n8n is powerful for controlled automation, but self-hosting is not free in operational terms.
Good reasons to self-host
Private data, deep customization, high volume, private systems and a team that can maintain servers.
When not to self-host
If you only need simple form-to-Slack workflows, a hosted tool may be cheaper in total effort.
Start with one workflow
Receive a form, classify it with a model, write to a database and send a notification. Add retries, logs and failure alerts.
Security basics
Protect API keys, restrict admin access, back up the database and remove sensitive data before model calls.
Independently prepared by AI Islands using official product pages and public sources. Features and pricing may change; check official sites for current information.