For most self-hosted n8n setups, a VPS with 4 GB of RAM is the comfortable choice, and the cheapest one we track is OVHcloud's VPS-1 at $5.05 a month (€4.49) with 2 vCPUs, billed monthly with no renewal increase. For a personal instance with a few light workflows, 2 GB is enough: Bluehost's VPS NVMe 2 is $4.99 a month, and InterServer sells 2 GB in the US for $3.00.
We checked these prices on 7 October 2026. Prices are monthly at the shortest billing term unless we say otherwise; euro prices are converted at that day's rate (about $1.13 per euro). Every plan here is a self-managed Linux VPS with root access, so you install n8n, keep it updated and handle backups yourself.
How much server does n8n need?
n8n is a Node.js application, and the app itself is light. What drives its memory use is the work you give it: how many workflows run at once, and how much data each execution carries. Workflows that move large files, process big JSON responses or run heavy Code nodes use far more memory than ones that pass a few fields between APIs.
As a conservative guide:
| Setup | What runs | RAM we'd start with |
|---|---|---|
| Personal | n8n in Docker with SQLite, a reverse proxy, a few scheduled or webhook workflows | 2 GB |
| Standard | n8n plus PostgreSQL, dozens of workflows, some larger payloads | 4 GB |
| Queue mode | n8n main process, Redis, PostgreSQL and one or more workers | 8 GB |
CPU matters less than RAM for most n8n use. Two vCPUs is a good baseline once you add a database. Disk space grows with execution history, so set n8n to prune old executions rather than buying a bigger disk.
Docker is the usual way to run n8n, so you need a VPS with full root access that can run containers. All the plans below give you root access.
Small: 2 GB for a personal instance
| Plan | vCPU | RAM | Storage | Price per month | Where |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| InterServer Linux VPS 1 Slice | 1 | 2 GB | 40 GB SSD | $3.00, monthly | US |
| netcup VPS nano G11.5s | 2 | 2 GB | 60 GB SSD | $3.49 (€3.10), 6-month contract | Germany |
| Bluehost VPS NVMe 2 | 1 | 2 GB | 50 GB NVMe | $4.99, renews at $5.99 | 8 countries |
| IONOS VPS S+ | 1 | 2 GB | 60 GB NVMe | $5.00 on a 12-month term, renews at $6.00 | US, UK, Germany, Spain |
| UpCloud Starter 2 GB | 1 | 2 GB | 20 GB SSD | $6.75 (€6.00), hourly | 11 countries |
InterServer is the cheapest by a distance, with no renewal increase, but it's only in the US and has a single core; our US VPS guide covers the alternatives there. Bluehost's VPS NVMe 2 is the most flexible pick at this size: it's sold in eight countries, from the US and Canada to Germany, India, Singapore and Australia, for $4.99 a month or $4.69 on a 12-month term.
Running n8n with SQLite on 2 GB is fine for a handful of workflows. If you plan to add PostgreSQL or run many workflows in parallel, start at 4 GB instead.
Standard: 4 GB with room for PostgreSQL
| Plan | vCPU | RAM | Storage | Price per month | Renews at |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OVHcloud VPS-1 | 2 | 4 GB | 40 GB NVMe | $5.05 (€4.49), or $4.29 on 12 months | Same |
| DreamHost VPS Stack 4 | 2 | 4 GB | 75 GB NVMe | $5.99 on 24 months | $10.99 |
| Hostinger KVM 1 | 1 | 4 GB | 50 GB NVMe | $6.49 on 24 months | $11.99 |
| Hetzner Cloud CX23 | 2 | 4 GB | 40 GB NVMe | $6.74 (€5.99), hourly | Same |
OVHcloud's VPS-1 is the cheapest 4 GB server here whether you pay monthly or yearly, and the price doesn't change on renewal. For a full comparison at this size, see our 4 GB VPS guide.
Hostinger and DreamHost both have dedicated n8n pages. In our data, those pages sell the same KVM and VPS Stack plans at the same prices as their regular VPS pages, so you aren't paying extra for the n8n label. What you get is a ready-made template: Hostinger's VPS offers one-click templates for n8n and Docker, which saves the setup steps if you've never configured a server before. Hostinger's KVM 1 has a single vCPU and renews at $11.99 after a 24-month term at $6.49, or $9.99 month to month rising to $19.49. DreamHost's VPS Stack 4 has two vCPUs and is US-only.
Large: 8 GB for queue mode
Queue mode splits n8n into a main process and separate workers, with Redis passing jobs between them and PostgreSQL storing the data. It lets n8n handle many executions in parallel, and it needs more memory because each worker is its own process.
| Plan | vCPU | RAM | Storage | Price per month | Renews at |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Contabo Cloud VPS 4 | 4 | 8 GB | 100 GB SSD | $6.19 (€5.50) | Same |
| Hostinger KVM 2 | 2 | 8 GB | 100 GB NVMe | $8.99 on 24 months | $14.99 |
| DreamHost VPS Stack 8 | 2 | 8 GB | 150 GB NVMe | $9.49 on 24 months | $14.99 |
| OVHcloud VPS-2 | 4 | 8 GB | 75 GB NVMe | $9.55 (€8.49), or $8.11 on 12 months | Same |
Contabo is the cheapest by price, but its base prices are for Germany, and other locations add a monthly fee. OVHcloud's VPS-2 has four vCPUs, useful when several workers run at once, and a flat price. We compared these and other 8 GB plans in more detail in our 8 GB VPS guide.
Self-hosted or managed?
n8n also sells a hosted version, n8n Cloud, which we don't track. It handles updates, backups and uptime for you, and it costs more than the cheapest VPS plans here. Self-hosting is cheaper, but the work is yours:
- Updates. n8n releases often. With Docker, updating is usually a matter of pulling the new image and restarting, but test before you update a production instance.
- HTTPS and webhooks. Webhook triggers need a public HTTPS address. Put n8n behind a reverse proxy such as Caddy, Nginx or Traefik with a free certificate.
- Backups. Back up the database and your n8n encryption key. Without the key, saved credentials can't be decrypted on a new server. Some providers here, such as Contabo, sell automatic backups as a paid add-on; OVHcloud's VPS includes a daily backup.
If you'd rather not manage a server at all, a hosted service is the honest answer. If you're comfortable with Docker, a $5 VPS runs n8n well.
FAQ
What is the cheapest way to self-host n8n?
InterServer's 1-slice VPS with 2 GB of RAM at $3.00 a month in the US, or netcup's VPS nano at €3.10 ($3.49) on a 6-month contract in Germany. Both work for a small personal instance.
Is 1 GB of RAM enough for n8n?
It can start, but there's little room left for a reverse proxy, a database or larger workflows. We'd start at 2 GB, which costs $3 to $5 a month.
Which VPS has a one-click n8n installer?
Hostinger's VPS has a one-click n8n template, and DreamHost sells its VPS Stack plans on an n8n page. In our data both cost the same as the provider's regular VPS plans: from $6.49 a month at Hostinger and $5.99 at DreamHost, each on a 24-month term.
Do I need queue mode?
Only if you run many executions in parallel or long-running workflows that block others. Most small teams run n8n in its default mode on 4 GB without trouble.
The bottom line
n8n runs on modest hardware: 2 GB for a personal instance, 4 GB for most teams, 8 GB for queue mode. OVHcloud's VPS-1 at $5.05 a month is the best value for most setups, with a flat price and 2 vCPUs. Bluehost's $4.99 plan is the cheapest 2 GB option across many countries, and Hostinger's n8n template is the easiest start if you're new to servers.
To compare every VPS we track by RAM and price, use our VPS hosting page, or see the full, live ranking of cheap VPS hosting.