Free Unlimited Automation: How to Install n8n on Your VPS (Self-Hosted Guide)

Zapier is amazing, until you hit the paywall. $20/month for just 750 tasks? For power users, that is simply not enough. What if I told you that you could run a tool even more powerful than Zapier, with unlimited tasks, for the price of a cheap $5 VPS?

Meet n8n, the fair-code workflow automation tool. Today, we are installing the self-hosted version on your server.

Prerequisites

• A VPS (1GB RAM is enough).
• Docker installed (Check my previous guide on installing Docker).
• A domain pointing to your server (e.g., n8n.yourdomain.com).

Step 1: The Docker Command

The easiest way to run n8n is via Docker. Run this single command on your server terminal:

docker run -d \
  --name n8n \
  -p 5678:5678 \
  -v ~/.n8n:/home/node/.n8n \
  n8n-io/n8n

Step 2: Accessing the Editor

Once running, open your browser and go to http://your-server-ip:5678.
You will see the node editor immediately. No credit cards, no limits.

Step 3: Making it Public (Optional)

To connect webhooks (like receiving data from a form), you need HTTPS. Use a reverse proxy like Nginx or Caddy.
Example Caddyfile configuration:

n8n.yourdomain.com {
    reverse_proxy localhost:5678
}

Why n8n Wins

With n8n, you can manipulate complex JSON data, run Python scripts inside the workflow, and connect to local databases—things Zapier struggles to do. Start building your automated empire today!

Location: United States

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