Automation·April 23, 2026·14 min read
Self-Host n8n on a $5 VPS to Replace Zapier Forever
A step-by-step guide to running unlimited automations on a tiny cloud server. Saves $240+/yr versus Zapier paid plans.
Zapier's free tier is generous, but the moment you outgrow 100 tasks the paid jump is steep. Self-hosted n8n flips the economics for solo operators.
Cost comparison
| Option | Monthly cost | Task limit |
|---|---|---|
| Zapier Pro | $29 | 750 |
| Make.com Core | $10.59 | 10,000 ops |
| n8n on Hetzner | ~$5 | Unlimited |
Step 1 — Spin up the VPS
bash
# Create a Hetzner CX22 (~$5/mo), Ubuntu 24.04
ssh root@your.server.ip
apt update && apt install -y docker.io docker-compose-pluginStep 2 — docker-compose.yml
yaml
services:
n8n:
image: n8nio/n8n:latest
restart: always
ports:
- "5678:5678"
environment:
- N8N_HOST=automation.yourdomain.com
- WEBHOOK_URL=https://automation.yourdomain.com/
- N8N_PROTOCOL=https
volumes:
- ./n8n_data:/home/node/.n8nStep 3 — TLS with Caddy
Drop a Caddy reverse proxy in front of n8n for automatic HTTPS. Two lines of config, zero ongoing maintenance.
Frequently asked questions
- Hetzner uptime is 99.9%+. For peace of mind, take a weekly snapshot ($0.50/mo) — recovery to a new server takes under 10 minutes.