The key points
- Hosted platforms are fastest to start and easiest for staff to edit.
- Self-hosting gives control over data and cost at scale.
- Volume, sensitivity and who maintains it decide the choice.
- Whatever you pick, add error alerts and logging.
When do hosted platforms fit best?
When you want to start quickly, your volume is manageable and non-technical staff may need to adjust workflows themselves. There is no server to look after, and common apps connect with a few clicks. Costs, however, tend to grow with the number of tasks, which matters if the process runs often.
When does self-hosting make sense?
When task volume would make per-task pricing expensive, when the data passing through is sensitive enough that you want it inside your own infrastructure, or when workflows need logic that hosted tools handle awkwardly. The trade-off is that someone must run and maintain the server, which is part of the scope.
How do you decide?
Ask how often the process runs, how sensitive the data is, who will maintain it and whether your other tools expose usable APIs. Our recommendation follows the job: we build on hosted platforms where speed and self-service matter, and on self-hosted options where volume, cost or data sensitivity argue for it.
- How many times a day will it run?
- How sensitive is the data involved?
- Who will maintain it after handover?
- Do the connected systems have APIs?
Hosted platforms compared with self-hosted n8n
| Aspect | Zapier / Make (hosted) | n8n (self-hosted) |
|---|---|---|
| Time to start | Fast, no infrastructure to run | Needs hosting and setup |
| Data location | On the vendor's platform | Inside your own infrastructure |
| Cost shape | Grows with task volume | Hosting cost; less sensitive to volume |
| Who maintains | Vendor runs the platform | You or your developer run it |
| Self-service editing | Strong for non-technical staff | More technical |
Tool-choice questions
- How many runs per day do you expect?
- Does the data need to stay in your own infrastructure?
- Who will edit and maintain the workflows?
- What happens when a run fails?
Sources
Rules and guidance this answer relies on. Policies change, so check the current version before acting on it.