Self-Hosted n8n vs n8n Cloud: Which Should You Choose in 2026

Table of Contents The Core Difference Self-Hosted n8n: Full Control, Full Responsibility n8n Cloud: Set It and Forget It Cost Breakdown: Where Your Money Goes Performance, Security, and Compliance Migration Paths and Lock-In Getting Started with Your Choice The Core Difference I've been running automation workflows for years now, and the self-hosted versus cloud decision feels bigger in 2026 than ever. Here's the honest truth: there's no universal winner. Your choice depends on whether you value control or convenience more—and how much operational overhead you're willing to carry. Self-hosted n8n runs entirely on your own infrastructure. You manage the server, backups, updates, SSL certificates, and scaling. n8n Cloud runs on n8n's infrastructure. You log in, build workflows, and n8n handles the rest. The gap between these options has actually narrowed since 2024. Cloud has become more flexible, and self-hosted has become simpler. But the trade-offs are still real, and I want to walk y