Choose how to use n8n
n8n offers two primary deployment options: n8n Cloud (fully-managed) and Self-hosted (deploy on your own infrastructure).
Want to try n8n quickly?
Start with n8n Cloud for instant access with no installation required.
Decision guide
Use this guide to choose the best option for your needs:
Want to start quickly
n8n Cloud
No installation needed
Don't have technical expertise
n8n Cloud
Hosted solution, no setup required
Need production-ready deployment
Both options work
Both Cloud and self-hosted support production use
Have customized use cases
Self-hosted
Full control over deployment and configuration
Want most features for free
Self-hosted Community Edition
Free with almost complete feature set
Need folders and debugging features for free
Registered Community Edition
Free registration unlocks these features
Need enterprise features (SSO, environments, projects, etc.)
Cloud (paid) or Self-hosted Enterprise
These features require paid plans
Have infrastructure and technical resources
Self-hosted
Can manage your own deployment
For specific feature availability across different plans, see the pricing page.
Pros and cons comparison
Setup & Deployment
Installation
✅ No installation needed
❌ Requires setup (npm, Docker, or server)
Technical expertise
✅ None required
❌ Required for installation and configuration
Infrastructure Management
Hosting
✅ Fully hosted by n8n
❌ You must provide and manage infrastructure
Maintenance
✅ Handled by n8n
❌ Your responsibility
Control & Customization
Deployment control
❌ Managed by n8n
✅ Full control over deployment
Customization
❌ Limited to available options
✅ Recommended for customized use cases
Cost
Free option
⚠️ Free trial available
✅ Free Community Edition with most features
Paid options
✅ Range of paid plans
✅ Paid Enterprise option available
Features
Core features
✅ Included
✅ Included in free Community Edition
Enterprise features
❌ Requires paid plans
❌ Requires Enterprise license (free Community limited)
Use Cases
Quick start
✅ Ideal for getting started
⚠️ Takes longer to set up
Production use
✅ Supported
✅ Recommended for production
Custom requirements
⚠️ Limited customization
✅ Recommended for customized use cases
Legend: ✅ Advantage | ❌ Disadvantage | ⚠️ Mixed/depends on needs
For specific feature availability across different plans, see the pricing page.
Getting started
Ready to begin? Choose your deployment option:
Get started with n8n Cloud - Sign up for instant access
Get started with self-hosted - Installation and deployment guides
To register a Community Edition instance for additional features, go to Settings > Usage and plan and select Unlock.
Feature comparison
Self-hosted Community Edition
n8n's Community Edition is the free, self-hosted version of n8n that you can run on your own infrastructure.
Variables & Configuration
Custom variables
Enterprise editions, some Cloud paid plans
Environments
Environments
Enterprise editions, some Cloud paid plans
Secrets Management
External secrets
Enterprise editions, some Cloud paid plans
Storage
External storage for binary data
Enterprise editions
Logging
Log streaming (standard logging IS included)
Enterprise editions
Scaling
Multi-main mode (queue mode IS included)
Enterprise editions
Organization
Projects
Enterprise editions, some Cloud paid plans
Authentication
SSO (SAML, LDAP)
Enterprise editions
Collaboration
Workflow and credential sharing**
Enterprise editions, some Cloud paid plans
Version Control
Version control using Git
Enterprise editions, some Cloud paid plans
In Community Edition, only the instance owner and the user who creates workflows or credentials can access them.
Self-hosted registered Community Edition (Free)
By registering your Community Edition with your email, you unlock these additional features:
Folders
Organize your workflows into folders
Debug in editor
Copy and pin execution data when working on a workflow
Custom execution data
Save, find, and annotate execution metadata
n8n Cloud vs Self-hosted Enterprise
Both n8n Cloud (Enterprise plan) and Self-hosted Enterprise editions include all the features listed above that are missing from the Community Edition.
For specific details on which features are available on Cloud Starter, Pro, and Business self-hosted plans, see the pricing page.
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