n8n Pricing Explained: Which Plan Is Right for You? | Code Boost
Description: Click For More Info On N8N Pricing n8n is a powerful open-source workflow automation tool trusted by developers and growing teams who need flexibility without vendor lock-in. But w...

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# n8n Pricing Explained: Which Plan Is Right for You?

By Matt · Sep 5, 2025

# Click For More Info On N8N Pricing

n8n is a powerful open-source workflow automation tool trusted by developers and growing teams who need flexibility without vendor lock-in. But with multiple cloud and self-hosted tiers, the pricing can feel confusing at first glance. This guide breaks down every n8n plan, what you actually get for your money, and exactly how to pick the right one — whether you're just getting started or scaling a production automation stack. Already know n8n is the right tool but unsure how it stacks up against the competition? Check out our comparisons: n8n vs Zapier, n8n vs Microsoft Power Automate, and the best n8n alternatives.
TL;DR: You pay for executions — how often your workflows actually run. All paid cloud plans include unlimited workflows, steps, and users. Choose based on your monthly execution volume, collaboration needs, and whether you want n8n to handle hosting. For most developers and small teams, the free Community (self-hosted) edition or the Starter cloud plan is the right entry point.

## How n8n Pricing Works: Executions, Not Tasks

Before comparing plans, it's worth understanding n8n's core pricing unit: the workflow execution. One execution equals one full workflow run from start to finish — regardless of how many steps or nodes that workflow contains. This is meaningfully different from tools like Zapier, which charge per individual task (step). For complex, multi-step automations, n8n's execution-based model is often significantly cheaper. To estimate your needs, multiply the number of workflows you plan to run by how frequently each runs per month. n8n offers two deployment paths: Cloud (hosted and managed by n8n) and Self-Hosted (you run it on your own infrastructure). Each path has its own pricing structure.

## n8n Cloud Plans (Hosted by n8n)

Cloud plans are the fastest way to get started. No servers, no Docker, no maintenance — n8n handles uptime, updates, and infrastructure. If you'd rather run things yourself, skip ahead to the self-hosted options below. Click here to see the latest pricing

Feature | Starter ($20/mo) | Pro ($50/mo) | Enterprise (Custom)
--- | --- | --- | ---
Executions / Month | ~2,500 | ~10,000 | Custom
Workflows / Steps / Users | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited
Concurrent Executions | ~5 | ~20 | 200+
Shared Projects | 1 | 3 | Unlimited
Execution Insights | Short-term | 7 days | 365 days
Admin Roles & Global Variables | — | Yes | Yes
Environments | — | — | Yes
Git / Log Streaming / SSO | — | — | Yes
Support | Forum | Email + Forum | SLA / Priority

### Starter — $24/month (or $20/month billed annually)

The Starter plan is built for solo developers and early-stage projects who want managed hosting without a big monthly bill.

- ~2,500 workflow executions/month
- Unlimited workflows, steps, and users
- 1 shared project; ~5 concurrent executions
- Short-term execution logs
- Community/forum support

Best for: Personal projects, freelancers, or teams just beginning to automate. If you're still exploring what n8n can do, this is the cheapest managed option. You can also get started for free by trying n8n's free tier before committing. Limitation to watch: 2,500 executions/month sounds like a lot, but if you're running high-frequency workflows (e.g., webhook-driven triggers that fire dozens of times per day), you can hit this ceiling quickly. Calculate your expected volume before committing.

### Pro — $60/month (or $50/month billed annually)

The Pro plan is the sweet spot for most growing teams running real production workloads.

- ~10,000 executions/month
- Unlimited workflows, steps, and users
- 3 shared projects; ~20 concurrent executions
- 7-day execution insights and execution search
- Admin roles, global variables, and workflow history
- Email + forum support

Best for: Teams building serious internal tools, client automations, or connecting multiple departments. The jump to 10,000 executions plus admin controls makes this the practical choice once you've outgrown Starter. If you're using n8n's API for workflow management at scale, Pro is also the minimum cloud tier you'll need for API access.

### Enterprise (Cloud) — Custom Pricing

Built for organizations with compliance requirements, large teams, or high-volume automation needs.

- Custom execution volume with unlimited workflows, steps, and users
- Unlimited shared projects; 200+ concurrent executions
- 365-day execution insights
- SAML/LDAP SSO, multiple environments, log streaming
- SLA-backed priority support and invoice billing

Best for: Enterprise teams that need SSO, audit trails, dedicated environments, and guaranteed uptime SLAs. Contact n8n directly for a quote.

## Self-Hosted n8n Options

Self-hosting gives you full control over your data, infrastructure costs, and execution limits. It's the path most developers take when they need to run high volumes of automations without per-execution fees. If you're considering this route, our guides to self-hosting n8n with Docker Compose and deploying n8n on DigitalOcean walk through the full setup step by step.

### Community Edition (Self-Hosted) — Free

- Completely free — no execution limits
- Unlimited workflows, executions, and users
- Full access to core features and all 400+ integrations
- Community forum support

Best for: Developers, hobbyists, and small teams comfortable managing their own servers and updates. The marginal cost per execution is essentially zero once your server is running, making this the most cost-effective option for high-volume automation. The trade-off: you're responsible for uptime, security patches, and backups. Who should skip it: Non-technical teams or anyone who doesn't want the overhead of server management. In those cases, the cloud plans will save you time and headaches that often cost more than the subscription fee.

### Business (Self-Hosted) — Paid (Contact n8n)

- Advanced collaboration features and user management
- Multiple environments (staging/production separation)
- Built-in Git versioning for workflows
- SSO options (SAML/LDAP), execution insights, and log streaming

Best for: Larger engineering teams that want to self-host for cost or data sovereignty reasons but need enterprise-grade features like SSO and Git-based workflow versioning. This tier makes n8n behave like a proper DevOps-integrated platform — you can treat workflows as code, version them in Git, and deploy via CI/CD. This is especially relevant if you're building on top of the n8n API to manage workflows programmatically.

### Enterprise (Self-Hosted) — Custom Pricing

- Everything in Business, plus 200+ concurrent executions
- Extended retention and audit logging
- SLA-backed support

Best for: Large organizations with strict compliance requirements (GDPR, HIPAA, CCPA) who need their data to stay on-premises. As covered in our n8n vs Power Automate comparison, data sovereignty is one of n8n's biggest advantages over cloud-only competitors.

## Startup Plan — ~$400/month

n8n offers a special discounted plan for eligible early-stage companies:

- Historically priced around $400/month
- Eligibility: typically ≤20 employees and less than $5M in funding
- Includes premium features from higher cloud tiers

If your company qualifies, reach out to n8n directly. This plan gives startups access to Pro/Enterprise-level capabilities at a fraction of the cost while they scale.

## Which n8n Plan Should You Choose?

Here's a quick decision framework based on where you are:

- Exploring n8n for the first time? Start with the free Community Edition (self-hosted) or the Starter cloud plan if you want managed hosting. Both let you build real automations with no commitment.
- Running production workflows for a team? Pro is the right call. The jump to 10,000 executions, 7-day insights, and admin roles is worth the $50/month the moment your automation stack becomes business-critical.
- High-volume or high-frequency automations? Self-hosted Community is almost always the cheapest option. Pair it with a $10–20/month VPS and your cost per execution approaches zero. See our guide to running n8n via Docker Compose to get set up in under 30 minutes.
- Need SSO, compliance, or dedicated environments? Business or Enterprise (cloud or self-hosted) are your only options. Contact n8n for pricing.
- Eligible startup? Always ask about the Startup Plan before signing up for Pro or Enterprise.

# Don't Just Read About It — Launch Your Own AI Workflow with n8n (No Cost)

## Pros and Cons by Plan

- Community (Self-Hosted) — Pros: Free, unlimited executions, maximum data control. Cons: You own hosting, security patches, and uptime.
- Starter (Cloud) — Pros: Low cost, zero infrastructure overhead, easy to start. Cons: 2,500 execution cap, forum-only support.
- Pro (Cloud) — Pros: 10,000 executions, execution search, admin roles, email support. Cons: Still execution-capped; high-frequency use cases can still hit limits.
- Business (Self-Hosted) — Pros: Git versioning, SSO, environments — full DevOps integration. Cons: Paid license, you still manage infrastructure.
- Enterprise (Cloud or Self-Hosted) — Pros: Compliance-ready, SLA support, 200+ concurrency, longest audit retention. Cons: Custom/high pricing; likely overkill unless you have real enterprise requirements.

## How n8n Compares to Alternatives on Pricing

Pricing doesn't mean much in isolation. Here's context on how n8n's model compares to the tools most people consider alongside it:

- vs. Zapier: Zapier charges per task (each step in a Zap), which makes complex multi-step workflows expensive fast. n8n charges per execution regardless of steps, making it dramatically cheaper for sophisticated automations. Full breakdown: n8n vs Zapier.
- vs. Microsoft Power Automate: Power Automate's licensing is notoriously complex — per-user plans, per-flow plans, premium connector add-ons. n8n's model is far more predictable. Especially for high-volume background processes, self-hosted n8n often wins on cost by a wide margin. Full breakdown: n8n vs Power Automate.
- vs. Make (formerly Integromat): Make charges per operation (each module/step), similar to Zapier. n8n's execution model remains more predictable for complex workflows. See n8n alternatives for a broader comparison.
- vs. Node-RED: Node-RED is free and open-source but built for IoT/event-driven hardware use cases, not SaaS business workflows. Different tools for different jobs. Full breakdown: n8n vs Node-RED.

## Going Further: Building with n8n

Once you've chosen your plan, the real value of n8n comes from what you build. A few resources to help you get the most out of the platform:

- n8n AI Agent — Build LLM-powered workflows with GPT-4, Claude, and other models using n8n's built-in AI Agent node. No boilerplate required.
- n8n API — Manage and trigger workflows programmatically. Essential for teams building automation into their own SaaS products.
- n8n vs LangGraph — If you're building advanced AI agents and wondering whether to use n8n's visual interface or write your own LangChain/LangGraph code, this comparison is for you.
- n8n vs Airflow — Understanding when to use n8n for business automation vs. Airflow for data pipelines is a common architectural question for growing engineering teams.

## FAQ: n8n Pricing, Executions & Support

What counts as one execution? One full workflow run from trigger to completion, regardless of how many nodes or steps it contains. A 20-step workflow triggered once = 1 execution. How do I estimate how many executions I need? Multiply the number of workflows you plan to run by how frequently each one triggers per month. For example: 5 workflows each triggered 200 times/day = 30,000 executions/month. That would require the Pro plan at minimum on Cloud, or self-hosting for the most cost-effective option. What happens if I exceed my execution limit? On cloud plans, n8n typically pauses workflows until the next billing cycle or prompts you to upgrade. Check your cloud dashboard to monitor usage before hitting limits. Can I switch between cloud and self-hosted? Yes. Workflows are portable as JSON files, so you can export from cloud and import into a self-hosted instance (or vice versa). This also means you can version control your workflows in Git — a major advantage over closed-platform competitors. What support options are available? Starter plans get community forum access. Pro adds email support. Business and Enterprise tiers include priority SLA-backed support. Self-hosted Community users rely on the active n8n community forum. Is there a free trial for cloud plans? n8n offers a free trial for cloud plans. The Community (self-hosted) edition is free indefinitely with no trial period.

## Methodology & Sources

Pricing figures in this article are validated against n8n's official pricing pages and changelogs and updated when changes are announced. Sources:

- n8n.io/pricing
- Official n8n pricing update (August 2025)
- n8n Community