Self-hosting means running the automation software on your own server, so you pay for the server — not a per-run subscription. n8n, Activepieces, Automatisch, Node-RED are free to self-host: their cost is just the VPS (plus a database at scale), which our engine models from about $8/mo. Against paid cloud the maths currently flips the other way in our data: flat-priced cloud plans undercut the server bill at every volume we track — $4.99 vs $8 at 1,000 runs and $4.99 vs $45 at 100,000 runs — though self-host still avoids per-run pricing, usage caps and plan tiers entirely. One honest caveat: a free cloud tier (Activepieces, up to 10 active flows at $0) can undercut self-host on raw cost for very small usage. And self-host is only “free” if you don’t count your own time to set up, secure, monitor and back up the server.
Cheapest self-host (rented VPS) vs cheapest paid managed-cloud plan, 3-step workflows, generated live from our data. Self-host figures are the server bill (VPS + database), not a tool fee. Free cloud tiers are excluded from the table and discussed below.
| Volume | Cheapest self-host | Cheapest paid cloud | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,000 runs/mo | $8 n8n | $4.99 IFTTT | Cloud |
| 5,000 runs/mo | $8 n8n | $4.99 IFTTT | Cloud |
| 20,000 runs/mo | $25 n8n | $1.2 Latenode | Cloud |
| 100,000 runs/mo | $45 n8n | $4.99 IFTTT | Cloud |
Get your exact cheapest setup from the calculator → · Cheapest automation tool overall →