Self-hosting n8n: Docker, a VPS or a local install, per the docs

To host n8n yourself, the docs describe several paths: a script that installs n8n with Docker in one command, a Docker Compose setup you write by hand, an npm install (on its way out) and guides for specific cloud providers. Docker is the recommended route. What you install is the free Community edition. The docs do, however, recommend self-hosting for expert users.

The documented n8n install paths, in one table

Path	What it is for	What you need
One-line setup script	A fresh install, on a computer or a server	Docker with Docker Compose v2
Hand-written Docker Compose	Full control over configuration, or folding n8n into an existing setup	Docker Engine, Docker Compose v2, at least 4 GB of RAM and 2 vCPUs
Docker Compose on a server, with a domain name	An n8n reachable over HTTPS from the internet	A Linux server, Docker, control of a DNS zone
npm	Running n8n on a machine with Node.js	Node.js between 20.19 and 24.x; deprecated from n8n 3.0
Cloud provider guides	Deploying to AWS, Azure, Google Cloud and others	An account with the provider and its tooling

n8n docs, “Install options” (accessed November 11, 2026)

Running n8n locally on your computer

This is the lowest-commitment way to explore the Community edition. The docs present a setup script that checks Docker, creates an n8n folder, writes the config files, downloads n8n and starts it. They note that you don’t need to know Docker, only to have it installed and running.

curl -fsSL https://get.n8n.io | sh

According to the same page:

• n8n then opens in your browser at http://localhost:5678;
• the database is SQLite, a single file;
• the Assistant’s support services are installed but stay off until you add an AI model key;
• on Windows, the script needs WSL (Command Prompt and PowerShell won’t run it);
• a section explains what to do if you would rather not run a script from the internet.

n8n docs, “One-line setup” (accessed November 11, 2026)

Two limits come with any local install. A computer that is off or asleep runs no workflows. And an online service can’t call a webhook on a localhost address: the docs offer a tunnel for that, but keep it for local development and say it isn’t safe in production.

n8n with npm: a path on its way out

The docs still describe installing with npm, the Node.js package manager, with two warnings: npm-based installs are deprecated from n8n 3.0, and the Assistant isn’t available with this method. It requires a Node.js version between 20.19 and 24.x.

npx n8n

That command runs n8n without a permanent install; the editor opens at the same local address. For a fresh install, the docs point to the Docker script. n8n docs, “Install with npm” (accessed November 11, 2026)

n8n on a VPS with Docker Compose

A VPS (virtual private server) is a machine you rent from a hosting company that stays on around the clock. That is what you need for workflows that run day and night and receive webhooks. The docs guide for this case lists these steps:

1. install Docker Engine and Docker Compose on a Linux server;
2. create a DNS A record that points a subdomain (for example n8n.example.com) to the server’s IP address;
3. create an .env file with the domain, subdomain, time zone and an email address for the certificate;
4. create the Compose file, which defines two containers: n8n, and Traefik, a proxy that manages TLS certificates and routing;
5. start everything with sudo docker compose up -d;
6. open n8n over HTTPS at the subdomain’s address.

The guide states that n8n is then reachable only over HTTPS, and that the n8n_data volume holds the SQLite database and the encryption key. n8n docs, “Use Docker Compose” (accessed November 11, 2026)

On sizing, the other Docker Compose guide in the docs asks for at least 4 GB of RAM and 2 vCPUs, for a stack that includes the Assistant sandbox. n8n docs, “Install using Docker Compose” (accessed November 11, 2026) What a server of that size costs depends on the hosting company. It is not a fact published by n8n, so we don’t put a number on it.

For teams or production use, the docs suggest a more robust database than SQLite, such as PostgreSQL, which n8n supports.

Cloud provider guides and “n8n preinstalled” hosting

The docs publish deployment guides for several providers. In alphabetical order: AWS (including a Terraform variant), Azure, DigitalOcean, Google Cloud Run, Google Kubernetes Engine, Heroku, Hetzner Cloud and OpenShift. They are listed with no recommendation of one over another. n8n docs, “Use a cloud provider” (accessed November 11, 2026) We don’t recommend one either: no criterion published by the vendor sets them apart.

What if a hosting company that is not on this list offers you a server with n8n already installed (that is what searches like “Hostinger n8n” are after)? The n8n docs say nothing about those offers, and we have not recorded them. Either way, it is still self-hosting: the host rents you the machine, and the rest is worth checking before you pay.

• Which n8n version is installed, and who applies updates?
• Are backups included, and do they cover the database and the encryption key?
• Is access over HTTPS, on your own domain name?
• Do you control the server (admin access, environment variables)?
• What happens to your data if you cancel?

After the install: updates, backups, security

Starting n8n is the short part. The upkeep never stops.

Updates. The docs advise updating often, at least once a month, so you don’t have to jump several versions at once; reading the release notes; and taking a full backup first. n8n docs, “Update n8n” (accessed November 11, 2026) With Docker Compose, they give three commands:

docker compose pull
docker compose down
docker compose up -d

Backups. A full backup includes the .n8n folder (in the n8n_data volume on Docker), which holds the configuration and the SQLite database, plus the PostgreSQL database if you use one. Keep the encryption key with it: without the key, a restored database can no longer decrypt your credentials. n8n docs, “Back up and restore” (accessed November 11, 2026) The docs also warn that a shutdown command that removes volumes deletes all n8n data.

Security. The dedicated section covers setting up SSL, two-factor authentication, security audits, disabling the public API and rotating the encryption key, among other things. n8n docs, “Security” (accessed November 11, 2026) The Docker Compose guide adds a simple rule: only n8n’s port should be open on your firewall.

Telemetry. It is on by default and can be turned off with environment variables, according to the privacy page in the docs.

Should you really host it yourself?

• You only want to see what n8n looks like: a local install is enough, no server needed.
• You can manage a Linux server and accept the monthly upkeep: a VPS with Docker Compose is the path described for always-on use.
• You have never managed a server: the docs recommend n8n Cloud, and warn that self-hosting mistakes can lead to data loss, security issues and downtime. The guide n8n Cloud vs self-hosted compares the two, and the n8n pricing page details the hosted plans.
• You plan to use it for clients: check what the license permits first, in Is n8n free and open source?

To compare the cost of a hosted plan at your volumes, use the cost calculator. The n8n profile and the n8n alternatives round out the picture, especially if self-hosting looks like too much work.