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Dev.to
7/11/2026
The original title is: "n8n review: I automated 12 saas.pet workflows with it in 6 months"

The original title is: "n8n review: I automated 12 saas.pet workflows with it in 6 months"

Original: n8n review: I automated 12 saas.pet workflows with it in 6 months

Short summary

A 6-month hands-on review of self-hosted n8n running 12 production workflows on a $6/month VPS, saving $800+/year versus Zapier. Covers setup with Docker and nginx, specific workflow examples, cost comparisons at scale, and trade-offs like monthly maintenance overhead and a steeper learning curve. Recommends n8n for 5+ high-volume workflows and Zapier free tier for 2-3 simple zaps.

  • •Self-hosted n8n on a $6/month VPS saves $800+/year vs Zapier Professional for 12 workflows
  • •Covers Docker deployment, 12 real workflow examples, and cost scaling comparisons
  • •Trade-offs include ~1hr/month maintenance, steeper learning curve, and self-hosting overhead

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