Choosing between n8n Cloud and a self-hosted deployment comes down to a fundamental trade-off between convenience and control. n8n Cloud is the managed, software-as-a-service (SaaS) option, handling all the infrastructure, updates, and security for you, making it ideal for users who want to start automating immediately. Conversely, a self-hosted instance provides you with complete autonomy over your environment—perfect for developers, users with strict data privacy requirements, or anyone who loves to tinker—but it places the full responsibility of setup, maintenance, and scaling squarely on your shoulders.
The Core Dilemma: Convenience vs. Control
I often use an analogy to explain this choice to clients. Think of n8n Cloud as renting a beautiful, fully-furnished apartment in a managed building. You move in, and everything just works. The landlord handles maintenance, security, and repairs. It’s predictable and hassle-free. Self-hosting, on the other hand, is like buying a plot of land and building your own house. You decide the layout, the materials, the security system—everything. It’s incredibly powerful and customized to your exact needs, but you’re also the one who has to fix the plumbing at 3 AM.
So, which one is for you? There’s no single right answer, but understanding the nuances will lead you to the perfect fit for your project, team, and technical comfort level.
Diving Deep: n8n Cloud Explained
n8n Cloud is designed for speed and simplicity. It’s the path of least resistance to getting your automations up and running.
The “Set It and Forget It” Advantage
The biggest selling point for n8n Cloud is the sheer convenience. You sign up, and you can start building workflows in minutes. You don’t have to worry about:
- Server Setup: No Docker, no npm, no server configurations. It’s all handled.
- Updates & Security: The n8n team manages all version updates and security patches, ensuring your instance is always current and protected.
- Infrastructure Management: Scaling resources as needed? That’s not your problem; it’s part of the service.
Now, here’s where it gets really practical. Have you ever tried setting up OAuth credentials for Google, Microsoft, or Slack on a self-hosted app? It involves creating a project in the developer console, generating keys, setting redirect URIs… it can be a real headache. On n8n Cloud, the n8n team has already configured a global OAuth app. This means for many services, you just click “Sign in with Google,” and you’re done. This single feature can save hours of setup time and frustration.
What You Get (and What it Costs)
n8n Cloud operates on a tiered pricing model. This means you’ll typically have limits on things like the number of workflow executions or active workflows per month. While the core functionality is all there, some of the more advanced, enterprise-grade features like Single Sign-On (SSO), version control via Git, and dedicated support are reserved for the higher-tier plans.
Unleashing Full Potential: The Self-Hosted Route
For those who aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty, self-hosting unlocks a level of freedom that a managed service simply can’t offer.
The Power of Absolute Control
When you self-host n8n, you are the master of your domain. This gives you several key advantages:
- Total Data Privacy: You can run your n8n instance on a private network or within your own VPC (Virtual Private Cloud), ensuring no sensitive data ever leaves your infrastructure. This is non-negotiable for industries like healthcare (HIPAA) or finance.
- Unlimited Everything: In the community version, there are no artificial limits on workflows or executions. Your only constraints are the resources of your server.
- Complete Customization: You can configure the environment exactly as you see fit, install any community nodes you trust, and set up custom reverse proxies, domains, and logging.
Let’s Be Honest: The Responsibilities
Control is a double-edged sword. While the community edition is “free” as in beer, it’s definitely not “free” as in labor. You are now the system administrator. Your to-do list includes:
- Initial Setup: Deploying n8n using Docker, Kubernetes, or another method.
- Database Management: Setting up and maintaining a database like PostgreSQL or MySQL (highly recommended over the default SQLite for production).
- Manual Updates: Keeping your n8n version and underlying server dependencies up to date.
- Security Hardening: Configuring firewalls, managing SSL certificates, and securing your instance.
- Scaling: If your workflows get heavy, you’ll need to configure queue mode and potentially scale up your workers and server resources.
If your self-hosted instance goes down, there’s no support team to call—it’s on you to diagnose and fix it.
The Feature Face-Off: n8n Cloud vs Self-Hosted Comparison
To make it even clearer, here’s a side-by-side comparison:
| Feature/Aspect | n8n Cloud | n8n Self-Hosted (Community) | n8n Self-Hosted (Enterprise) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ease of Use | ★★★★★ (Instant setup) | ★★☆☆☆ (Requires technical expertise) | ★★☆☆☆ (Requires technical expertise) |
| Maintenance | Managed by n8n team | Your full responsibility | Your full responsibility |
| Cost Model | Tiered subscription (based on usage) | Server/infrastructure costs only | License fee + Server costs |
| Scalability | Managed by n8n | Manual (configure queue mode, add workers) | Manual (configure queue mode, add workers) |
| Control | ★☆☆☆☆ (Limited to plan features) | ★★★★★ (Total control over environment) | ★★★★★ (Total control over environment) |
| OAuth Setup | ★★★★★ (Pre-configured for most apps) | ★☆☆☆☆ (Manual setup for each app) | ★☆☆☆☆ (Manual setup for each app) |
| Enterprise Features | Available on higher-tier plans | Not available | Available (SSO, Git-sync, user roles, etc.) |
Real-World Scenario: A Small Marketing Agency’s Choice
Let’s imagine a small marketing agency, “PixelPushers Inc.” They need to automate lead syncing from a client’s HubSpot to a Google Sheet and send Slack notifications. Their team is small, and their one developer is swamped with building client websites.
They could self-host. Spinning up a $10/month Docker droplet on DigitalOcean seems cheap. But then the questions start. Who is responsible for updating n8n? What happens if a critical client webhook fails over the weekend because the server ran out of memory? The cost of the developer’s time and the risk of downtime for a client-facing workflow quickly dwarf that small server fee.
Instead, PixelPushers opts for an n8n Cloud plan. The cost is predictable. The setup is instant. The Google Sheets and Slack connections are authenticated with a single click. They spend their time building the automation that delivers value to their client, not managing the platform that runs it. For them, convenience trumped control.
Making the Final Call: Which Path is Yours?
So, how do you decide? Ask yourself these simple questions:
- Choose n8n Cloud if… you want to start building workflows right away, you prefer a predictable monthly cost, and you don’t want the overhead of server maintenance.
- Choose Self-Hosted (Community) if… you’re a developer or have IT resources, you have strict data privacy needs that require a private network, and you’re comfortable managing server infrastructure.
- Consider Self-Hosted (Enterprise) if… you need the total control and privacy of self-hosting but also require advanced features like SSO, granular user roles, and version control for a larger, collaborative team.
Both paths lead to powerful automation. The best choice is the one that aligns with your resources, priorities, and technical capabilities.
