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8 min read2 days ago
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I’ve been running 20+ automated workflows on n8n for the past 8 months without paying a single cent for hosting. No n8n Cloud subscription ($20/month), no server costs, just pure automation freedom powered by Google Cloud’s free tier. Here’s exactly how I set it up, and how you can too.
If you’d like more background on n8n and how it fits into a modern developer automation stack, start with this article.
Why Self-Host n8n?
n8n Cloud starts at $20/month for basic features. That’s $240/year. For a side project or personal automation, that adds up fast. But here’s what most developers don’t…
Member-only story
8 min read2 days ago
–
Press enter or click to view image in full size
I’ve been running 20+ automated workflows on n8n for the past 8 months without paying a single cent for hosting. No n8n Cloud subscription ($20/month), no server costs, just pure automation freedom powered by Google Cloud’s free tier. Here’s exactly how I set it up, and how you can too.
If you’d like more background on n8n and how it fits into a modern developer automation stack, start with this article.
Why Self-Host n8n?
n8n Cloud starts at $20/month for basic features. That’s $240/year. For a side project or personal automation, that adds up fast. But here’s what most developers don’t realize: Google Cloud’s free tier is incredibly generous and perfect for running n8n 24/7.
What you get with self-hosted n8n:
- Unlimited workflows (Cloud has limits)
- Unlimited executions (Cloud charges per execution)
- Full control over your data
- No vendor lock-in
- Learn infrastructure skills
- Actually free — $0/month
The Free Tier Advantage
The catch? You need to stay within Google Cloud’s free tier limits. For n8n, this is surprisingly easy. The free tier includes: