n8n Pricing 2026: Cloud Plans, Self-Hosting & Execution Costs
n8n bills by workflow execution, not by task or operation — one execution can run a workflow of any complexity. That single difference is why AI-heavy automations that would cost hundreds of dollars monthly on task-based platforms often run for a fraction of that on n8n. There is also a genuinely free path: the self-hosted Community Edition. Verified breakdown below.
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Is n8n Worth It?
n8n Starter at €20/mo (billed annually) includes 2,500 executions — and because an execution covers the whole workflow regardless of steps, a 20-step AI agent workflow costs the same as a 2-step one. On Zapier, that same workflow consumes 20 tasks per run. For multi-step and AI-agent automation, n8n's pricing model is structurally cheaper; for simple 2-step zaps, the difference mostly disappears.
Annual vs Monthly Billing
Listed cloud prices are annual-billing rates (Starter €240/year, Pro €600/year). A free cloud trial requires no credit card. The self-hosted Community Edition is free without execution limits — you pay only your own infrastructure.
Community Edition
Open-source n8n on your own infrastructure.
- Unlimited executions (your hardware)
- Full workflow editor
- Self-hosted — your data stays with you
- Source available on GitHub (200k+ stars)
Starter
Hosted n8n cloud for individuals and small teams.
- 2,500 workflow executions/month
- 5 concurrent executions
- Cloud-hosted, no maintenance
- Free trial, no credit card
Pro
Higher volume cloud hosting for growing teams.
- 10,000 workflow executions/month
- 20 concurrent executions
- Everything in Starter
Business
Self-hosted with commercial features for larger teams.
- 40,000 workflow executions/month
- Self-hosted deployment
- 14-day trial (credit card required)
Enterprise
Custom execution volume, 200+ concurrency, SSO.
- Custom executions
- 200+ concurrent executions
- Self-hosted or n8n-hosted
Cost Per Unit
On Starter (€20/mo, 2,500 executions), each execution costs €0.008 — independent of workflow complexity. A 15-step workflow running 50 times daily costs about €12/month of the allowance on n8n; the equivalent 22,500 monthly tasks on task-based pricing would require a much higher tier elsewhere.
How n8n Pricing Compares
n8n Starter (€20/mo) vs Make Core ($9/mo, 10,000 credits) vs Zapier Pro (from $19.99/mo, 750 tasks): for simple automations Make is cheapest; for complex multi-step and AI workflows n8n's per-execution billing wins; Zapier charges the most per unit of work but has the largest app catalog and the gentlest learning curve. n8n is also the only one of the three you can self-host for free.
n8n Pricing FAQ
Is n8n free?
Yes, genuinely: the open-source Community Edition is free to self-host with no execution limits — you pay only for your own server. The hosted cloud plans start at €20/month billed annually (2,500 executions), with a free trial and no credit card required.
How is n8n pricing different from Zapier and Make?
n8n charges per workflow execution regardless of how many steps the workflow contains. Zapier charges per task (each step counts) and Make per credit (each module run counts). The more steps your workflows have — AI agents, branching, retries — the more n8n's model favors you.
How much does n8n cloud cost in 2026?
Starter is €20/month and Pro €50/month, both billed annually (verified against n8n.io/pricing in August 2026). Business at €667/month adds self-hosted commercial features, and Enterprise is custom-priced with 200+ concurrent executions.
Do I need to know how to code to use n8n?
No, the editor is visual — but n8n rewards technical comfort: expressions, JSON, and self-hosting all assume some technical skill. Nontechnical founders usually ship faster on Zapier or Make; developers and AI-workflow builders usually prefer n8n.
Not sure if n8n is right for you?
Read our in-depth review with real test results, or compare n8n with its top alternatives.