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// free_setup_guide.html
FREE
Complete Setup Guide

Get n8n
For Free.
Forever.

n8n gives away their paid plan when you self-host. Here's exactly how to set it up in under 5 minutes — no credit card, no trial, no limits.

$0
Total Cost
5min
Setup Time
∞
Workflows
scroll to start
What you're unlocking
Paid Features.
Free Forever.

When you self-host n8n, you get access to features that normally cost money on the cloud version — permanently.

🐛
Advanced Debugging
Fix errored workflows and re-run them instantly
🔍
Execution Search
Search and tag past workflow executions
📁
Folders
Organise workflows in nested folder structure
Step by Step

The Setup

Follow these steps exactly and you'll have n8n running free on your computer in minutes.

1
Install Node.js

Required to run n8n locally. Skip this if you already have it installed.

  • 01 Go to nodejs.org
  • 02 Download the LTS version — says "Recommended for most users"
  • 03 Install it like any normal app, just click through
✅
How to check it worked
Open Terminal and type node -v — if a version number appears, you're good.
2
Open Terminal

This is where you run n8n. On Mac press Cmd + Space, type Terminal, hit Enter. On Windows search for PowerShell.

💡
Note
Keep this Terminal window open the whole time. If you close it, n8n stops running.
3
Install and Start n8n

One command does everything. Type this and hit Enter:

~$ npm install -g n8n

Wait for it to finish installing (takes about 1 minute), then run:

~$ n8n start
  • → Wait for it to say "Editor is now accessible via: http://localhost:5678"
  • → Press O to open it in your browser automatically
⚠️
Ignore the warnings
You'll see yellow "deprecated" warnings during install — these are normal, ignore them. It works fine.
4
Create Your Account

n8n will open in your browser at localhost:5678. Create your account — this is just for your local version, it's not a paid signup.

🎁
The Money Screen
After creating your account a popup appears: "Get paid features for free (forever)" — enter your email and claim it. This unlocks advanced features permanently on your self-hosted version.
5
Get Your API Key

You'll need this if you want to connect Claude Code or other tools to n8n later.

  • 01 Click your profile icon in the bottom-left of n8n
  • 02 Go to Settings → API
  • 03 Click Create API Key
  • 04 Copy it and save somewhere safe
🔑
Treat like a password
Don't share your API key publicly or post it anywhere online.
You're Done

Full Checklist

Questions

FAQ

?
Is this actually free?

Yes. When you run n8n on your own computer it costs nothing. The paid plans on n8n.io are for their cloud hosting — you're skipping that entirely.

?
Do I need to know how to code?

No. You're just copying and pasting two commands into Terminal. That's it.

?
Does it work on Windows?

Yes. Open PowerShell instead of Terminal and run the exact same commands.

?
How do I open it again next time?

Open Terminal and run n8n start — then go to localhost:5678 in your browser. That's it every time.