To use n8n, sign up for an n8n Cloud trial or install the free self-hosted Community edition, then select Create workflow. Add a trigger that says when the workflow starts, add nodes that each do one job, test it with Execute workflow and select Publish so it runs on its own.
n8n is an automation tool. You connect apps and steps on a visual canvas, and n8n runs them for you on a schedule or when something happens, such as a form being submitted. n8n's own quickstart says a first workflow takes about 15 minutes and needs no API keys or coding experience. Here's that process in plain English, with a small business example alongside.
Step 1: Choose Cloud or self-hosted
n8n offers two ways to run it, and the choice matters more than any setting.
| Option | Best for | What n8n says |
|---|---|---|
| n8n Cloud | Starting straight away, no technical setup | Fully managed: n8n handles hosting, updates and scaling. Free trial with Pro features for 14 days |
| Self-hosted Community | People comfortable running a server | Free, with almost the complete feature set |
| Registered Community | Self-hosters who want a bit more | Free; adds folders, debug in editor and custom execution data when you register your email |
| Business or Enterprise | Teams needing SSO, environments and projects | Paid, with a licence key |
If you don't have technical help, n8n itself recommends Cloud. After the trial, the Cloud plans are Starter for individuals and small projects, Pro for power users and small teams, and Enterprise. n8n's pricing page lists the Starter plan as hosted by n8n with 2.5K workflow executions, unlimited steps and no credit card needed for the trial.
The Starter plan also includes agents, MCP and AI nodes, plus AI models without needing your own API keys, one shared project and five concurrent executions. That's plenty for a sole trader automating enquiry alerts, invoice reminders or a weekly sales report.
Step 2: Create a workflow and pick a trigger
- Log in and select Personal in the left menu. That's where your workflows live.
- Select Create workflow at the top right. This opens the canvas.
- Click the workflow's name and give it something clear, such as New enquiry alert.
- Select Add first step and choose how the workflow starts.
n8n's advice is to answer one question first: how should this workflow start? On a schedule, such as 8am every day? When someone submits a form? When an app like Telegram sends a message? That first step is called the trigger.
Step 3: Add nodes that each do one job
Every step after the trigger is a node. Select the + after a node, search for what you need and add it. In n8n's own tutorial, the workflow runs at 8am, uses an HTTP Request node to fetch weather data from a web address, uses an Edit Fields node to turn it into a one-line report and saves each report with a Data table node. The pattern works for almost anything:
| Job | Node type |
|---|---|
| Start the workflow | Trigger, such as On a schedule or a form submission |
| Get data from a web service | HTTP Request |
| Reshape or rename data | Edit Fields (Set) |
| Keep a record of every run | Data table, with Insert row |
After adding each node, select Execute step. You'll see that node's output straight away, which makes it easy to spot where something goes wrong.
Step 4: Pass data between nodes with expressions
This is the bit that makes n8n click. The output of one node becomes the input of the next. In the Edit Fields node, you can drag a field from the input panel on the left into a value box, and n8n turns it into an expression that swaps in the real value every time the workflow runs. So you can write a sentence like New enquiry from, then drag in the name field, and every alert carries the right name without you writing any code.
Step 5: Test, then publish
- Select Execute workflow to run the whole thing once.
- Check the result, for example that a new row appeared in your data table.
- Select Publish in the canvas header and follow the prompts.
Once it's published, the trigger runs the workflow for you. If you later build a second version of the same workflow, unpublish the first one, or both will run. n8n gives exactly that warning in its own guide.
Workflows that call many services also benefit from API management platforms.
Try the n8n Assistant
n8n also has an Assistant that builds workflows from a written prompt. It's in Preview and may change. n8n's own guide has you build one workflow by hand first, so you understand what the Assistant creates. A prompt for a small business might be:
Want AI doing the heavy lifting in your marketing?
I build the systems that handle the boring 80 percent, so you get your week back. Done properly, with the human kept in.
Copy this prompt
Build a workflow that runs every Monday at 9am, collects last week's new rows from my enquiries data table and saves a one-line summary of each enquiry to a new table called weekly_summary.
To choose which workflows to automate first, read about process mining software.
My verdict
n8n rewards starting small. Build one workflow with a trigger, two nodes and a data table, run Execute step after every node and only publish when it works end to end. Once that clicks, everything else is the same pattern with more nodes. My free n8n templates give you working starting points, my guide to whether n8n is free explains the Community edition in more depth, and if you're weighing it against a simpler tool, see how to use Zapier.
Frequently asked questions
Is n8n free to use?
The self-hosted Community edition is free with almost the complete feature set. n8n Cloud has a 14-day free trial with Pro features, then paid plans.
Do I need to code to use n8n?
No. n8n's quickstart says you don't need coding experience. You drag fields between nodes and n8n builds the expressions for you.
What is a trigger in n8n?
The first step of a workflow, which decides when it runs, such as on a schedule, when a form is submitted or when an app sends a message.
How do I make an n8n workflow run automatically?
Test it with Execute workflow, then select Publish in the canvas header. The trigger then runs it for you.
Should I choose n8n Cloud or self-hosted?
n8n recommends Cloud if you want to start right away or don't have technical expertise, and self-hosting if you need full control over the setup.
