n8n is a workflow automation tool that you can use as a hosted service or run on your own infrastructure. Its documentation highlights a free self-hosted Community Edition alongside paid cloud and licensed options. In May 2026 it also made news for a large investment from SAP, which we cover below.
This review explains what n8n is, how its editions and plans are organised, what the Community Edition leaves out, how the Sustainable Use License limits what you can do with it, and what we could not confirm. We rely mainly on n8n’s own documentation, and we say clearly where a fact comes from a third party.
How we researched this: we did not run hands-on tests for this article. It is based on the vendor’s own documentation and public sources, checked on 11 November 2026. Features and prices change, so confirm details on the vendor’s site before you buy.
Key takeaways
- n8n can be used as n8n Cloud, where n8n hosts it, or self-hosted, where you run it yourself. The documentation says both options support production use.
- The self-hosted Community Edition is free and includes almost the full feature set, but leaves out items such as SSO, environments, projects, external secrets, log streaming and Git version control.
- The Sustainable Use License allows free use for your own organisation but restricts hosting n8n as a service that lets clients build workflows, and white-labelling it. This is general information, not legal advice.
- We could not read n8n’s pricing page, so we give no prices. We describe the plan structure from the documentation and tell you what to check.
- Self-hosting moves operational work to you: servers, upgrades, backups and monitoring.
What it is
n8n is a workflow automation platform. Its documentation describes two ways to use it. With n8n Cloud, n8n hosts, updates and scales the instance, which suits quick starts and teams that do not want to manage infrastructure. With self-hosting, you run n8n on your own infrastructure using npm, Docker or a server, which requires technical skills but gives you full control and customisation.
A May 2026 news article describes n8n as an AI orchestration and workflow automation platform based in Germany. On 12 May 2026 it was reported that SAP made a strategic investment that doubled n8n’s valuation to $5.2 billion, from $2.5 billion less than a year earlier, and that n8n will be built into SAP’s Joule Studio, an agent-building environment. The article says n8n serves over 1,400 enterprise customers and has about 1.7 million monthly active developers. Those figures come from the press coverage, not from an independent audit, so treat them as company claims. The investment amount was not disclosed in the article.
Who it is for
n8n’s own plan descriptions suggest who it expects. Cloud Starter is described for individuals and small projects. Pro is for power users and small teams that need higher limits and admin features. Enterprise is for advanced security, scaling and support. Self-hosted editions run from the free Community Edition up to paid Business and Enterprise licences.
In practice, the clearest fit is a team with some technical skill that wants control over where workflows run, or that wants to avoid per-run fees for a self-hosted instance. A person who just wants two apps connected may find a hosted no-code tool quicker. If you are unsure which group you are in, our Zapier, Make and n8n decision guide walks through the questions.
Key features (documented)
The table sets out the editions n8n documents. Feature availability changes over time, and n8n’s docs say the pricing page is the source of truth for current breakdowns.
| Edition | Where it runs | What the docs say |
|---|---|---|
| Cloud Starter | Hosted by n8n | For individuals and small projects |
| Cloud Pro | Hosted by n8n | Higher limits and admin features for power users and small teams |
| Cloud Enterprise | Hosted by n8n | Advanced security, scaling and support |
| Community | Self-hosted | Free, no licence key, almost the full feature set |
| Registered Community | Self-hosted | Free; registering an email gives a key that adds folders, debug in editor and custom execution data |
| Business | Self-hosted | Paid licence key; adds features such as SSO, environments and projects |
| Enterprise | Self-hosted or cloud | Paid; adds the most advanced security, scaling and governance options |
The docs also say there is a 14-day free trial of n8n Cloud that includes Pro features.
What the free Community Edition leaves out
According to the Community Edition features page, the free edition without a licence key excludes custom variables, environments, external secrets, external binary storage, log streaming, multi-main mode, projects, SSO, sharing and Git version control. Logging and queue mode are included. Paid licences unlock items such as SSO, environments, external secrets and log streaming. If any of those are requirements, plan on a paid edition from the start.
Features outside the docs we read
We did not open n8n pages documenting its integrations, AI components or templates, so we do not describe them here. Check n8n’s integration list for the apps you depend on, and check whether any AI components you want are available on your chosen edition.
Pricing model
We could not read n8n’s pricing page, which was not available to our research tools, so we give no prices. What we can document is the structure. The docs list cloud plans called Starter, Pro and Enterprise, and self-hosted editions called Community, Registered Community, Business and Enterprise. The Community Edition is free to download, but you pay for the server and the work of running it.
A third-party article from Jet Admin dated 26 September 2026 says n8n counts an execution as a single run of an entire workflow, regardless of how many steps it has, and that paid cloud plans carry monthly execution limits. We could not verify that against n8n’s own page, so use it only as a prompt for questions. It also warned buyers to confirm whether the Business plan is self-hosted before budgeting, which matches the docs listing Business as a self-hosted licence.
| Cost element | Cloud | Self-hosted Community |
|---|---|---|
| Software fee | Paid plans, see n8n pricing page | Free, no licence key |
| Hosting and servers | Included in the plan | You pay and manage |
| Upgrades and backups | Handled by n8n | Your responsibility |
| Advanced features such as SSO | Higher plans | Need a paid licence key |
When you read the live page, follow the checklist in how to read an AI tool’s pricing page, especially for what counts as a billable unit and what happens at the limit.
Strengths
- Choice of hosting. You can pick managed cloud or self-hosting, and the docs say both support production use.
- A free self-hosted edition with a broad feature set. The Community Edition includes almost everything except a list of governance and scaling features.
- Control over data location. Self-hosting lets you decide where the software and its data live, though you take on the security duties that come with that.
- Clear licence guidance. n8n publishes a licence FAQ that explains many permitted and restricted uses, including consulting for clients.
- Strong commercial momentum. The May 2026 SAP deal suggests the project is well funded, though funding is not the same as product fit.
Limits and cautions
- Self-hosting is real work. You supply the server, database, backups, monitoring and upgrades. If nobody on your team will own that, cloud may be the safer choice.
- Several features need a paid licence. SSO, environments, external secrets, log streaming and Git version control are not in the free edition.
- Licence limits. The Sustainable Use License is not an open-source licence in the usual sense. It restricts hosting n8n for clients to build workflows and white-labelling.
- Pricing detail unverified. We could not read the current pricing page, so confirm plan limits and prices directly.
- Learning curve. The documentation assumes technical skills for self-hosting. We have not tested how steep the builder is for non-technical users, so we make no claim either way.
Privacy and data
Privacy depends heavily on how you run n8n. When you self-host, workflow data stays on infrastructure you control, which can simplify some compliance questions, but you are responsible for securing it. When you use n8n Cloud, n8n hosts the instance, and you should review its terms like any other vendor. We did not read n8n’s cloud security or data-processing documents, so we cannot report certifications, regions or AI training terms.
The May 2026 coverage says n8n lets organisations keep control of their data, which is a company-level claim. Treat it as a starting point for questions, not a guarantee.
| Privacy question | Status in our research |
|---|---|
| Self-hosted data location | You choose, because you run the infrastructure (per deployment docs) |
| Cloud certifications | We could not confirm |
| Cloud hosting regions | We could not confirm |
| Use of content for AI training | We could not confirm |
For a wider checklist, read how to protect company data when using AI tools.
Alternatives
Zapier and Make are the two most common comparisons. Zapier documents task-based billing where only successful action steps count and describes a hosted service. Make bills in credits and describes a visual scenario builder. Neither of the pages we read for those tools documented a free self-hosted edition. We have separate reviews of Zapier and Make, and the decision guide compares how to choose.
| Tool | Hosting per vendor docs | Free tier per vendor docs |
|---|---|---|
| n8n | Cloud or self-hosted | Free Community Edition (self-hosted); 14-day cloud trial |
| Zapier | Hosted | Free plan, 100 tasks a month |
| Make | Hosted | Free plan, 1,000 credits a month |
Who should and should not use it
Best for these people, if these conditions apply
- You have someone who can run and secure a server, and you want to control where workflows run.
- You are an organisation automating your own processes, which the licence FAQ says is covered by free self-hosting.
- You want to choose between managed cloud and self-hosting without changing tools.
Look elsewhere, or take advice, if these apply
- You plan to host n8n so that your clients can build or edit workflows. The licence FAQ lists this as restricted, so speak to n8n first.
- You need SSO, environments or projects and want to stay on a free edition.
- You have no one to maintain a self-hosted system and would rather not pay for managed cloud.
A note on the licence
The licence FAQ says self-hosted Community Edition is free if only people in your organisation create or modify workflows. It lists as permitted running your own business and personal projects, building automations for clients on your instance as long as clients cannot create or edit them, and charging for setup, maintenance and consulting. It lists as restricted hosting n8n as a service that lets clients build workflows, letting end users build workflows through your product (including by API or an AI agent), forking n8n to launch a competing product, removing branding, and using licence-key features without the right licence. This is general information, not legal advice. For anything borderline, n8n’s FAQ says to contact license@n8n.io.
Questions to ask before buying
- Will we use cloud or self-host, and who owns upgrades, backups and security if we self-host?
- Which features do we need that are paid-only, such as SSO or environments?
- How does n8n count usage on the cloud plan I would choose, and what is the limit?
- Does my use fit the Sustainable Use License, especially if clients are involved?
- What are the hosting region, certifications and AI training terms for n8n Cloud?
- Are the integrations I need available?
Build one real workflow on the free trial or a test instance first. Our guide on how to test an AI tool before you pay for it lists what to record.
Frequently asked questions
Is n8n free?
The self-hosted Community Edition is free and needs no licence key, according to n8n’s documentation. You still pay for hosting. n8n Cloud has paid plans and a 14-day trial that includes Pro features.
Is n8n open source?
n8n’s documentation refers to a Sustainable Use License and a community licence, with a licence FAQ listing permitted and restricted uses. That is not the same as a standard open-source licence, so read the terms for your case.
What is missing from the free Community Edition?
The docs list custom variables, environments, external secrets, external binary storage, log streaming, multi-main mode, projects, SSO, sharing and Git version control as excluded.
Can I use n8n to build automations for my clients?
The licence FAQ says you can build automations for clients on your instance as long as they cannot create or edit them, and can charge for setup and consulting. Hosting it so clients build workflows is restricted. This is not legal advice.
What did SAP’s investment mean for n8n?
According to a 12 May 2026 news article, SAP made a strategic investment, valuing n8n at $5.2 billion, and n8n will be embedded in SAP’s Joule Studio. The amount was not disclosed.
Should I choose n8n, Zapier or Make?
We do not rank them. Use your own workflow and requirements, and follow our decision guide.
Conclusion
n8n’s documented strengths are flexible hosting, a free self-hosted edition with a broad feature set, and published licence guidance. Its cautions are the operational work of self-hosting, paid-only governance features and licence limits for client-facing use. We could not verify current prices or cloud privacy terms, so confirm both before buying.
Next, define your own workflow, decide who will run it, and compare tools with how to compare AI tools side by side fairly and how to choose an AI tool.
Sources
- n8n docs: Choose how to use n8n, 11 November 2026
- n8n docs: Community Edition features, 11 November 2026
- n8n docs: Licence FAQ, 11 November 2026
- Pulse 2.0: n8n valuation doubles to $5.2 billion (12 May 2026), 11 November 2026
- Jet Admin: n8n pricing in 2026 (26 September 2026), third-party, 11 November 2026
