How to Decide Between n8n Cloud and Self-Hosted n8n
Self-hosting n8n costs about $6/month and has no execution cap, while n8n Cloud starts at $24/month. Here is how to pick based on volume, data…
The hosted version of n8n for building AI agent workflows without managing servers
n8n Cloud is the hosted tier of the n8n workflow platform. It runs on n8n’s servers, includes AI agent and vector-store nodes, and connects to 400+ apps. Plans start around 24 euros per month for 2,500 workflow executions.
n8n is a source-available automation tool, often described as a self-hostable alternative to Zapier. Most people run it themselves; n8n Cloud is for teams who want the same engine without patching a server, handling updates or wiring a database.
The AI angle is why it keeps showing up in 2026. n8n ships agent nodes, memory, tool calling and vector store connectors, so you can build a retrieval-augmented assistant as a visual graph rather than a Python project.
Execution counts are the trap. A single cron job that fires every five minutes eats your monthly quota fast, and busy workflows can hit the cap in days. The hosted plans cost more than running the same thing on a $10 VPS if you have the skills. The visual editor also gets unwieldy past a few dozen nodes, and debugging a failing run means reading execution logs node by node.