You’re Not Stuck—Here’s Your Way Out
So you’re done with n8n Cloud. Maybe you’ve spun up a self-hosted instance and realized you don’t need to pay monthly anymore. Maybe you’re cutting SaaS bloat. Or you’re testing the open-source route. The scary part? When you go to cancel, panic sets in: Will everything I automated vanish? It won’t. Here’s exactly where the cancel button lives, what happens to your data, and how to back up workflows in minutes.
Cancel n8n Cloud without losing workflows—copy, paste, reconnect credentials, test, and you’re done.
TL;DR: The Quick Version
- Where to cancel: Admin Panel → Manage → Cancel Plan → Type “CANCEL” → Confirm (takes ~2 minutes)
- Your workflows don’t disappear immediately: They remain until your billing cycle ends
- Backing up is easy: Select all with Command+A/Ctrl+A → Command+C/Ctrl+C → paste into your new instance
- Credentials don’t transfer: Reconnect API keys and OAuth tokens manually for security
The Cancellation Process (Seriously, It’s Not Hidden)
Open your n8n Cloud dashboard and click Admin Panel in the left sidebar. Then open the Manage tab. You’ll see your current plan and a Cancel plan button. Click it. A confirmation modal asks you to type CANCEL, then click Cancel subscription. You’ll get an optional exit survey, and that’s it—the whole thing takes about two minutes.
Heads up…
Canceling only marks your workspace for removal at your current billing period end. You’ll still have full access to your workflows until that date—plenty of time to back them up.
What Actually Happens to Your Data (The Part You Care About)
After canceling, your instance remains active until your billing cycle ends. You’ll see a yellow notice like “Set for removal on 22 Dec 2025.” During this window, your workflows still run and are fully editable. If you resubscribe before the date, nothing is deleted.
Once the date hits, n8n permanently deletes your workspace—workflows, credentials, and execution history. There’s no recovery after deletion, so make backups beforehand.
Use the grace period to migrate calmly—don’t wait until the final day to start copying.
Critical warning
The deletion is permanent. After your billing period ends, n8n cannot recover your workflows, credentials, or execution history. Back up before the date shown in your Manage page.
How to Back Up Your Workflows (It’s Borderline Stupid Easy)
Open a workflow, select everything with Command+A (Mac) or Ctrl+A (Windows), then copy with Command+C or Ctrl+C. You’ll see “Copied to clipboard.”
In your new n8n instance, create a blank workflow and paste with Command+V/Ctrl+V. Your entire canvas—nodes, connections, settings—appears instantly. Repeat for each workflow you want to keep.
- No export files or import wizards
- Copy-paste preserves structure and logic
- Expect to reconfigure credentials (details below)
The One Thing That Won’t Transfer (Credentials)
Credentials are intentionally separate from workflows. When you paste a workflow into a fresh instance, nodes reference credential names, but the credentials themselves don’t exist yet. That’s a security feature.
- Open the node with a warning (e.g., “No credential selected”)
- Create or select the proper credential (API key, OAuth, service account, etc.)
- Save, then run/execute to verify connectivity
| Item | Copies via paste | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Workflow structure | Yes | Nodes, connections, and settings are preserved |
| Credentials (API keys/OAuth) | No | Recreate and reattach in the new instance |
| Schedules/Triggers | Yes (per workflow) | Confirm time zones and activation status after pasting |
| Environment variables | No | Set them in your new instance/server config |
| Execution history | No | Export or save logs before deletion if needed |
Before You Cancel: Do This First
- Back up every workflow you might reuse—copy, paste, done
- Document credentials at a high level (which services each workflow needs)
- Save execution history if your team needs audit or debug trails
- Test one workflow on your new instance before canceling the plan
- Plan the cutover—don’t start migration the day before deletion
Pro tip
Consider downgrading to the Free tier if you just need light automation. You’ll avoid deletion pressure and can still migrate at your own pace.
Why People Actually Cancel (And Why It Makes Sense)
n8n Cloud is great when you want managed hosting and zero infra work. But if your workflows run constantly—or you already maintain servers—self-hosting can be cheaper and gives you full control over infrastructure and data.
Most folks don’t cancel because they dislike n8n. They cancel because they’ve outgrown the payment model and want predictable, self-owned automation.
Canceling n8n Cloud isn’t giving up—it’s just choosing the deployment model that fits your workload.
FAQ: The Actual Questions People Ask
Can I recover workflows after cancellation if I forget to back up?
No. After deletion, the workspace is gone. There’s no guarantee support can recover anything. Back up during the grace period.
Do I lose execution history?
Yes. Execution logs are deleted with your account. If you need audit or debug records, export or save them before deletion.
What if I want to keep workflows running but cut costs?
Downgrade to the Free tier instead of canceling. It typically includes 1,000 executions/month—often enough for light usage—so you won’t face a deletion deadline.
Does my self-hosted instance sync with Cloud?
No. Cloud and self-hosted are separate. Migration is manual via copy/paste, and changes don’t sync between environments.
How much time do I actually need?
Backups are fast; credentials take longer. As a rule of thumb: five workflows in ~15 minutes, 50 workflows in ~2 hours, plus credential reconfiguration time.
Can I just use the free Cloud plan instead of self-hosting?
Yes, if your usage fits the limits. For always-on or heavy workloads, consider paid Cloud or self-hosted.
