If you are exploring workflow automation, you have probably come across n8n. It is a great tool for connecting apps and automating repetitive tasks. 

So is n8n open source? The answer is both yes and no.

The source code is open for anyone to see, modify, and use. But n8n uses a “fair-code” license. 

This means the company keeps the code available while placing some limits on how you can use it commercially. They do this to ensure the project remains sustainable.

Fair-code sits between fully open-source software and proprietary tools. It lets the company earn enough to keep improving the product, while still keeping the code open for most users.

Under n8n’s license, you can use, modify, and share it for internal business or non-commercial purposes. 

You just cannot resell it as your own competing service. Automating your own work, building custom nodes, or offering consulting? That is all allowed.

Fair-code Automation vs. Traditional Proprietary Automation

Feature	n8n (Fair-code Automation)	Traditional Proprietary Automation
Source Code Access	Fully visible. You can inspect every line of code.	Closed and proprietary. You can’t see how the platform works internally.
Data Control & Privacy	You can self-host on your own servers. Your data stays within your infrastructure	Data is processed and stored on the vendor’s servers. You must trust them with your sensitive information.
Pricing Model	Free to self-host forever (Community Edition). No per-task fees, unlimited executions	Usually, a subscription is based on tasks or executions.
Vendor Lock-in	Minimal. You own your workflows and data. You can move your setup anytime.	High. You are locked into their ecosystem. Exporting your workflows is difficult or impossible.
Customization	Infinite. You can edit the code, add custom nodes, and modify the source to fit your exact needs.	Limited to the features and integrations provided by the vendor. You can’t add functionality they don’t offer.
Commercial Use	Allowed for internal business purposes. You cannot resell it as a competing service.	Generally allowed, but you must pay for a subscription plan that matches your usage level.

8 Key Benefits of Choosing Open-Source Automation

1) Your Data Stays Yours

With n8n, you can self-host. This means you can install it on your own VPS or even on a computer within your own network. 

When you do this, your data never leaves your control. You don’t have to worry about a third-party vendor accessing your business data, selling it, or using it to train their models. 

For companies in regulated industries like finance or healthcare, this is a game-changer

2) Free to Start, Cheap to Scale

The n8n Community Edition is completely free to use forever. You can download it, set it up on a basic server, and run as many workflows as you want with no execution limits. 

The only cost is the server you run it on, which can be as little as a few dollars a month. 

As your automation needs grow, scaling up is often just adding more server resources, which is far cheaper than paying a platform’s ever-increasing per-task fees.

3) No Vendor Lock-in

When you build your automations on a proprietary platform, you are essentially building your business processes on someone else’s space, so moving away becomes a nightmare. 

With n8n, you own your workflows. They are stored in a format you control. If you ever decide the tool isn’t right for you, you have the freedom to take your workflows and data and move them elsewhere.

4) Modify or Extend Anything You Need

Because the code is open and available, you are not limited to what the vendor thinks you need. If a specific integration you require doesn’t exist, you can build it yourself. 

You can inject custom JavaScript directly into your workflows to handle complex logic that pre-built nodes can’t manage. 

You can even modify the core of the n8n application to suit a very specific use case. This level of flexibility is unmatched by any proprietary tool.

5) Full Code Visibility for Easy Security Checks

With proprietary software, you have to trust the vendor’s claims about security. You have no real way to verify what they are doing with your data. With n8n, that changes. 

The entire source code is open for you or your security team to inspect. You can check for vulnerabilities, see how data is handled, and confirm there are no hidden backdoors. 

You are relying on what you can see. And even if you do not audit the code yourself, the fact that it is public means security researchers around the world are also keeping an eye on it.

6) Big Community

n8n has a large and active community, with thousands of GitHub stars and millions of Docker pulls. What does that mean for you? 

First, there is a rich library of community-built nodes. If an integration does not exist officially, someone has probably already built it. 

Second, you can get help on forums and Discord channels whenever you are stuck. 

Third, you learn from other users who share their workflows and solutions. This collective knowledge is something you simply do not get with closed platforms.

7) No Per-task Fees

Platforms like Zapier and Make charge you per task or operation. Every action in a workflow counts as a task. 

If you have complex automations with many steps, your monthly allocation can run out quickly, leading to big bills. 

With n8n, especially when self-hosted, there are no per-task fees. You pay a flat cost for your server and run as many workflows as you want, regardless of how complex they are. 

This makes budgeting simple and encourages you to automate more without worrying about costs.

8) Keep Running Indefinitely

Your automations are critical to your business. If a proprietary vendor shuts down, gets acquired, or changes their pricing, you could be in trouble. Your entire setup could be disrupted. 

With n8n, you have the source code, and you control the server. You can keep running your automations indefinitely, even if the company behind n8n disappeared tomorrow. 

You are in complete control of your own continuity, and no one else’s business decisions can affect your operations.

Is n8n Open Source FAQs

Get Started with n8n on Truehost

Now that you know what n8n can do, the next step is getting it running.

Self-hosting gives you full control, but managing servers and updates can be a hassle. That is where we come in. 

At Truehost, we offer fully managed, pre-configured n8n hosting plans and handle all the technical setup.

We have three plans to suit different needs:

• N8n Starter – $13/month – Great for individuals and small teams. Comes with 1 vCPU, 2 GB RAM, 50 GB NVMe storage, 4 TB bandwidth, and unlimited workflows.
• N8N Pro – $19/month – For growing businesses. You get 2 vCPUs, 4 GB RAM, 100 GB storage, and 6 TB bandwidth, along with all the starter features.
• N8N Business – $36/month – Built for heavier usage with 4 vCPUs, 8 GB RAM, 200 GB storage, and 8 TB bandwidth.

All plans include automated installation, dedicated support, n8n with queue mode, and over 100 pre-made workflows to help you get started quickly.

We take care of the server management, security, and maintenance. You just log in and start building. You get all the benefits of self-hosting, total data control, no vendor lock-in, and unlimited scaling, without the headaches.

Ready to get started? Let us get your n8n instance running on Truehost today.