Look, you’ve hit the ceiling on n8n’s cloud plan. Maybe those 2,500 monthly executions aren’t cutting it anymore, or you’re just tired of paying $20/month when you could run the same thing on a $5 VPS with zero limits.
I’ve been there. You build out a few solid workflows, they start firing off regularly, and suddenly that execution cap becomes this annoying thing you’re constantly monitoring. Self-hosting means unlimited executions and full control—but first you need to cancel that cloud subscription without accidentally deleting months of work.
Here’s what trips people up: clicking “cancel subscription” is easy. The part that’ll wreck your day is losing everything you built when that deletion timer runs out. I’m walking you through the backup process first, then the cancellation, because doing it backwards is how you end up rebuilding workflows from memory at 2am.
TL;DR:
- Back up workflows first (copy/paste or JSON export) before touching cancel.
- Credentials don’t transfer—recreate API keys/OAuth in self-hosted.
- Your instance works until the billing period ends, then deletion is permanent.
Back up before canceling—post‑billing deletion is permanent, unrecoverable, and credentials must be recreated manually.
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Why Bother Moving to Self-Hosted?
If you’re running more than basic automation, cloud pricing ramps up fast. Starter at $20/month caps at 2,500 executions; Pro at $50/month only bumps to 10,000. A $5–10 VPS runs unlimited workflows and gives you full control.
Self-hosting means you decide when to update, how to secure credentials, and how to scale. The tradeoff: you manage updates, SSL certs, storage, and uptime. Not rocket science if you’re comfortable with Docker and a terminal.
Step Zero: Backup Your Workflows (Do This FIRST)
BACK UP BEFORE YOU CANCEL. Once you confirm cancellation, a deletion deadline appears. When the billing cycle ends, your workspace—workflows, credentials, and execution history—gets purged. No grace period, no recovery.
