n8n Hosting: The Complete 2025 Guide (Self-host vs Managed)

Looking to host n8n for reliable, secure workflow automation? This guide explains your hosting options (self-host vs managed), gives you a production-ready checklist, and includes a minimal Docker Compose example to get you live fast.

What is n8n, and why hosting matters

n8n is a powerful, open-source workflow automation platform. The right hosting determines your uptime, speed, security, and how easily you can scale. Whether you’re automating for a startup or an enterprise team, choosing the best way to host n8n will save you time and money.

Your n8n hosting options

Option A: Managed n8n hosting

• Fast setup: Get a production-ready instance in minutes.
• Managed updates: Security patches and version upgrades handled for you.
• Backups and restore: Automated daily snapshots reduce risk.
• Monitoring & support: Proactive uptime checks and expert help.

Managed hosting is ideal if you want to focus on building workflows instead of maintaining servers. If you need SLAs, high availability, or team features, managed is usually the smarter starting point.

Option B: Self-host n8n on your own server

• Full control: Choose CPU/RAM, regions, networking, and add-ons.
• Lower base cost: A single VPS can be very affordable.
• DIY responsibility: You handle updates, SSL, backups, and monitoring.

Self-hosting gives maximum flexibility, but you must follow best practices to keep n8n fast, secure, and resilient.

Minimum production checklist

• Domain & SSL: Use your own domain with automatic TLS (Let’s Encrypt).
• PostgreSQL: Run a dedicated Postgres DB (not SQLite) for reliability.
• Object storage for binaries: Store large files outside the container where possible.
• Redis (optional but recommended): For queues and improved performance with webhooks.
• Backups: Automated daily database and configuration backups with offsite retention.
• Environment hardening: Strong admin credentials, disable default credentials, rotate tokens.
• Process supervision: Run n8n as a service with auto-restart on failure.
• Monitoring: Uptime checks, error alerts, and resource dashboards.
• Webhooks: Expose ports behind a reverse proxy and verify signatures when possible.

Quick-start: Docker Compose for n8n + Postgres + Caddy

This minimal example sets up n8n with a Postgres database and Caddy for automatic HTTPS. Adjust domains, passwords, and volumes for your environment.

version: "3.8"
services:
  caddy:
    image: caddy:2
    restart: unless-stopped
    ports:
      - "80:80"
      - "443:443"
    volumes:
      - ./Caddyfile:/etc/caddy/Caddyfile
      - caddy_data:/data
      - caddy_config:/config
    depends_on:
      - n8n

  postgres:
    image: postgres:15
    restart: unless-stopped
    environment:
      POSTGRES_USER: n8n
      POSTGRES_PASSWORD: strong-password
      POSTGRES_DB: n8n
    volumes:
      - postgres_data:/var/lib/postgresql/data

  n8n:
    image: n8nio/n8n:latest
    restart: unless-stopped
    environment:
      N8N_HOST: workflows.example.com
      N8N_PORT: 5678
      N8N_PROTOCOL: https
      DB_TYPE: postgresdb
      DB_POSTGRESDB_HOST: postgres
      DB_POSTGRESDB_PORT: 5432
      DB_POSTGRESDB_DATABASE: n8n
      DB_POSTGRESDB_USER: n8n
      DB_POSTGRESDB_PASSWORD: strong-password
      WEBHOOK_URL: https://workflows.example.com/
    ports:
      - "127.0.0.1:5678:5678"
    volumes:
      - n8n_data:/home/node/.n8n
    depends_on:
      - postgres

volumes:
  caddy_data:
  caddy_config:
  postgres_data:
  n8n_data:

Example Caddyfile:

workflows.example.com {
  encode zstd gzip
  reverse_proxy n8n:5678
}

Performance tips for n8n hosting

• Use Postgres, not SQLite: Better concurrency and reliability.
• Allocate enough RAM/CPU: Start with 2 vCPU / 4 GB RAM for production; scale up with workload size.
• Separate DB from app: For heavier loads, move Postgres to a managed database.
• Enable worker mode: Use queue mode with separate workers for high-throughput workflows.
• Cache & queues: Add Redis for improved webhook handling and job queues.
• Prune old executions: Set retention policies to keep the database lean.

Costs: self-host vs managed

Self-host: From ~$8–$25/mo for a small VPS, plus time for setup, updates, backups, and monitoring. Can be very cost-effective if you have DevOps skills.

Managed: Higher monthly fee, but you gain speed-to-value, support, backups, and peace of mind—often cheaper than DIY when you factor engineering time and downtime risk.

When to choose managed n8n hosting

• You want production reliability fast.
• You don’t have time for server updates and security.
• You need backups, monitoring, and expert support.
• Your team requires SSO, RBAC, or auditability.

Frequently asked questions

Can I host n8n for free?

You can run n8n locally or on a free-tier VM, but for production you should budget for at least a small VPS and backups.

What server specs do I need?

Start with 2 vCPU / 4 GB RAM and 20–40 GB SSD. Increase CPU/RAM for heavier workflows, many concurrent executions, or large file processing.

How do I keep n8n updated?

With Docker, pull the latest image during a maintenance window, back up first, then restart containers. On managed hosting, updates are handled for you.

Is n8n secure for production?

Yes—when properly configured with SSL, strong credentials, network rules, and regular updates. Use Postgres and consider a private network for your DB.

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Want the fastest route to a reliable, scalable n8n? Try managed n8n hosting and get expert support, automated backups, and zero-maintenance updates.