How I Escaped the $487/Month Subscription Trap with DashNex + n8n

The wake-up call: Last month, I added up all my business subscriptions. The total? $487/month — that’s $5,844/year going straight to SaaS companies.

Shopify, ClickFunnels, Teachable, ConvertKit, Zapier… the list went on.

Here’s what nobody tells you about SaaS: It’s not the individual prices that kill you. It’s the compound effect.

$49/month sounds reasonable. But when you’re paying it to 10 different companies? That’s when it becomes a problem.

The Real Cost of SaaS Subscriptions

Let me break down what I was paying:

$17,532 over three years.

That’s not a subscription. That’s a down payment on a house.

Why I Couldn’t Just “Cancel”

You might be thinking: “Just cancel the ones you don’t need.”

I tried. Here’s what happened:

Canceling Teachable meant:

• Rebuilding 3 courses from scratch
• Re-uploading 40+ hours of video
• Manually migrating 500+ students
• Losing all my sales analytics
• Starting my SEO ranking over

Canceling ClickFunnels meant:

• Rebuilding 12 sales funnels
• Reconnecting all integrations
• Risking broken checkout flows
• Losing split-test data
• Potentially breaking my entire sales process

So I didn’t cancel. I just kept paying.

That’s when I realized: I don’t own my business. These SaaS companies do.

The Alternative: DashNex + n8n

After two weeks of research, I found the solution: DashNex for the platform, n8n for automation.

What is DashNex?

DashNex is a one-time purchase platform that replaces:

• ✅ Shopify (e-commerce)
• ✅ ClickFunnels (sales funnels)
• ✅ Teachable (course hosting)
• ✅ Kajabi (membership sites)
• ✅ ConvertKit (email marketing)
• ✅ Plus CRM, webinars, affiliate management

Cost: $497 one time. No monthly fees. Ever.

What is n8n?

n8n is an open-source automation platform (like Zapier) with:

• ✅ Unlimited workflows
• ✅ No execution limits
• ✅ 400+ integrations
• ✅ Self-hosted (you own the data)
• ✅ Free forever

Host it on a $5/month VPS and you’re done.

My New Stack vs. Old Stack

Old Stack:

Annual cost: $5,844
3-year cost: $17,532
Ownership: Zero

New Stack:

DashNex: $497 (one-time)
n8n hosting: $60/year
Year 1 total: $557
Year 2+: $60/year

3-year total: $677
Savings: $16,855

Real Workflows I Built (You Can Copy These)

Let me show you exactly what I automated with n8n + DashNex.

1. Automated Order Processing

Replaced: Zapier + Shopify Apps ($98/month)

Workflow:

DashNex Order → n8n Webhook
  ↓
Extract customer data
  ↓
Add to Google Sheets (backup)
  ↓
Add to email list (SendGrid)
  ↓
Send order confirmation
  ↓
Add to CRM
  ↓
Trigger fulfillment

Time to build: 2 hours Monthly savings: $98

Download this workflow →

2. 7-Day Welcome Sequence

Replaced: ConvertKit + ActiveCampaign ($128/month)

Workflow:

New Subscriber → n8n Webhook
  ↓
Add to PostgreSQL database
  ↓
Send Day 1: Welcome + workflows
  ↓
Wait 2 days
  ↓
Send Day 3: Behind the scenes story
  ↓
Wait 2 days
  ↓
Send Day 5: Advanced workflows
  ↓
Wait 2 days
  ↓
Send Day 7: DashNex pitch

Time to build: 4 hours Monthly savings: $128

Download this workflow →

3. Abandoned Cart Recovery

Replaced: ClickFunnels addon ($47/month)

Workflow:

Cart created (no purchase) → n8n
  ↓
Wait 1 hour
  ↓
Check if order completed
  ↓
If no: Send reminder email #1
  ↓
Wait 24 hours
  ↓
Send reminder email #2 (with discount)
  ↓
Wait 48 hours
  ↓
Send final email #3 (last chance)

Average recovery rate: 15-20% Monthly savings: $47

Download this workflow →

4. Customer Segmentation Engine

Replaced: ActiveCampaign advanced automation ($49/month)

Workflow:

New purchase → n8n
  ↓
Check purchase history
  ↓
Calculate total spend
  ↓
Tag customer:
  - New customer ($0-50)
  - Regular customer ($50-200)
  - VIP customer ($200+)
  ↓
Add to appropriate email sequence
  ↓
Update CRM status

Time to build: 3 hours Monthly savings: $49

Download this workflow →

The Migration Process (Week by Week)

Here’s exactly how I migrated from my old stack to DashNex + n8n.

Week 1: Setup & Testing

Day 1-2: Set up DashNex

• Created account
• Explored dashboard
• Built test product page
• Tested checkout flow

Day 3-4: Deploy n8n

• Spun up DigitalOcean droplet ($5/month)
• Installed n8n (one-click app)
• Connected to DashNex via webhook
• Built first test workflow

Day 5-7: Run parallel testing

• Keep old stack running
• Test new stack with real data
• Fix issues as they come up

Week 2: Migrate Products

• Exported products from Shopify (CSV)
• Imported to DashNex
• Re-uploaded product images
• Tested checkout with real payment

Week 3: Migrate Email Sequences

• Exported email templates from ConvertKit
• Rebuilt sequences in n8n
• Connected SendGrid for delivery
• Tested full email flow

Week 4: Migrate Courses

• Re-uploaded course videos to DashNex
• Rebuilt course structure
• Migrated students (CSV import)
• Sent migration announcement

Total migration time: 4 weeks (working part-time)

What I Learned (The Hard Way)

What Worked Great

✅ Cost savings are real - I broke even in month 2 ✅ Performance is solid - DashNex handles traffic fine ✅ n8n is incredibly powerful - More flexible than Zapier ✅ I own everything - Data, workflows, customers ✅ No surprise price increases - Already paid

What Was Challenging

⚠️ Initial learning curve - DashNex UI is functional, not beautiful ⚠️ Support is slower - Email only, not 24/7 chat ⚠️ You manage hosting - If n8n goes down, you fix it ⚠️ Documentation gaps - Had to figure some things out myself ⚠️ Migration takes time - Plan for 3-4 weeks

Would I Do It Again?

Yes. Absolutely. Without hesitation.

Three months in, I’ve saved $1,461 and I’m just getting started.

Calculate Your Potential Savings

I built a calculator that shows your potential savings by switching to DashNex + n8n.

Just check which tools you currently use:

Takes 30 seconds. No email required.

Free n8n Workflows for DashNex

Want the exact workflows I use?

I’m giving away 25 n8n automation templates that work with DashNex:

• Order processing automation
• Welcome email sequence (7 emails)
• Abandoned cart recovery (3 emails)
• Customer segmentation
• Revenue dashboard
• Weekly analytics report
• And 19 more…

Just enter your email and I’ll send them immediately.

Who Should Make This Switch?

This is perfect for you if:

✅ You currently spend $200+/month on SaaS ✅ You want to own your platform, not rent it ✅ You’re comfortable with some technical setup ✅ You value long-term savings over convenience ✅ You like “pay once, own forever” models

This is NOT for you if:

❌ You need white-glove support for everything ❌ You want zero technical involvement ❌ You prefer paying monthly for simplicity ❌ You don’t have 3-4 weeks for migration

Step-by-Step Guide

Ready to make the switch? Here’s your roadmap:

Step 1: Calculate Your Savings

Use the subscription calculator to see your actual savings. If it’s less than $2,000 over 3 years, this might not be worth your time.

Step 2: Get DashNex

• Visit DashNex
• One-time payment of $497
• Immediate access to all features

Step 3: Deploy n8n

Two options:

Self-Hosted (Recommended):

• DigitalOcean/Hetzner droplet ($5-10/month)
• One-click n8n installation
• Full control

n8n Cloud:

• Managed hosting
• Easier setup
• Starts at $20/month

Step 4: Download My Workflows

Don’t start from scratch. Download my 25 workflows and customize them for your business.

Step 5: Migrate One Tool at a Time

Don’t rush.

Week 1: Set up + test Week 2: Migrate products Week 3: Migrate emails Week 4: Migrate courses

Run both systems in parallel until you’re confident.

Step 6: Cancel Old Subscriptions

Once everything works, start canceling:

1. Download your data first
2. Cancel the subscription
3. Save the confirmation
4. Celebrate 🎉

Three-Month Update

It’s been three months since I switched.

Financial results:

• Saved: $1,461 (3 × $487)
• Invested: $512 ($497 + hosting)
• Net savings: $949

But the real wins:

✅ I own my business - My data, my customers, my platform ✅ No surprise price changes - I already paid ✅ Better automation - n8n is more powerful than Zapier ✅ Peace of mind - No monthly expenses anxiety ✅ Learning - Deeper understanding of my stack

Common Questions

”Isn’t self-hosting risky?”

Not really. With proper backups (which n8n supports), your risk is minimal. Plus, you control everything - no sudden shutdowns or price changes.

”What if DashNex goes out of business?”

Your license is perpetual. Even if they shut down, you keep using what you have. Compare that to Shopify canceling - you lose everything.

”Is n8n hard to learn?”

If you’ve used Zapier, you’ll be fine. It’s visual, drag-and-drop. The learning curve is about 1-2 days of focused practice.

”Can I try before committing?”

Yes! DashNex has a trial. n8n is open-source (free). Test both before buying.

”What about payment processing?”

DashNex integrates with Stripe and PayPal directly. No middleman fees.

The Bottom Line

SaaS subscriptions are expensive rent on your business.

You pay forever. Prices go up. You never own anything.

The alternative:

• $497 for DashNex (one-time)
• $60/year for n8n hosting
• Own everything

Three-year comparison:

• SaaS: $17,532
• DashNex + n8n: $677
• Savings: $16,855

That’s real money you can:

• Reinvest in ads
• Hire team members
• Build an emergency fund
• Or just keep

Start Your Escape Plan

Three steps to get started:

1. Calculate your savings - See your potential (30 seconds)

2. Download free workflows - Get my templates (instant)

3. Get DashNex - Make the switch ($497)

Or just bookmark this and think about it. I hesitated for weeks before I committed.

But three months in, I can’t imagine paying those monthly fees ever again.

Need Help?

Questions about:

• DashNex setup?
• n8n workflow building?
• Migration strategy?
• Replacing specific tools?

Contact me - I respond to every message.

Related Resources

• 25 Free n8n Automation Workflows
• Subscription Cost Calculator
• Building an Automation-First Business
• DashNex vs Shopify: Complete Comparison (coming soon)

About the author: I’m Mike Holownych, an automation consultant specializing in n8n and self-hosted business stacks. After escaping the subscription trap myself, I help others do the same. Learn more about me →