Is n8n free? What you get without paying, and what it costs
verified Oct 19, 2026 against n8n.io, docs.n8n.io, community.n8n.io
In short
Self-hosted n8n is free: the Community edition runs indefinitely on your own server, with almost every feature, for your own business, personal projects or research. n8n Cloud has no free plan. Its 14-day trial needs no card and charges nothing, then n8n deletes the workspace; paid Cloud starts at $24 a month ($20 billed annually).
What each plan includes
| Feature | Community (self-hosted) | Starter (Cloud) | Pro (Cloud) | Business (self-hosted) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price (US) | Free | $24/month, or $20 billed annually | From $60/month, or $50 billed annually | From $960/month, or $800 billed annually |
| Where it runs | Your own server | n8n's cloud | n8n's cloud | Your own server |
| Workflow executions | No monthly cap stated | 2,500 a month | 10,000 or more a month, by tier | 40,000 or more a month, by tier |
| Users and active workflows | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| AI Assistant | Bring your own AI key (preview) | 1,600 credits a month | 4,000 or 9,600 credits a month | Bring your own AI key (preview) |
| Team features | None: no projects, sharing, SSO or Git | 1 shared project | 3 shared projects | 6 shared projects, SSO, Git, environments |
| Free trial | Not needed | 14 days of Pro features, no card | 14 days of Pro features, no card | 14 days, card required |
- Price (US)
- Community (self-hosted)FreeStarter (Cloud)$24/month, or $20 billed annuallyPro (Cloud)From $60/month, or $50 billed annuallyBusiness (self-hosted)From $960/month, or $800 billed annually
- Where it runs
- Community (self-hosted)Your own serverStarter (Cloud)n8n's cloudPro (Cloud)n8n's cloudBusiness (self-hosted)Your own server
- Workflow executions
- Community (self-hosted)No monthly cap statedStarter (Cloud)2,500 a monthPro (Cloud)10,000 or more a month, by tierBusiness (self-hosted)40,000 or more a month, by tier
- Users and active workflows
- Community (self-hosted)UnlimitedStarter (Cloud)UnlimitedPro (Cloud)UnlimitedBusiness (self-hosted)Unlimited
- AI Assistant
- Community (self-hosted)Bring your own AI key (preview)Starter (Cloud)1,600 credits a monthPro (Cloud)4,000 or 9,600 credits a monthBusiness (self-hosted)Bring your own AI key (preview)
- Team features
- Community (self-hosted)None: no projects, sharing, SSO or GitStarter (Cloud)1 shared projectPro (Cloud)3 shared projectsBusiness (self-hosted)6 shared projects, SSO, Git, environments
- Free trial
- Community (self-hosted)Not neededStarter (Cloud)14 days of Pro features, no cardPro (Cloud)14 days of Pro features, no cardBusiness (self-hosted)14 days, card required
The Community edition is free under n8n's Sustainable Use License: you can use it for your own business, personal projects, learning or research, and build automations for clients who can't edit them. You can't host n8n as a service for others to build workflows, white-label it, or use enterprise features without a license. n8n calls this fair-code and says it is not open source.
The Cloud trial charges nothing and simply expires after 14 days, and n8n deletes the workspace. n8n gives 90 days to download your workflows, though the same page says it deletes your data "soon after", and its terms say content is usually deleted 6 months after an account is deactivated.
If a Cloud plan goes over its executions, n8n's terms say it may upgrade your account after 14 days' notice, which you can object to. On the self-hosted Business plan, workflows keep running and overage is invoiced.
Prices are in US dollars, as n8n's pricing page showed them to a US visitor.
Ways to use n8n for less
- Self-host the Community edition
- Free indefinitely on your own server, with almost every feature, within the Sustainable Use License. Registering your email unlocks a few extras (folders, debugging in the editor, custom execution data) and is still free.
- Try n8n Cloud for 14 days
- Pro features with 1,000 executions, no card, and nothing charged at the end; the trial expires and n8n deletes the workspace, so download your workflows first.
- Nonprofits and schools: ask n8n
- n8n publishes no nonprofit or education discount. An n8n staff member says some discounts exist for registered nonprofits and educational institutions and points to the sales team's contact form; no amount or terms are published. n8n's Academy courses are free for everyone.
Questions
- Is n8n free?
- Yes, if you host it yourself: the Community edition is free with almost every feature, for your own business, personal projects or research. n8n Cloud has no free plan: after a 14-day trial it starts at $24 a month, or $20 billed annually.
- Is n8n free for commercial use?
- Partly. The free license covers using n8n inside your business, building automations for clients who can't edit them, and charging for setup, training and consulting. It doesn't let you host n8n as a service where others build their own workflows, or white-label it; that needs a commercial agreement with n8n.
- Does n8n Cloud have a free plan?
- No. n8n Cloud is paid; the only free option is a 14-day trial of Pro features with 1,000 executions and no card. Self-hosting the Community edition is the free way to run n8n.
- What happens when the n8n Cloud trial ends?
- Nothing is charged. The trial expires and n8n deletes the workspace. n8n gives 90 days to download your workflows, though the same page says it deletes your data soon after, so download them before the trial ends.
- Does n8n have a student or nonprofit discount?
- Not a published one. An n8n staff member says some discounts exist for registered nonprofits and educational institutions and suggests contacting the sales team; n8n's Academy courses are free for everyone.
Sources
- n8n.io/pricing official
- docs.n8n.io/n8n-community-license/community-license/license-faq official
- docs.n8n.io/n8n-community-license official
- docs.n8n.io/deploy/host-n8n/community-edition-features official
- docs.n8n.io/choose-how-to-use-n8n official
- docs.n8n.io/deploy/use-n8n-cloud/start-your-free-trial official
- docs.n8n.io/deploy/use-n8n-cloud/download-workflows official
- n8n.io/legal/self-serve-terms official
- docs.n8n.io/deploy/use-n8n-cloud/assistant-credits official
- community.n8n.io/t/nonprofit-plan/266574 official
- n8n.io/education official
every row is quoted from n8n's own pages, read Oct 19, 2026; plans and credit costs change, so check before you pay