Self-Hosted n8n vs n8n Cloud: Which Should You Choose?

Deciding between self-hosted n8n and n8n Cloud? This guide compares both options to help you make the best choice for your automation needs.

What's the Difference?

n8n Cloud is a fully managed service run by the n8n team. You don't worry about servers, updates, or infrastructure.

Self-Hosted n8n means you deploy n8n on your own infrastructure (or use a managed service like ranx.cloud), giving you complete control.

Comparison Table

Benefits of Self-Hosted n8n

1. Cost Efficiency

With self-hosting via ranx.cloud, you pay a flat $9/month with unlimited executions. As your automation grows, you save significantly compared to execution-based pricing.

2. Data Privacy & Security

Your data stays in your infrastructure. Perfect for healthcare, finance, or any industry with strict compliance requirements.

3. Customization

Install custom nodes, modify the source code, or integrate with internal systems that aren't publicly accessible.

4. No Vendor Lock-In

You own your automation infrastructure. If you ever want to move, you can export everything and redeploy anywhere.

Benefits of n8n Cloud

1. Zero Maintenance

The n8n team handles all infrastructure, updates, and scaling. You just build workflows.

2. Enterprise Support

Direct support from the n8n team with guaranteed response times.

3. Instant Scaling

Automatically scales to handle traffic spikes without any configuration.

The Middle Ground: Managed Self-Hosting

Services like ranx.cloud offer the best of both worlds:

• ✅ Easy deployment (2 minutes)
• ✅ Automatic updates
• ✅ SSL certificates included
• ✅ Your own cloud infrastructure
• ✅ Full data control
• ✅ Fixed cost ($9/month)
• ✅ Unlimited executions

Which Should You Choose?

Choose Self-Hosted (via ranx.cloud) if:

• You run high-volume workflows (>10,000/month)
• Data privacy is critical
• You want predictable costs
• You need custom integrations
• You want to avoid execution limits

Choose n8n Cloud if:

• You want absolute zero maintenance
• You need enterprise support guarantees
• Your workflows are low-volume
• You prefer official n8n infrastructure