TrackVPS › VPS for n8n
n8n VPS requirements, and the best VPS for n8n in 2026
Most n8n setups run fine on 4 GB of RAM. Go to 8 GB if your workflows move big files, large JSON or AI calls at the same time. Self-hosting starts at €6.94/month, against €20 for n8n Cloud Starter.
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Cheapest plans that run n8n well
How much RAM does n8n need?
n8n doesn't publish a fixed minimum: memory depends on how much data each run holds. This is our rule of thumb.
| RAM | Good for |
|---|---|
| 2 GB | Trying n8n, a few simple scheduled workflows. Expect crashes on bigger runs. |
| 4 GB | Most solo and small-team setups: n8n plus Postgres, webhooks, dozens of workflows. |
| 8 GB | Large JSON or file processing, AI agent workflows, many runs at once, or n8n next to other apps. |
| 16 GB+ | Queue mode with workers, or a server shared with databases and other heavy services. |
What uses memory, per n8n's own docs: the amount of JSON and binary data, the number of nodes, Code nodes, and manual runs (n8n copies the data for the editor).
4 GB plans, cheapest first
| Plan | vCPU | Disk | Monthly | Contract | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Hetzner3.0TrustpilotCX23 (Cost-Optimized)Listed as unavailable on the day we checked. Plus €0.50/month for an IPv4 address. | 2 | 40 GB | €5.49 | Hourly, cancel anytime | Unavailable |
 Netcup3.8TrustpilotVPS 500 G12.5Price needs a 12-month term. Derived from the €8.26 incl.-VAT price shown on the page (19% German VAT). | 2 | 64 GB | €6.94 | 12-month term | See plan |
8 GB plans, cheapest first
| Plan | vCPU | Disk | Monthly | Contract | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Contabo4.6TrustpilotCloud VPS 4Promo price for the first 24 months; the page doesn't show the price after that, so check before buying. CPU is often reported as oversold. | 4 | 100 GB | €4.40 | Promo for first 24 months | See plan |
| Contabo4.6TrustpilotCloud VPS 6Price rises to €9.00 after 24 months. CPU is often reported as oversold. | 6 | 200 GB | €6.00 | Promo for first 24 months | See plan |
 Hostinger4.6TrustpilotKVM 2Intro price needs 24 months paid upfront; renews at $14.99/mo. Billed in USD; euro price converted at the ECB rate of 1.1225 USD per EUR on 2 October 2026. | 2 | 100 GB | €8.01 | 24 months paid upfront | See plan |
| Hetzner3.0TrustpilotCX33 (Cost-Optimized)Listed as unavailable on the day we checked. Plus €0.50/month for an IPv4 address. | 4 | 80 GB | €8.49 | Hourly, cancel anytime | Unavailable |
| Netcup3.8TrustpilotVPS 1000 G12.5Promo price needs a 12-month term. Derived from the incl.-VAT price shown on the page. | 4 | 128 GB | €12.18 | 12-month term | See plan |
 Vultr1.6TrustpilotVX1 8 GBHourly billing is not capped at 672 hours, so a full month is about $43.80, not $40. Billed in USD; euro price converted at the ECB rate of 1.1225 USD per EUR on 2 October 2026. | 4 | 160 GB | €35.63 | Monthly, billed hourly | See plan |
| Hetzner3.0TrustpilotCPX32Prices roughly tripled in 2026. Shown as unavailable in some locations. | 4 | 160 GB | €35.99 | Hourly, cancel anytime | See plan |
 DigitalOcean4.6TrustpilotBasic Droplet 8 GBNo commitment, but about 4x Contabo per GB. $48/mo. Billed in USD; euro price converted at the ECB rate of 1.1225 USD per EUR on 2 October 2026. | 4 | 160 GB | €42.76 | Monthly, billed hourly | See plan |
Self-hosted n8n vs n8n Cloud
- n8n Cloud Starter: from €20/month, 2,500 executions a month, nothing to maintain.
- Self-hosted: the Community Edition is free. You pay only for the server (€6.94/month for 4 GB) with no execution limit, but you handle updates, backups and security.
- Rule: if you run more than a few thousand executions a month, or want n8n next to your other tools, self-host. If you never want to touch a server, use Cloud.
n8n Cloud prices from n8n.io/pricing, checked 3 October 2026.
Setup tips that save RAM
- Use Postgres instead of the default SQLite once you have real traffic.
- Process data in chunks (n8n's docs suggest e.g. 200 rows per run instead of 10,000) and split large workflows into sub-workflows.
- Avoid manual test runs on big data; they double memory use.
- Set
NODE_OPTIONS=--max-old-space-size=…to let Node use more of the server's RAM. - Add swap on small servers as a safety net.
Questions people ask
How much RAM does n8n need?
n8n doesn't publish a fixed minimum. Memory use depends on how much data each execution handles, binary files and Code nodes. Our rule of thumb: 2 GB starts n8n for light use, 4 GB runs most solo setups with Postgres comfortably, and 8 GB is for big JSON payloads, files or AI workflows running at the same time.
Is self-hosting n8n cheaper than n8n Cloud?
Usually, yes. n8n Cloud Starter starts at €20/month for 2,500 executions. A 4 GB VPS costs €6.94/month and the self-hosted Community Edition is free, with no execution limit. You do the updates and backups yourself.
What's the cheapest VPS for n8n?
On 3 October 2026 the cheapest 8 GB plan we track was Contabo Cloud VPS 4 at €4.40/month (Promo for first 24 months). For 4 GB, Netcup VPS 500 G12.5 at €6.94/month.
n8n keeps crashing with 'JavaScript heap out of memory'. What do I do?
n8n's docs suggest processing data in smaller chunks (for example 200 rows per execution instead of 10,000), splitting big workflows into sub-workflows, avoiding the Code node and manual runs on large data, and raising Node's heap limit with NODE_OPTIONS=--max-old-space-size. If that's not enough, move to a plan with more RAM.
What are the VPS requirements for n8n?
A Linux VPS (Ubuntu LTS is the usual pick) with Docker, 2 vCPU, 4 GB RAM and 20+ GB of SSD covers most setups. Add a domain with HTTPS for webhooks. Use 8 GB if you process big files, run AI nodes or do browser automation.
Should I use SQLite or Postgres with n8n?
SQLite is fine for trying n8n. For anything with real webhook traffic use Postgres: it handles many runs at the same time and is easier to back up.