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Loïc Chossière AI Consultant
20-minute diagnosis

Free guide

Install n8n free of charge on any server with Coolify (from €5/month) & Contabo

n8n is a powerful, open-source automation tool. By installing it yourself, you unlock:

  • 9 min read
  • 10 chapters
  • No email address required

Why install n8n on your own server?

n8n is a powerful, open-source automation tool. By installing it yourself, you unlock:

  • An unlimited number of workflows without paying a monthly subscription
  • Total control over your data and infrastructure
  • The ability to create multiple environments for different projects or customers

And why on a €5/month VPS?

A virtual private server (VPS) offers excellent value for money for hosting n8n. With offerings such as Contabo you can:

  • Launch your instance for less than €5/month
  • Upgrade at any time to suit your needs
  • Enjoy professional performance for a fraction of the price

What you'll learn here

This training course will guide you step by step to:

  1. Buy and configure a VPS from Contabo
  2. Install Coolify for easy application management
  3. Deploying n8n with a PostgreSQL database
  4. Associate a domain name and secure access with HTTPS

All of it, without using the command line and with a minimum of technical skills!

2. Choosing and ordering a VPS from Contabo

Why Contabo?

Contabo is a German hosting provider renowned for its high-performance servers at HYPER-low prices. It offers robust SSD VPS with an excellent power/price ratio, perfect for hosting n8n.

Which offer to choose?

To get started, the Cloud VPS 10 is more than enough:

  • 3 vCPU Cores
  • 8 GB RAM
  • 75 GB NVMe
  • or 150 GB SSD
  • ~€5.50/month (approx. depending on commitment)

It's scalable: you can upgrade later if you need to.

Steps to order a VPS

  1. Go to contabo.com

  2. Choose a Cloud VPS 10

  3. In the options, choose:

    • Ubuntu 22.04 as a system
    • No license (useless for n8n)
    • The datacenter closest to your users

  4. Complete payment and wait for confirmation email

Best practices

  • Use a valid e-mail address: it will receive SSH and IP accesses
  • Note your root password it's essential to connect
  • Keep the server's public IP address for the following steps

3. Preparing your VPS environment

Login and initial configuration

Once your VPS is ready, you will receive by email:

  • Your server's public IP address
  • User name root
  • The associated password

No need to use a terminal or SSH if you install directly Coolify (next step). But if you want to explore or secure further:

SSH connection (optional)

ssh root@ADRESSE_IP_DU_SERVEUR

You can paste this command into a terminal (Linux/macOS) or use PuTTY on Windows.

Create a secure root password

Use a complex password right from the start:

  • At least 1 uppercase, 1 lowercase, 1 number and 1 special character
  • Example: Az3$wX9!

An SSH key lets you connect without a password. This is more secure, but optional if you only use Coolify.

Best practices

  • Never share your root access
  • Disable SSH root access once Coolify is installed (if you're comfortable with it)
  • Keep a backup of your logins in a password manager

4. Install Coolify in 1 click

What is Coolify?

Coolify is a no-code/low-code platform that simplifies the hosting of applications such as n8n, Supabase, PostgreSQL and others. It replaces complex commands with an intuitive web interface.

Automatic installation via Contabo

Contabo lets you directly install a system image containing Coolify. Install Ubuntu and follow this command to install Coolify manually:

curl -fsSL https://cdn.coollabs.io/coolify/install.sh | sudo bash

Access the Coolify interface

Once installed, go to your browser:

http://ADRESSE_IP_DU_SERVEUR:8000

You'll see the Coolify interface. Create an account with:

  • Your e-mail address
  • A secure password

You can then skip the onboarding ("Skip onboarding") to get straight to the point.

Best practices

  • Note the IP address and port 8000 (:8000) to access Coolify
  • Choose a strong password: Coolify manages deployments, so it's critical
  • Create multiple projects (n8n, Supabase, etc.) in a single interface

5. Getting started with Coolify

Creating a project in Coolify

Once you have logged in to Coolify, follow these steps to organize your deployments:

  1. Click on Projects then "+ Add top right
  2. Give your project a name (e.g: n8n)
  3. Add a description if you wish

Coolify lets you create multiple projects for different customers or environments (test, prod...).

Manage your production environment

Understanding Coolify's logic

  • A project = a logical grouping of applications
  • An environment = an instance of execution (prod, test, etc.)
  • A resource = a deployed application or database

Best practices

  • Create a project by customer or requirement to keep your server organized
  • Clearly identify your environments: test, prod, stagingetc.
  • Don't deploy everything in a single environment

6. Deploy n8n via Coolify

Add an n8n resource

From the production environment you have just created:

  1. Click on "+ Add Resource
  2. Search "n8n with postgreSQL" in the list of applications
  3. Select the standard version with integrated PostgreSQL

Configuring credentials

Before deploying, fill in:

  • PostgreSQL username (ex: n8n_user)
  • PostgreSQL password (complex password recommended)

This information will be used by n8n to store your workflows.

Start deployment

  1. Click on "Deploy top right
  2. Wait a few minutes for automatic installation
  3. Once the services are green (n8n + PostgreSQL), your instance is ready.

Best practices

  • Use unique and complex credentials
  • Record them in a secure manager
  • Avoid modifying environment variables without understanding their effect

At this stage

You now have a working n8n instance installed on your VPS. You can access it via its IP address, or even better: associate a custom domain name (see next step).

7. Associate a custom domain name

Why a domain name?

Associating a domain name with your n8n instance allows you to:

  • Easy access via a URL such as n8n.monsite.com
  • Automatically activate an HTTPS certificate (security)
  • A more professional appearance

Where can I buy a domain name?

You can buy a domain on many sites. Inexpensive example:

Choose a domain from 1€/year like monsite.shop.

Configuring DNS

  1. Access the registrar's dashboard (e.g. Hostinger)

  2. Go to DNS settings

  3. Add an A record:

    • Name: n8n
    • IPv4 address: the public IP of your VPS
    • TTL: leave as default or set to 3600

Setting up a domain in Coolify

  1. Return to Coolify, in your n8n resource
  2. Modify the Domain field with your subdomain (e.g.: n8n.monsite.shop)
  3. Save and click on Restart to restart the service

Propagation time

DNS changes can take from a few minutes to 24 hours. Please be patient if access does not work immediately.

Best practices

  • Check the IP before saving: it must correspond to your VPS
  • Use a different subdomain for each service (e.g.: supabase.monsite.com, n8n.monsite.com)

8. Configure HTTPS and secure access

Why HTTPS?

HTTPS encrypts exchanges between your browser and your server. This is essential for:

  • Protect your data (workflows, credentials, API keys, etc.)
  • Avoiding security alerts in browsers
  • Give your projects a serious image

Automatic SSL activation with Coolify

Coolify automatically manages the installation of SSL certificates thanks to Let's Encrypt.

  1. Make sure your domain points to the server IP
  2. In your n8n resource on Coolify, add your domain (e.g.: n8n.monsite.shop)
  3. Restart the application (button Restart)

After a few minutes, Coolify will automatically generate and activate an HTTPS certificate.

HTTPS access to your instance

Once the certificate is active, access your instance via:

https://n8n.monsite.shop

What if HTTPS doesn't work?

  • Please wait: it can take 10-30 minutes for the certificate to be issued.
  • Check your DNS records
  • Make sure port 443 is open on the VPS (by default it is on Coolify).

Best practices

  • Always activate HTTPS before using n8n in production
  • Renew your certificates regularly (Coolify does this automatically).
  • Check that the padlock is displayed in the address bar

9. Create your n8n account and activate the free license

Create an n8n user

Once your instance is accessible (via IP or your HTTPS domain), you'll be taken to the account creation interface:

  1. Enter a valid email
  2. Choose a secure password (uppercase, lowercase, number, symbol)
  3. Click on "Next" to complete the configuration

Skipping the onboarding step

n8n offers a mini-guide. You can click on "Skip to go faster.

Activate the free unlimited license

For self-hosting, n8n offers a free license with:

  • Unlimited workflows
  • Authorized for commercial use
  1. Enter an email address to receive the license key
  2. Open the email and click on the activation link
  3. Your instance automatically switches to 0 of unlimited"

Best practices

  • Use a functional email address to activate the license
  • Keep a copy of your key in a safe place (email, secure text file, etc.).
  • You can delete the key later if you need to, but this will not deactivate your instance.

What's next?

Your n8n instance is now ready for use, unlimited, secure and hosted on your own server. You can now create your first workflows!

10. Tips, best practices and common mistakes

Best practices after installation

  • Make regular backups of your workflows and PostgreSQL database
  • Use separate projects in Coolify for each customer or environment
  • Keep track of all your accesses (IP, passwords, domains) in a secure manager
  • Update Coolify, n8n and the Ubuntu system regularly

Possible optimizations

  • Add a layer of reverse proxy or a CDN to improve performance
  • Monitor your VPS's CPU/RAM usage to anticipate upgrades
  • Activate the automatic backups in Coolify (integrated function)

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Forgetting to enable HTTPS: your instance will be unsecured
  • DNS misconfiguration: the domain will not point correctly
  • Use weak passwords: high risk of hacking
  • Do it all in one project/environment: difficult to maintain

What you can do next

  • Create your first workflows (APIs, emails, databases...)
  • Connect n8n with Supabase or other services
  • Deploy other tools via Coolify (Supabase, Strapi, Ghost...)

Need help?

Don't hesitate to ask me any questions you may have, or to consult the official documentation for n8n and Coolify.

Happy automating! 🚀