n8n review: billing, limits and license for agencies
Short answer
n8n bills per workflow execution; its Starter cloud plan includes 2.5k executions per month Per n8n pricing page, read Nov 9, 2026 (source) Under the Sustainable Use License Per n8n license page, read Nov 7, 2026 (source) agencies can run client automations on their own instance if clients never build or edit them.
By Tom RiderLast checked
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Visit n8n (No commercial relationship)
n8n at a glance
- Billed onWorkflow executionsPer n8n pricing page, read Nov 9, 2026 (source)
- UsersUnlimited users and workflows on all plansPer n8n pricing page, read Nov 9, 2026 (source)
- Integrations2,000+ integrationsPer n8n integrations page, read Nov 7, 2026 (source)
- AI agentsAI Agent node included on Starter, Pro and EnterprisePer n8n pricing page, read Nov 9, 2026 (source)
- LicenseSustainable Use LicensePer n8n license page, read Nov 7, 2026 (source)
- Self-hostingOn your own infrastructure, on-premises or in a private cloud; without a license key it runs as the free Community editionPer n8n docs, read Nov 7, 2026 (source)
Plans and limits
Prices are for annual billing, as n8n's pricing page shows them in the US. Starter and Pro run on n8n Cloud; Business runs on your own servers.
Starter
Hosted by n8n$20 / month, billed annuallyUSD, US. Per n8n pricing page, read Nov 9, 2026 (source)Executions a month2.5k executions per monthParallel runs5 executionsMax minutes per run5 minutes per executionShared projects1Execution logs kept7 daysPro
Hosted by n8n$50 / month, billed annuallyUSD, US. Per n8n pricing page, read Nov 9, 2026 (source)Executions a month10k executions per monthMax minutes per run40 minutes per executionShared projects3Execution logs kept30 daysBusiness
Self-hosted only$800 / month, billed annuallyUSD, US. Per n8n pricing page, read Nov 9, 2026 (source)Executions a month40k executions per monthShared projects6
What counts as one executionA single run of an entire workflow, whatever its number of steps or amount of data Per n8n pricing page, read Nov 7, 2026 (source)
Above your allowanceOverage fees capped on Starter and Pro Per n8n pricing page, read Nov 9, 2026 (source)
Outgrowing Pro on n8n CloudThe next cloud plan after Pro is Enterprise, because Business is Self-hosted only Per n8n pricing page, read Nov 9, 2026 (source)
Prices with monthly billing are not shown here until they are rechecked from a US view.
The license, for agencies
Self-hosted n8n runs under the Sustainable Use License Per n8n license page, read Nov 7, 2026 (source)
What an agency may do
Build automations for clients on your own instance, as long as clients cannot create or edit them, and charge for creating, setting up and maintaining workflows Per n8n license FAQ, read Nov 7, 2026 (source)
What it may not do
Host n8n as a service where clients build workflows, or white-label n8n by removing its branding Per n8n license FAQ, read Nov 7, 2026 (source)
The Community license applies to self-hosted n8n only; n8n Cloud has its own terms Per n8n license FAQ, read Nov 7, 2026 (source)
Opening an n8n Cloud trial
StackSmithy opened a cloud trial on . Here is what the sign-up asks for and what the trial shows once it is open.
Sign up with a work email
The first screen asks only for a company email. 14-day trial, no credit card required Seen when opening an n8n Cloud trial, Nov 9, 2026 (source)
Pick your instance name
Besides a name and a password, you choose the instance name. The instance name you choose becomes your address on app.n8n.cloud Seen when opening an n8n Cloud trial, Nov 9, 2026 (source)
For an agency, this is the address your team works in, so pick a name you can keep.
The instance name sets the address. Email, name and instance name hidden by StackSmithy. Answer the survey, invite or skip
n8n then asks about the size of your company and offers to invite teammates by email; that step can be skipped. Unlimited users and workflows on all plans Per n8n pricing page, read Nov 9, 2026 (source)
Watch the counter
Once inside: 14 days left and 0/1000 executions, shown in a bar at the top of the new instance Seen in an n8n Cloud trial instance, Nov 9, 2026 (source)
The trial limits n8n lists: 1,000 executions, 5 concurrent executions, 180-second timeout, no credit card Per n8n pricing page, read Nov 7, 2026 (source)
The trial bar at the top of a new instance.
In its favor
- A whole workflow run is billed once, not per step: A single run of an entire workflow, whatever its number of steps or amount of data Per n8n pricing page, read Nov 7, 2026 (source)
- Client work is allowed on your own instance: Build automations for clients on your own instance, as long as clients cannot create or edit them, and charge for creating, setting up and maintaining workflows Per n8n license FAQ, read Nov 7, 2026 (source)
- It can be self-hosted: On your own infrastructure, on-premises or in a private cloud; without a license key it runs as the free Community edition Per n8n docs, read Nov 7, 2026 (source)
Against it
- Clients cannot be given their own workflow builder: Host n8n as a service where clients build workflows, or white-label n8n by removing its branding Per n8n license FAQ, read Nov 7, 2026 (source)
- Starter runs stop at a time limit: 5 minutes per execution Per n8n pricing page, read Nov 9, 2026 (source)
- Starter allows few parallel runs: 5 executions Per n8n pricing page, read Nov 9, 2026 (source)
Which to pick
Pick n8n if
Your agency builds and runs automations for clients who only see the results, and you want to pay per workflow run or host it yourself.
Look elsewhere if
Clients expect to log in and build their own workflows: the license rules that out without a separate commercial agreement with n8n.
This verdict follows from n8n's published pricing and license and from opening a cloud trial, not from running client work on n8n.