Self-Hosted n8n on AWS in 2026: The Complete Setup Guide
Skip $400/month Zapier bills. Self-host n8n on AWS for under $10 — here's the exact setup.
If your Zapier bill crossed $200/month, self-hosted n8n on AWS pays for itself in week one. Here's the exact 2026 setup we use in production.
Architecture
EC2 t4g.small (ARM) + RDS Postgres micro + CloudFront + ACM cert. Total: about $9/month for moderate workloads.
Step-by-Step
- Launch t4g.small with Ubuntu 24.04.
- Install Docker + docker-compose.
- Run the official n8n compose file.
- Point Route53 A record at your EIP.
- Add ACM cert via CloudFront.
- Enable nightly EBS snapshots.
Security Checklist
- Force HTTPS
- Basic auth on the n8n UI
- Secrets via AWS SSM, not env vars
- VPC security group locked to your IP for the editor
Key Takeaways
- Under $10/mo for thousands of executions.
- Zero per-task pricing.
- Full data sovereignty.
FAQ
Is n8n really free?
Yes — Sustainable Use license permits internal commercial use.
What about updates?
Pull a newer Docker image weekly; n8n is stable.
Conclusion
Stop renting automation. Self-host n8n this weekend and reclaim your margins.
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