Is n8n free? Short answer is “YES” but there is always a but…
The answer to “Is n8n free?” is one of the most interesting “yes, but…” answers in the software world.
If you are a developer willing to run code on your own server, n8n can be completely free, incredibly powerful, and basically unlimited. But if you are a business leader looking for enterprise features like Single Sign-On (SSO), or an agency owner hoping to resell automation to clients, the price tag can jump from zero to $50,000 a year.
As we head into 2026, the landscape has settled after n8n’s massive shift from workflow limits to “execution-based” billing. This change has completely altered the math for high-volume users and anyone building AI agents.
This guide will peel back the layers of n8n’s “Fair-Code” model. We’ll analyze the hidden costs of self-hosting, the controversy behind the Self-Hosted Business plan, and exactly how to navigate the license without getting into legal trouble.
If you are building complex workflows or AI agents, understanding this financial landscape is just as important as understanding the nodes and connections.
The “Fair-Code” Trap: Why Open Source Isn’t Always Free
To understand n8n’s cost, you first have to understand its license. n8n is not “Open Source” in the traditional sense (like Linux or WordPress). It operates under a Sustainable Use License (SUL).
This distinction is the financial foundation of the entire platform.
The Philosophy of Sustainable Use
The SUL gives you incredible freedom. You can download the code, modify it, and run it on your own servers for free. You can use it to automate your entire business, whether you are a solo founder or a Fortune 500 company.
Here is the catch: The license has a “poison pill” for commercial exploitation.
You cannot use the free version of n8n to create a product where the value is derived substantially from n8n itself. In plain English: You cannot resell n8n.
- ✅ Allowed: A bank uses the free version internally to sync customer data between Salesforce and a database.
- ✅ Allowed: A consultant charges a client for their zaman to set up n8n on the client’s own server.
- ❌ Prohibited: A SaaS company embeds n8n into their dashboard and charges users $50/month to “unlock integrations”.
For 99% of internal business users, the software is free. For the 1% trying to monetize the software itself, it is strictly paid.
The Pricing Shift: The “Double Billing” Controversy
Historically, pricing was often based on how many active workflows you had. This was annoying because it discouraged users from breaking big, complex automations into smaller, cleaner parts.
The New Rule for 2026: You can have unlimited active workflows. You now pay for executions.
The Self-Hosted Business Plan
This is where the friction lies. n8n introduced a Self-Hosted Business Plan (approx. €667/mo) for companies that need enterprise features like SSO, SAML, and Git version control on their own servers.
However, this plan charges per execution.
Critics in the DevOps community have labeled this “double billing”.
- Cost 1: You pay AWS or DigitalOcean for the server CPU/RAM to run the workflow.
- Cost 2: You pay n8n a licensing fee for that same execution.
For high-volume users processing millions of events, this math can be punishing. A company running 1 million executions a month could face bills upwards of $10,000/mo just for the license, even though they are hosting the software themselves.
The Community Edition Loophole
Here is the good news: The Community Edition (Free) has no execution limits.
If you do not need enterprise features (like SSO or detailed audit logs) and are willing to host it yourself, the Community Edition allows you to run millions of workflows for free. You are limited only by the power of your server hardware.
n8n Cloud vs. Self-Hosted: The TCO Breakdown
“Free” software often comes with expensive labor costs. Let’s look at the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) for running n8n in a production environment in 2026.
Option A: n8n Cloud (Managed Service)
This is the “pay for peace of mind” option. n8n manages the servers, updates, and security.
- Starter Plan (€20/mo): 2,500 executions. Good for hobbyists, but a simple polling workflow (checking for email every 5 minutes) will eat this cap in days.
- Pro Plan (€50/mo): 10,000 executions. Includes features like API access and multiple users.
- Artıları: Zero maintenance, reliable uptime.
- Eksiler: Strict execution limits. AI agents (which loop frequently) can burn through credits instantly.
Option B: Self-Hosted Community (The DIY Route)
This is the “free” version. You pay zero licensing fees.
- Server Costs: You can run a capable instance on a Hetzner or DigitalOcean VPS for roughly $5–$20/month.
- Labor Costs: This is the hidden tax. You are responsible for:
- Güvenlik: Setting up firewalls (UFW) and SSL certificates (Let’s Encrypt).
- Güncellemeler: Manually pulling Docker images and handling breaking changes.
- Backups: If your server dies, your workflows die with it unless you built an automated backup system.
Karar: If you have a DevOps engineer on your team, self-hosting is vastly cheaper. If you bill your time at $100/hour and spend 5 hours a month fixing your server, the “free” version actually costs you $500/mo.
Need help architecting a scalable automation system? Check out (https://thinkpeak.ai) for expert workflow automation and AI services.
Features Comparison: What Do You Lose with “Free”?
You might be wondering, “If the Community version is free and unlimited, why would anyone pay?”
n8n deliberately gates specific features behind the paywall to force larger companies to upgrade.
| Özellik | Community Edition (Free) | Business / Enterprise (Paid) |
| Executions | Sınırsız (Hardware bound) | Metered (Pay per run) |
| Workflows | Sınırsız | Sınırsız |
| SSO (Okta/SAML) | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| User Management | Basic (Owner/Member) | ✅ Granular (RBAC) |
| Git Entegrasyonu | ❌ Manual Export/Import | ✅ Native Sync |
| Günlük Akışı | ❌ Local Only | ✅ Send to Datadog/Splunk |
| Environments | ❌ Single Instance | ✅ Dev / Staging / Prod |
Strategic Insight: If your company requires SOC2 compliance or uses Okta for login, you simply cannot use the Free edition legally or securely. You are forced into the paid tier.
Agency Guide: How to Monetize n8n Safely
Agencies and AI consultants often walk a fine line with the Sustainable Use License. Here is how to stay safe.
The “Consulting” Safe Harbor
You are allowed to sell your HİZMETLER.
- Safe Model: You charge a client $5,000 to build an automation. You set up a fresh n8n instance on onların server (or their cloud account). They own the instance. You are just the architect.
The “Reseller” Trap
You are generally değil allowed to sell n8n as a subscription.
- Risky Model: You set up one giant n8n server. You host 50 clients on it. You charge them $100/mo for “Automation Services.” This looks like you are competing with n8n Cloud, which violates the SUL.
The $50,000 Embed License
If you are a SaaS company and want to put n8n inside your product (white-labeled) so your users can build their own integrations, you need the Embed License.
- Maliyet: Starts around $50,000 per year.
- Perks: White-labeling, unlimited distribution, official support.
The Comparison: n8n vs. Zapier vs. Make
The most critical factor in 2026 is how these platforms define a “billable unit”.
1. Zapier (The “Task” Tax)
Zapier charges per “Task.” Every single action—a filter, a formatter, a path—costs money.
- Sorun: Complex logic becomes expensive. A loop that processes 1,000 rows in a spreadsheet = 1,000 tasks.
2. Make (The “Operation” Tax)
Make charges per “Operation.” It is cheaper than Zapier, but complex scenarios still burn credits fast.
3. n8n (The “Execution” Advantage)
n8n charges per “Workflow Execution” (on paid plans) or nothing (on free self-hosted).
- Avantaj: A single execution can contain infinite complexity.
- Örnek: You have a workflow that pulls 10,000 rows from a database, loops through them, formats them, and sends them to an API.
- Zapier: ~20,000+ Tasks ($$$).
- n8n: 1 Execution.
This makes n8n the undisputed king for Yapay Zeka Ajanları. AI agents often “think,” loop, retry, and “think” again. On Zapier, an AI agent is a wallet-drainer. On n8n, that entire reasoning loop is just one execution.
Ready to build AI Agents that don’t break the bank? Keşfedin (https://thinkpeak.ai) for expert implementation.
FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions
Is the n8n Community Edition free forever?
Yes. n8n has committed to the fair-code model. As long as you self-host and do not resell the software, the Community Edition is free.
Does n8n have a free cloud tier?
The permanent free cloud tier has been largely replaced by a 14-day free trial. For a permanent free experience, you must self-host.
Can I use n8n for my startup for free?
Yes, if you self-host. If you need Enterprise features (like SSO) but are a small startup, n8n offers a Startup Plan at roughly 50% off the Business rate (approx. €333/mo) for qualifying companies (under <€5M funding).
How much RAM do I need to self-host n8n?
For a production environment, we recommend at least 2 vCPUs and 4GB of RAM. Running n8n on anything less (like 1GB RAM) will likely cause crashes when processing heavy JSON files or AI workloads.
Is n8n cheaper than Zapier?
For simple, low-volume tasks, Zapier is easier. For high-volume, complex, or AI-driven workflows, n8n is significantly cheaper—often by a factor of 10x or more if you self-host.
Kaynaklar
- https://docs.n8n.io/sustainable-use-license/)
- (https://blog.n8n.io/build-without-limits-everything-you-need-to-know-about-n8ns-new-pricing/)
- n8n Pricing Page
- n8n Embed License Information
- n8n vs Make vs Zapier Comparison Guide
- (https://n8n.io/pricing/startup-plan/
