Choosing the right environment for your automation workflows depends on how much control you need over your data and your budget. Below is the breakdown of how the managed Cloud service compares to running n8n on your own infrastructure.
| Feature | n8n Cloud | Self-Hosted (VPS) |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing Model | Tiered (Based on executions) | Flat Monthly Fee (Server cost) |
| Workflow Limit | Limited by subscription | Unlimited |
| Data Ownership | Stored on n8n servers | Full Private Control |
| Customization | Standard Nodes | Custom Code & Private APIs |
| Maintenance | Managed for you | User-managed (Updates/Backups) |
| Internal Access | Public Webhooks only | Direct LAN/DB Access |
Running n8n on your own server (via Docker or Node.js) is often the preferred choice for technical teams and privacy-conscious organizations.