Table of Contents
n8n pricing refers to the total cost of using n8n, whether you opt for n8n Cloud or self-hosted.
In this post, you’ll find details about n8n plans, free plan limits, and real-world examples that illustrate the costs. By the end, you’ll be able to choose the best plan for your team or solo work.
n8n pricing at a glance: plans and what you get
Here’s a quick view of the main options so you can compare fast.
| Option | How you pay | Best for | Pros | Watch-outs |
| n8n Cloud | Per seat + usage | Most teams | Fast setup, support, uptime SLA on higher tiers | Execution caps, overage |
| Self-hosted | Server + time | Dev-friendly users | Full control, open source | Maintenance, backups, updates |
| Zapier | Tasks/month | No-code basics | Huge app list, simple UX | Task pricing can spike |
| Make | Operations/month | Complex routing | Visual builder, bundles | Learning curve, ops math |
n8n Cloud pricing explained: monthly, annual, and usage limits
Seats and roles. You pay per user seat. Editors build workflows. Viewers can track runs.
Executions and overage. Each run counts as an execution. Hit the cap and you pay overage or upgrade.
Annual billing. Yearly plans lower the per-month rate and simplify approvals.
When to move from Free to Pro. Upgrade when you hit free plan limits, need higher execution caps, or want SSO and support.
n8n self-hosted pricing: the true cost beyond “free”
Self-hosting can look “free,” but n8n pricing here includes your server, storage, and time.
Plan for CPU/RAM, a database, logs, and secure backups.
Also budget hours for updates, monitoring, and incident response.
Common add-ons
- Monitoring and alerts
- Object storage (S3) for files
- Managed database for reliability
Free plan limits: what you can and cannot do
The free tier is great for testing simple workflows with a few nodes.
Limits apply to executions, triggers, and sometimes run time.
When output grows or webhook spikes hit, n8n pricing improves with Pro.
Three quick upgrade signs
- You hit execution limits more than once a week
- You need more seats or role controls
- You handle PII and want SSO and an SLA
n8n Pro vs Business vs Enterprise: which plan fits
Pro: Best for a solo dev or a small team that needs higher caps and key features.
Business: To startups with rapid growth needs, more seats, audit, and enhanced support.
Enterprise: Includes SSO, SLA, enhanced security and support of rigid requirements.
30-second plan picker
- Solo or duo, moderate runs → Pro
- 10+ users, audit and controls → Business
- Compliance, SSO/SLA, custom terms → Enterprise
n8n pricing vs Zapier pricing: where you save or spend more
For one-step tasks, Zapier can be faster to start.
As workflows grow and run often, n8n pricing can win because you control executions and design.
Watch task vs execution math, caps, and how retries count on each platform.
Compare by
- Monthly volume (tasks vs executions)
- Multi-step flows and error handling
- Team seats and permission needs
n8n pricing vs Make pricing: when Make looks cheaper
Make can look cheap for complex routing with bundles.
But retries, schedulers, and data volume can change the bill.
If you need open-source flexibility and self-hosting, n8n pricing is easier to control long term.
Real-life examples: how the bill plays out
Solo developer (Free → Pro)
Runs 10 workflows with ~5,000 executions/month. Free works at first.
Adds Slack + Notion + Stripe. Hits caps. Pro plan smooths spikes and saves time vs server DIY.
Startup team (Pro vs self-hosted)
25+ workflows, 50,000+ executions, 6 seats.
Cloud Pro reduces ops work; self-hosted wins only if dev time is cheap and uptime risk is low.
Agency (Business or Enterprise)
Many client workspaces, audit logs, SSO, and support needs.
n8n pricing on Business or Enterprise pays off with SLAs and role-based access.
Hidden costs and surprise savings
Watch for
- Overage from webhook spikes
- Storage for logs and file moves
- Time spent on updates and rollbacks
Save with
- Batching and schedules to cut executions
- Filters early in the flow to drop noise
- Sub-workflows and reuse to avoid rebuilds
How to choose: a simple decision guide
Ask these before you decide on n8n pricing:
- How many executions per month now and in six months?
- How many seats do you need, and who edits vs views?
- Do you need SSO, SLA, or audit trails?
- Can you maintain a server 24/7?
- What is the cost of downtime for one hour?
Fast rule of thumb
- Prototype or side project → Free
- Small team with growth → Pro
- Regulated or mission-critical → Business/Enterprise
Cost control tips that work
- Use triggers and filters to stop needless runs
- Batch jobs and move heavy work off-peak
- Cache lookups and reuse nodes
- Clean failed runs and old logs monthly
- Set alerts for execution thresholds
Migration notes: moving from Zapier or Make to n8n
- Map tasks (Zapier) and operations (Make) to executions (n8n)
- Rebuild your top two flows first and measure time saved
- Keep both systems live for a week to compare errors and speed
Implementation checklist
- Pick plan and set a monthly budget guardrail
- Tag workflows by team or client for chargebacks
- Add monitors, alerts, and a backup policy
- Review n8n pricing and usage at month-end
- Document nodes, secrets, and handoff steps
FAQs :
Is n8n free for production?
Does n8n charge per seat or per execution?
What are the limits on the free plan?
How does n8n Cloud compare to self-hosted on cost?
Is Enterprise worth it for a small team?
Zapier vs n8n cost for 10k tasks/month?
Make vs n8n cost for complex flows?
Conclusion:
n8n pricing is easiest to judge when you match cost to the value you get today and the growth you expect next. You now know how cloud plans, self-hosted costs, and usage caps shape the bill. With this view, you can pick a tier with confidence.
If you want speed and less busywork, Cloud is a strong start. You get updates, support, and stable uptime with clear limits. If you need full control or strict data rules, self-hosting can fit, as long as you budget time for care and maintenance.
