Stop Paying for Zapier! How to Set Up n8n for Unlimited Free Automations

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Are you tired of repetitive tasks eating up your precious time? Imagine automating virtually any digital task without subscription fees or operational limits. In this guide, I’ll show you how to set up n8n, a powerful open-source automation tool that’s completely free when self-hosted—transforming your daily workflow and saving you hours every week.

What is n8n?

n8n (pronounced “n-eight-n”) is an open-source workflow automation tool that connects your apps and services to create automated processes. I’ve tested numerous automation tools including Make.com, IFTTT, and Zapier, and while they’re all useful, n8n offers comparable or even superior capabilities.

What makes n8n stand out is its extensive integration library that works with hundreds of popular applications and services including:

  • Productivity Tools: Notion, Trello, Asana, Todoist, ClickUp
  • Communication: Gmail, Outlook, Slack, Discord, Telegram, WhatsApp Business
  • Cloud Storage: Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, Box
  • CRM & Marketing: HubSpot, Salesforce, Mailchimp, ActiveCampaign
  • Development: GitHub, GitLab, Jira, Bitbucket
  • Smart Home: Home Assistant, Philips Hue, MQTT
  • AI Services: OpenAI (ChatGPT), Google AI, Microsoft Cognitive Services
  • Database & Analytics: Airtable, Google Sheets, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, MySQL

Plus, n8n includes built-in tools like webhooks, HTTP requests, and custom JavaScript functions that let you connect to virtually any service with an API, even if it doesn’t have a dedicated integration.

With n8n, you can trigger actions based on emails, transfer data between platforms like Todoist and Notion, or build complex workflows—all with minimal coding experience. Though some JavaScript knowledge is helpful, it’s not required, especially if you use a tool like ChatGPT as your coach.

Another great feature is their workflow template gallery where the enthusiastic community has posted their creations. Many workflows are powered by AI like ChatGPT, which really cuts down on the coding required.

The standout feature of n8n is that it’s completely free when self-hosted. This means unlimited automations without per-operation charges or task limits. Of course, if you’re going to use a paid API like OpenAI, you’ll have to shell over money for access to that.

Self-hosting gives you total control to scale as needed. You can start small by running it on existing hardware like your Home Assistant box, then later give it its own dedicated server or even host it in the cloud.

Installation Prerequisites

Before we get started with the setup, here’s what you’ll need:

  1. A computer with Docker installed – Compatible with Windows, Mac, or Linux
  2. Basic command-line knowledge – Just enough to copy-paste commands
  3. Internet access – To download the Docker image
  4. Optional but recommended: Storage for persistence – To save your workflows between sessions

Don’t worry about typing everything you see—you can follow along with this blog post and copy/paste the commands.

What is Docker?

Docker is a platform that allows you to package applications and their dependencies into standardized units called containers. Think of containers as lightweight, portable virtual environments that can run consistently across different machines. This means you can develop and test an application in one environment and be confident it will work the same way when deployed elsewhere—solving the classic “it works on my machine” problem.

For our n8n setup, Docker ensures that you can run the application without worrying about conflicts with other software on your system. Each container is isolated but can be easily set up, started, stopped, and removed when needed.

Installation Options

Option A: Docker Installation

There are two main Docker options:

Docker Engine is the core container runtime that runs on Linux systems. It’s lightweight, command-line based, and perfect for servers or development environments where you want minimal overhead. If you’re running Linux, this is typically what you’ll install using your package manager.

Docker Desktop is a more user-friendly application available for Windows and Mac that includes Docker Engine plus additional tools like:

  • A graphical user interface for managing containers
  • Visual container monitoring
  • Easy configuration settings

For beginners or those wanting a more visual experience, Docker Desktop is recommended. For servers or more experienced users, the standard Docker Engine works great.

Option B: Home Assistant OS Installation

If you’re already running Home Assistant OS, there’s an even simpler way to install n8n:

  1. Go to Settings → Add-ons
  2. Click Add-on Store
  3. Click the three dots in the top right corner and select “Repositories”
  4. Add the n8n repository URL (available in the video description)
  5. Click Add, then Close
  6. Search for “n8n” in the add-on store
  7. Refresh the page if necessary
  8. Click on n8n and click Install
  9. Go to Configuration tab
  10. Set your time zone (format: America/Chicago)
  11. Click Save, go to Info tab, and click Start
  12. Once started, click Open Web UI

This method is perfect if you already have a machine dedicated to Home Assistant with enough hardware resources to spare.

Docker Desktop Installation Steps

For everyone else using Docker Desktop:

  1. Download Docker Desktop from docker.com/products/docker-desktop for your platform
  2. Run the installer and follow the prompts
  3. For Windows users, Docker will install the Windows Subsystem for Linux
  4. Once Docker Desktop is running, search for “n8n” in the search bar
  5. Find “n8nio/n8n” and click Pull
  6. Click on Terminal in Docker Desktop
  7. Create a directory for persistence: Copymkdir $HOME\.n8n
  8. Return to the search bar, find n8n again, and click Run
  9. Click Optional Settings
  10. Name the container “n8n”
  11. Set host port to 5678
  12. For host path, browse to the .n8n folder you created
  13. Set container path to “/home/node/.n8n”
  14. Add an environment variable:
    • N8N_SECURE_COOKIE = false (This allows access from a non-secure port inside your network)
  15. Click Run
  16. When you see “Editor is now accessible…” in the logs, click on the address

If you need to access n8n from another machine on your network, you’ll need to use the host machine’s IP address with port 5678 and may need to adjust your firewall settings.

Setting Up Your n8n Account

When first accessing n8n, you’ll need to:

  1. Set up an email address, first and last name, and password
  2. You can customize n8n for your needs or skip this step
  3. Consider signing up for their newsletter to get some premium features for free

Exploring the n8n Interface

On the main page, you’ll find:

  • Overview section showing workflows, credentials, and executions
  • Templates button that takes you to workflow templates
  • Update indicator at the bottom

Understanding n8n Workflow Anatomy

Let’s explore the basic components of a workflow:

Triggers: The Starting Points

Every workflow begins with a trigger—the event that kicks off your automation:

  1. Trigger Manually: Run the workflow when you press the test button
  2. On App Event: Trigger based on events in integrated applications
  3. On a Schedule: Run at specific times (similar to cron jobs)
  4. On Webhook Call: Respond to web requests
  5. Form Submission: Trigger from custom form data
  6. Workflow: Call other workflows

Actions: What Happens Next

After triggers, you have actions to process and send data:

  1. App Actions: Interact with services like Notion, Google Drive, etc.
  2. Data Transformation: Manipulate data with JavaScript, Python, or pre-built functions
  3. Flow Control: Use IF nodes, switches, and loops to create logic
  4. Advanced Functions: AI tools, error handling, and more

Real Example: Solar Flare Monitor

Let’s create a simple workflow that checks for solar flares from NASA’s API:

  1. Add a Schedule Trigger: Set it to run daily at 2:30 AM
  2. Add NASA Node: Connect to NASA’s API
    • Create credentials by getting an API key from NASA’s website
    • Configure to retrieve solar flare data
  3. Add Date Range: Use expressions to get data from the last 7 days javascriptCopy{{$today.minus(7, "days").format("YYYY-MM-DD")}}
  4. Add IF Node: Check if any solar flares are Class X (most severe)
  5. Add HTTP Request Nodes: Send data to a temporary bin for testing
    • Different messages based on severity

This example demonstrates several key concepts:

  • Starting workflows with trigger nodes
  • Configuring API credentials
  • Processing data
  • Using logic with IF/THEN
  • Using JavaScript expressions

My Own n8n Setup

In my own environment, I’ve developed over 50 different workflows that power my productivity system. One example is an automation I created for my Remarkable Paper Pro:

  1. I upload exported PDFs to a specific Google Drive folder
  2. My n8n workflow detects the new file
  3. It creates a new Notion note and stores the PDF
  4. It processes the PDF into separate images
  5. Each image is sent to ChatGPT with custom instructions
  6. ChatGPT extracts text from my handwriting, recognizing things like to-do boxes
  7. The extracted text is added back to Notion for me to process

Conclusion

n8n’s true strength lies in its flexibility. Whether you’re automating personal tasks like organizing emails and managing your calendar, or handling complex business processes involving multiple systems, n8n provides the tools you need without the limitations of subscription-based services.

The beauty of n8n is that the more you use it, the more things you’ll find that you can automate. Fair warning: this could consume a lot of your time as you discover more opportunities for automation!

If you’ve found this guide helpful, check out my other automation videos, including an introduction to web APIs and a dedicated video on YAML for Home Assistant users.

Remember—automation isn’t just about saving time; it’s about focusing your energy on the work that matters most.

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