Tool
n8n pricing calculator — Cloud vs self-hosted cost
Punch in your real numbers. Get a directional estimate for n8n Cloud vs a self-hosted VPS, plus the break-even where one becomes cheaper than the other. Shareable link, no signup, all client-side.
Calculator
n8n Cloud (est.)
—
Closest tier
Self-hosted total
—
VPS + ops time
Break-even
—
execs/mo where Cloud == Self-host
Recommendation
—
Directional estimate. n8n changes Cloud pricing periodically. Last reviewed 2026-05. See affiliate disclosure.
n8n Cloud tiers used in this estimate
| Tier | Execs/mo | Price | Active workflows |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | 2,500 | $24/mo | 5 |
| Pro | 10,000 | $60/mo | 15 |
| Pro 50k | 50,000 | $120/mo | 50 |
| Enterprise | Custom | Talk to sales | Unlimited |
If your usage exceeds Pro 50k, the calculator falls back to a linear estimate of $120 + $1.50 per 1k extra execs. Real Enterprise pricing is negotiated.
Self-host hidden costs you should not skip
- Postgres + queue mode — SQLite + main process fails under load. Plan for a real DB and a worker pool.
- Backups — daily Postgres dumps + workflow JSON exports. Restore-tested, not "we have snapshots somewhere".
- Upgrades — n8n ships weekly. Budget ~1–2 hrs/mo for read-notes + restart + smoke tests.
- Observability — Plausible/uptime/log shipping. Cheap, but not free.
- Secrets — credentials encryption key management. Lose the key, lose your workflows' creds.
FAQ
How does this calculator work?
It approximates n8n Cloud tiers from public pricing and compares them to a self-hosted total (VPS + your ops time). The break-even is where the two curves cross.
Are these prices exact?
No. Cloud tier mapping is approximate; n8n changes pricing periodically. Use the result as a directional estimate, not a quote.
Why include ops time?
Self-hosting is rarely free. Backups, upgrades, queue mode, and incidents have real cost. We bake your hourly rate * hours/month into the self-host total.
What VPS should I use?
For most teams under ~200k executions/month, a $20–40/mo VPS (Hetzner, Hostinger, DigitalOcean) with Postgres + queue mode is sufficient. See our hosting guide.