Self Hosted N8N locally vs using self hosting platform

What are the key differences between running n8n locally (self-hosted) versus using a managed hosting platform, and which option is better for beginners?

I’m currently running n8n locally using Docker. I’m considering moving to a hosting platform like Render or Replit, but so far it feels very similar. The main difference I see is that with a hosted setup, n8n is always on and I don’t need to keep my machine running.

For those who’ve tried both, what other differences should beginners be aware of—especially around reliability, cost, maintenance, and scaling?

6 comments