How to Deploy n8n for Free: Complete 2025 Guide

TL;DR: Deploy n8n for free using DigitalOcean’s $200 credit, then pay only $5/month after. Saves $240/year vs Zapier Professional.

This guide takes you from zero to running n8n workflows in 15 minutes.

What You’ll Get

By the end of this guide, you’ll have:

✅ n8n running on your own server ✅ Accessible via custom domain (optional) ✅ Secure SSL certificate ✅ PostgreSQL database for persistence ✅ Zero cost for first 40 months (with $200 credit) ✅ Full control over your automation data

Total time: 15 minutes Cost: $0 (with credit), then $5/month Annual savings vs Zapier: $240/year

Why Self-Host n8n?

The Zapier Cost Problem

Zapier Professional:

Price: $19.99/month ($240/year)
Limits: 750 tasks/month
When you exceed: Pay overage fees
Who owns your data: Zapier

n8n Self-Hosted:

Software: Free (open-source)
Hosting: $5/month ($60/year)
Limits: Unlimited tasks
Who owns your data: You

Savings: $180/year

When to Choose n8n

✅ Choose n8n if:

You’re running 750+ automation tasks/month
You value data privacy/ownership
You’re technically comfortable
You want unlimited automations
You want to save money long-term

❌ Choose Zapier if:

You need zero technical setup
You prefer 24/7 managed support
You’re running under 100 tasks/month
Setup time is more valuable than money

Prerequisites

Before we start, you need:

Credit/debit card (for DigitalOcean account - won’t charge during free credit period)
Domain name (optional, can use IP address)
15 minutes of time

That’s it. No coding required.

Step 1: Create DigitalOcean Account (2 minutes)

DigitalOcean offers $200 in free credits for 60 days. This covers 40 months of n8n hosting.

Get Your $200 Credit

Click here to sign up with $200 credit →
Enter your email and create password
Verify your email (check inbox)
Add payment method:
- Required for verification
- Won’t be charged during free credit period
- Credit card or PayPal accepted
Confirm you received $200 credit:
- Check top-right corner of dashboard
- Should show “$200.00 credit”

That’s it! You now have $200 to spend over 60 days.

Step 2: Deploy n8n from Marketplace (5 minutes)

DigitalOcean has a one-click n8n installation. This is the easiest method.

Create Your n8n Droplet

Click “Create” → “Droplets” (top-right)
Choose Region:
- Select datacenter closest to you
- Example: New York, San Francisco, London
- Doesn’t matter much for personal use
Choose n8n from Marketplace:
- Click “Marketplace” tab
- Search “n8n”
- Click “n8n” (should show n8n logo)
Choose Plan:
- Select “Basic” (default)
- Choose $5/month droplet
- Specs: 1GB RAM, 1 vCPU, 25GB SSD
- Perfect for n8n
Authentication:
- Choose “SSH keys” (more secure)
- OR “Password” (simpler for beginners)
- If password: Use strong password
Hostname:
- Optional: Give it a name like “n8n-automation”
- Or leave default
Click “Create Droplet”

Wait for Deployment (2-3 minutes)

Watch the progress bar. Your droplet will:

Provision hardware
Install Ubuntu
Install n8n
Install PostgreSQL
Configure everything

When complete, you’ll see:

Green checkmark
IP address (e.g., 164.92.123.456)
“Active” status

Copy your IP address - you’ll need it next.

Step 3: Access Your n8n Instance (2 minutes)

Initial Access

Open browser
Go to: http://YOUR-IP-ADDRESS:5678
- Replace YOUR-IP-ADDRESS with your actual IP
- Example: http://164.92.123.456:5678
You should see n8n login screen

If you don’t see it:

Wait 1-2 more minutes (n8n might still be starting)
Check you’re using http:// not https://
Check you included :5678 port
Refresh the page

Create Your Admin Account

Owner account setup screen should appear
Fill in your details:
- Email: [email protected]
- First name: Your name
- Last name: Your name
- Password: Strong password (save this!)
Click “Next”
Skip the questionnaire (or fill it out)
You’re in! You should now see the n8n dashboard.

Step 4: Secure Your Instance (3 minutes)

Your n8n is now accessible to anyone who knows your IP address. Let’s secure it.

Option A: Use Built-in Basic Auth (Quickest)

SSH into your droplet:
```
ssh root@YOUR-IP-ADDRESS
```
Edit n8n configuration:
```
nano /etc/n8n/.env
```

Add these lines:

N8N_BASIC_AUTH_ACTIVE=true
N8N_BASIC_AUTH_USER=yourusername
N8N_BASIC_AUTH_PASSWORD=yourpassword

Save: Ctrl+X, then Y, then Enter
Restart n8n:
```
systemctl restart n8n
```

Now accessing n8n requires username/password before you even see the login screen.

Option B: Use Custom Domain with SSL (Recommended)

If you have a domain name, set up proper HTTPS:

Point your domain to n8n:
- Go to your domain registrar (Namecheap, GoDaddy, etc.)
- Create A record: n8n.yourdomain.com → YOUR-IP-ADDRESS
SSH into droplet:
```
ssh root@YOUR-IP-ADDRESS
```

Install Nginx and Certbot:

apt update
apt install nginx certbot python3-certbot-nginx -y

Configure Nginx:

nano /etc/nginx/sites-available/n8n

Paste this configuration:

server {
    listen 80;
    server_name n8n.yourdomain.com;

    location / {
        proxy_pass http://localhost:5678;
        proxy_http_version 1.1;
        proxy_set_header Upgrade $http_upgrade;
        proxy_set_header Connection 'upgrade';
        proxy_set_header Host $host;
        proxy_cache_bypass $http_upgrade;
    }
}

Enable site:

ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/n8n /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/
nginx -t
systemctl restart nginx

Get SSL certificate:
```
certbot --nginx -d n8n.yourdomain.com
```
- Enter email when prompted
- Accept terms
- Certificate will auto-renew
Access via: https://n8n.yourdomain.com

Step 5: Build Your First Workflow (3 minutes)

Let’s create a simple “hello world” workflow to test everything works.

Create a Webhook Workflow

Click “New Workflow” (top-left)
Add Webhook Node:
- Click the ”+” button
- Search “webhook”
- Click “Webhook”
Configure Webhook:
- HTTP Method: GET
- Path: test
- Click “Execute Node”
- Copy the webhook URL shown
Add Response Node:
- Click ”+” after webhook node
- Search “respond to webhook”
- Click “Respond to Webhook”
Configure Response:
- Response Body: {"message": "Hello from n8n!"}
- Click “Execute Node”
Save Workflow:
- Click “Save” (top-right)
- Name it “Test Workflow”
Activate Workflow:
- Toggle switch (top-right) to ON
Test It:
- Open new browser tab
- Paste your webhook URL
- You should see: {"message": "Hello from n8n!"}

Congratulations! Your n8n automation platform is working.

Real-World Workflow Examples

Now that n8n is running, here are 5 practical workflows to build next:

1. Order Notification Webhook

Trigger: When customer places order Actions:

Send confirmation email
Add to Google Sheets
Notify Slack channel

Setup time: 15 minutes

2. Daily Email Report

Trigger: Every day at 8am Actions:

Query your database
Generate sales report
Email yourself summary

Setup time: 20 minutes

3. Abandoned Cart Recovery

Trigger: When cart created but not completed Actions:

Wait 1 hour
Check if still abandoned
Send reminder email

Setup time: 30 minutes

Trigger: New blog post published Actions:

Extract title and URL
Post to Twitter
Post to LinkedIn
Post to Facebook

Setup time: 25 minutes

5. Customer Welcome Sequence

Trigger: New customer signs up Actions:

Send welcome email (Day 1)
Wait 2 days
Send tips email (Day 3)
Wait 2 days
Send offer email (Day 5)

Setup time: 45 minutes

Download all 5 workflows as JSON →

Cost Breakdown: Real Numbers

Let me show you the actual costs over time.

With $200 DigitalOcean Credit

Month 1: $5 charge → paid from $200 credit ($195 remaining)
Month 2: $5 charge → paid from credit ($190 remaining)
...
Month 40: $5 charge → paid from credit ($0 remaining)

Total out-of-pocket: $0 for first 40 months

After Credit Runs Out

Month 41+: $5/month charged to your card
Annual cost: $60/year

Compared to Zapier

Zapier Professional:

$19.99/month × 12 months = $239.88/year

n8n Self-Hosted (after credit):

$5/month × 12 months = $60/year

Annual Savings: $179.88 5-Year Savings: $899.40

Maintenance: What You Need to Do

Self-hosting isn’t completely “set and forget.” Here’s the reality:

Monthly Maintenance (15 minutes/month)

Check for updates:

ssh root@YOUR-IP-ADDRESS
apt update && apt upgrade -y

Monitor disk space:

df -h

If over 80% full, clean up old workflows:

docker system prune -a

Check n8n is running:

systemctl status n8n

When Things Break

If n8n stops working:

Check if it’s running:
```
systemctl status n8n
```
Restart it:
```
systemctl restart n8n
```
Check logs:
```
journalctl -u n8n -n 50
```

Most common issues:

Disk full → Clean up space
Out of memory → Upgrade droplet to $10/month plan
PostgreSQL stopped → systemctl restart postgresql

Time investment: 15-30 minutes/month average

Alternative: n8n Cloud (If You Want Zero Maintenance)

Don’t want to manage a server? n8n offers managed hosting.

n8n Cloud Starter:

Price: $20/month ($240/year)
Includes: 2,500 workflow executions/month
Maintenance: Zero (they handle everything)
Backups: Automatic
SSL: Included
Uptime: 99.9% guaranteed

When to choose n8n Cloud:

You value time over money
You need guaranteed uptime
You want zero technical management
You’re running a business (not hobby)

Try n8n Cloud free for 14 days →

Comparison:

Factor	Self-Hosted	n8n Cloud
Cost	$60/year	$240/year
Setup Time	15 minutes	2 minutes
Maintenance	15 min/month	0 minutes
Control	Full	Limited
Uptime	Your responsibility	99.9% SLA

Upgrading Your Droplet

Started with $5/month but need more power?

When to Upgrade

Upgrade if you experience:

Workflows timing out
n8n becoming slow/unresponsive
“Out of memory” errors
Running 50+ workflows simultaneously

How to Upgrade

Go to DigitalOcean dashboard
Click your droplet
Click “Resize”
Choose larger plan:
- $10/month: 2GB RAM (recommended for 50+ workflows)
- $20/month: 4GB RAM (for 100+ workflows)
Click “Resize”
Wait 2-3 minutes

No data loss. No reconfiguration needed.

Backups: Protect Your Workflows

Your workflows are valuable. Back them up.

Manual Backup (Free)

Export all workflows:

Go to n8n dashboard
Click “Workflows” (left sidebar)
Click ”⋯” menu → “Export”
Save JSON file to your computer

Do this weekly.

Automatic Backups (Costs $1/month)

Enable DigitalOcean automated backups:

Go to droplet settings
Enable “Backups”
Cost: 20% of droplet price ($1/month for $5 droplet)
Creates weekly backups automatically

Worth it for peace of mind.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Issue 1: Can’t Access n8n at IP:5678

Check:

Is droplet running? (DigitalOcean dashboard)
Are you using http:// not https://?
Did you include :5678 port?
Firewall blocking? (Check DigitalOcean firewall settings)

Solution:

ssh root@YOUR-IP-ADDRESS
systemctl status n8n
systemctl restart n8n

Issue 2: “Out of Memory” Errors

Cause: $5 droplet only has 1GB RAM

Solution: Upgrade to $10/month droplet (2GB RAM)

Issue 3: Workflows Not Triggering

Check:

Is workflow activated? (toggle should be green)
Check execution log (click “Executions” tab)
Test webhook URL manually in browser

Issue 4: Lost Admin Password

Reset password:

ssh root@YOUR-IP-ADDRESS
n8n user-management:reset [email protected]

Follow prompts to set new password.

Next Steps

1. Build Your First Real Workflow

Don’t just test - build something useful:

Download 15 ready-to-use workflows →

Includes:

Order confirmation automation
Welcome email sequences
Abandoned cart recovery
Daily reports
And more…

2. Connect to Your Store

Using DashNex or Shopify?

Read: The $184/Year Tech Stack →

Learn how to connect n8n to your e-commerce platform for full automation.

3. Compare VPS Hosting Options

Want to explore alternatives to DigitalOcean?

Read: Best VPS for n8n (2025 Comparison) →

Compare DigitalOcean vs Vultr vs Hetzner with real performance tests.

FAQ

Q: Is self-hosting n8n really free?

Software is free. Hosting costs $5/month after DigitalOcean’s $200 credit runs out (40 months). So yes, free for 3+ years effectively.

Q: Do I need coding skills?

No. n8n is visual drag-and-drop. You can add JavaScript code if you want, but it’s not required.

Q: Can I migrate from Zapier to n8n?

Yes, but you’ll need to rebuild workflows. There’s no automatic import from Zapier. Budget 1-2 hours per workflow.

Q: What if DigitalOcean raises prices?

You can migrate to cheaper VPS (Hetzner at $4/month). Your workflows export as JSON files - portable to any n8n instance.

Q: Is my data secure with self-hosting?

More secure than SaaS. Only you have access. But YOU are responsible for security updates. Keep Ubuntu and n8n updated.

Q: Can I use this for commercial projects?

Yes. n8n is licensed under fair-code (free for companies under $5M revenue/year). Above that, you need an enterprise license.

Summary

What you’ve accomplished:

✅ Deployed n8n automation platform ✅ Got $200 free credit (40 months of hosting) ✅ Saved $180/year vs Zapier ✅ Built your first workflow ✅ Learned maintenance basics

Total time invested: 15 minutes setup + 15 minutes/month maintenance

Total cost: $0 for 40 months, then $5/month

Savings vs Zapier: $179.88/year = $899.40 over 5 years

Still have questions? Contact me - I help people set up n8n automation.

Want managed hosting instead? Try n8n Cloud → ($20/month, zero maintenance)

Need a simple store to connect n8n to? Check out DashNex → ($27-124 one-time)

Pricing and credits current as of November 2025. DigitalOcean credit offers may change.

Affiliate Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you sign up through my links, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend services I personally use.