Best VPS for n8n: plans that meet n8n's own sizing guidance
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n8n is light on CPU and heavier on memory as your workflows grow. Below, every plan is checked against the sizing figures n8n publishes, not against our opinion.
What n8n says it needs
- Sizing example: memory 320 MB – 2 GB, database 512 MB – 4 GB of SSD, using SQLite or PostgreSQL[1].
- n8n isn't CPU intensive; memory requirements usually supersede CPU requirements[1].
- Memory use grows with the amount of JSON and binary data processed, the Code node, manual executions and concurrent workflows[2].
- The default database is SQLite; PostgreSQL is supported, and MySQL/MariaDB support was deprecated in n8n 1.0[3].
Which plans meet it
“Minimum” below uses 320 MB RAM; “recommended” uses the 2 GB top of n8n's sizing range.
| Plan | vCPU | RAM | Disk | Price (checked October 2026) | Meets n8n minimum | Meets recommended | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hostinger — KVM 1 | 1 | 4 GB | 50 GB NVMe | $6.49/mo promo, paid upfront; renews at $11.99/mo[4] | Yes | Yes | View plan |
| Hostinger — KVM 2 | 2 | 8 GB | 100 GB NVMe | $8.79/mo promo, paid upfront; renews at $14.99/mo[4] | Yes | Yes | View plan |
| Hostinger — KVM 4 | 4 | 16 GB | 200 GB NVMe | $12.99/mo promo, paid upfront; renews at $28.99/mo[4] | Yes | Yes | View plan |
| Hostinger — KVM 8 | 8 | 32 GB | 400 GB NVMe | $25.99/mo promo, paid upfront; renews at $49.99/mo[4] | Yes | Yes | View plan |
| Hetzner — CX23 (Cost-Optimized) | 2 | 4 GB | 40 GB NVMe | from €5.99/mo excl. VAT; hourly billing with monthly cap; listed as not available in some locations at check time[5] | Yes | Yes | View plan |
| Vultr — Cloud Compute Regular 1 vCPU / 1 GB | 1 | 1 GB | 25 GB SSD | $5.00/mo[6] | Yes | No | View plan |
| Vultr — Cloud Compute High Performance 1 vCPU / 2 GB | 1 | 2 GB | 50 GB NVMe | $12.00/mo[6] | Yes | Yes | View plan |
| Vultr — Cloud Compute Regular 2 vCPU / 4 GB | 2 | 4 GB | 80 GB SSD | $20.00/mo[6] | Yes | Yes | View plan |
| Vultr — Cloud Compute High Performance 2 vCPU / 4 GB | 2 | 4 GB | 100 GB NVMe | $24.00/mo[6] | Yes | Yes | View plan |
| Vultr — Cloud Compute High Performance 4 vCPU / 8 GB | 4 | 8 GB | 180 GB NVMe | $48.00/mo[6] | Yes | Yes | View plan |
| DigitalOcean — Basic 1 GiB | 1 | 1 GB | 25 GB SSD | $6.00/mo GiB as listed[7] | Yes | No | View plan |
| DigitalOcean — Basic 2 GiB / 1 vCPU | 1 | 2 GB | 50 GB SSD | $12.00/mo GiB as listed[7] | Yes | Yes | View plan |
| DigitalOcean — Basic 4 GiB / 2 vCPU | 2 | 4 GB | 80 GB SSD | $24.00/mo GiB as listed[7] | Yes | Yes | View plan |
| DigitalOcean — Basic 8 GiB / 4 vCPU | 4 | 8 GB | 160 GB SSD | $48.00/mo GiB as listed[7] | Yes | Yes | View plan |
| DigitalOcean — Basic 16 GiB / 8 vCPU | 8 | 16 GB | 320 GB SSD | $96.00/mo GiB as listed[7] | Yes | Yes | View plan |
“Meets” is a mechanical comparison of the plan's listed vCPU/RAM/disk against the published figures cited on this page — not a performance test. Your apps, users and data add load on top. GiB (DigitalOcean) and GB are treated as equal here.
How to choose among them
- Just n8n with SQLite: every plan above meets the 320 MB lower bound; 2 GB or more gives you the top of n8n's example range.
- n8n with PostgreSQL: the official
withPostgrescompose file runs 3 services (postgres, n8n, n8n-runner)[8], so leave room for the database. - n8n alongside other apps or a panel: add the other apps' requirements — e.g. Coolify alone asks for 2 GB RAM[9].
- Watch the renewal price on promotional plans (Hostinger KVM 1: $6.49/mo promo, $11.99/mo renewal)[4].
Detail on memory tuning and databases: n8n hosting requirements. Other automation tools: self-hosted automation directory.
FAQ
Can n8n run on a 1 GB VPS?
n8n's published sizing example starts at 320 MB of memory, so a 1 GB plan meets the lower bound. Heavier workflows (large JSON or binary data, Code node, concurrent runs) need more, up to the 2 GB top of the example range or beyond.
Does n8n need a lot of CPU?
n8n's documentation states it is not CPU intensive and that memory requirements usually supersede CPU requirements.
SQLite or PostgreSQL for self-hosted n8n?
SQLite is the default. PostgreSQL is supported and n8n provides an official compose file with Postgres. MySQL and MariaDB were deprecated in n8n 1.0.
Sources (checked October 2026)
- n8n docs: Prerequisites (sizing example) — https://docs.n8n.io/deploy/host-n8n/deploy-as-an-oem-integration/prerequisites
- n8n docs: Fix memory issues — https://docs.n8n.io/deploy/host-n8n/configure-n8n/scaling/fix-memory-issues
- n8n docs: Choose n8n's database — https://docs.n8n.io/deploy/host-n8n/configure-n8n/choose-n8ns-database
- Hostinger VPS hosting pricing — https://www.hostinger.com/vps-hosting
- Hetzner Cloud Cost-Optimized plans — https://www.hetzner.com/cloud/cost-optimized
- Vultr pricing — https://www.vultr.com/pricing/
- DigitalOcean Droplet pricing — https://www.digitalocean.com/pricing/droplets
- n8n-hosting: docker-compose withPostgres — https://raw.githubusercontent.com/n8n-io/n8n-hosting/main/docker-compose/withPostgres/docker-compose.yml
- Coolify docs: Self-hosted installation — https://coolify.io/docs/get-started/installation