. Hosting costs for self-hosting are separate.
Do I need to know how to code to use n8n?
Simple workflows can be built by connecting nodes. n8n’s documentation also covers expressions for transforming data, which is a light form of code. More complex workflows are easier with a developer’s help.
Which n8n plan do I need?
It depends on how many times your workflows run each month, since plans are sized by executions. Count the triggers: a daily schedule is about 30 executions a month, while a webhook that fires for each customer message adds one per message.
Can I use n8n for my clients?
Read the Sustainable Use License and ask n8n. This site does not interpret licence terms.
Sources
All sources were read on 12 Oct 2026.
- n8n, Plans and pricing.
- n8n documentation, Welcome to the n8n docs.
- n8n documentation, Hosting n8n.
- n8n on GitHub, Sustainable Use License.