How Much Does n8n Cost in 2026?

n8n's two competitive advantages are open-source optionality (Community Edition self-hosted free forever) and per-execution pricing model. The per-execution metric is unique in category: 'Unlike other tools that charge per step or user, n8n lets you build freely and only pay when a workflow runs from start to finish.' For multi-step workflows with 5-10+ steps, n8n is dramatically cheaper than Zapier (which charges per step). A 10-step workflow running 1,000 times/month = 10,000 tasks on Zapier, but only 1,000 executions on n8n. At Starter €20/month (2,500 executions), that same workload would easily fit; on Zapier Professional $19.99/month you'd hit overage fees by the 75th run. Community Edition is genuinely free forever for self-hosters — runs on Docker, Kubernetes, or npm. Fair-code license (Sustainable Use License) permits commercial use but restricts redistribution with modifications — verify compliance for enterprise deployments. 184,000+ GitHub stars = massive community support, templates, and troubleshooting resources. Cloud Starter at €20/month (~$22 USD, $264/year) provides 2,500 workflow executions/month + 5 concurrent executions + 1 shared project + unlimited users + unlimited workflows + 50 AI Workflow Builder credits + forum support. For individual technical users or small teams, Starter is economical. Pro at €50/month (~$55, $660/year) is a significant jump — adds custom executions (negotiable volume), 20 concurrent executions, 3 shared projects, 7 days of insights retention, 150 AI credits, admin roles, global variables, workflow history. Business at €667/month (~$730, $8,760/year) is where enterprise needs are met: 40,000 executions + self-hosted cloud option + 6 shared projects + SSO/SAML/LDAP + 30-day insights + Git version control. Self-hosted Business option is particularly valuable — get the Business tier's cloud features on your own infrastructure. Enterprise custom pricing adds unlimited shared projects, 200+ concurrent executions, 365-day insights retention, custom execution counts, dedicated support with SLA, invoice billing. AI Workflow Builder credits (50 Starter / 150 Pro / higher Business+) generate workflows from natural language. The pricing in EUR means USD conversion varies daily — current approximately $22/$55/$730 at 1.1 exchange rate. Where n8n wins: Community Edition self-hosted free forever (open-source escape hatch unmatched by Zapier/Make/Workato), per-execution pricing is 2-10x cheaper than Zapier for multi-step workflows, 184,000+ GitHub stars = massive community, Business tier self-hosted option enables enterprise on-prem deployment, 1,100+ nodes + community integrations. Where it loses: 1,100 integrations trails Zapier 3,000+ and Make 3,000+, cloud pricing in EUR requires USD conversion (currency risk), Business tier €667/month is meaningful jump from Pro €50/month (13x), fair-code license complexity for enterprise compliance review, brand recognition smaller than Zapier in North America.