Leaving Power Automate for n8n? Here Is Where to Run It
Power Automate Premium is $15 per user per month, paid yearly, so the bill grows with headcount. n8n is priced per server instead. The server is the part you have to sort out, and on InstaPods that is $7/mo flat no matter how many people use it.
Should you move off Power Automate, and where do you run n8n?
Power Automate is the right answer if your automations live inside Microsoft 365 and you need desktop RPA, which n8n does not do at all. It is also licensed per seat: Premium is $15 per user per month paid yearly, so ten people is $150/mo before anything else, and Process bots are $150 each on top. n8n inverts that. The software is free and unlimited-seat, so the only recurring cost is the machine you run it on. On InstaPods that machine is $7/mo flat for 2 vCPU, 2 GB RAM and 25 GB SSD, with HTTPS, daily backups and WEBHOOK_URL configured at boot, and it stays $7 whether three people use it or thirty. For Microsoft services you use n8n's Graph API nodes, which covers Outlook, Teams, SharePoint and OneDrive but takes an OAuth setup step. Every hosting option is priced side by side in n8n hosting compared and the cheapest n8n hosting roundup.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Power Automate | n8n |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $15/user/mo (Premium, paid yearly) | $7/mo flat total (Build plan on InstaPods) |
| Per-User Licensing | Yes - $15/user/mo | No - unlimited users on your instance |
| Who Runs It | Microsoft - nothing to host | A managed pod: 2 vCPU, 2 GB RAM, 25 GB SSD |
| Cost of a 10-Person Team | $150/mo ($1,800/yr) | $7/mo ($84/yr) |
| Ecosystem | Microsoft 365 focused | Platform-agnostic - works with anything |
| Cloud Flows | Unlimited (with limits per flow) | Unlimited workflows, no throttling |
| Premium Connectors | Require Premium license ($15/user) | All integrations included free |
| Custom Connectors | Available on Premium plans | Build any integration with HTTP or code nodes |
| RPA / Desktop Flows | Included in Premium ($15/user) | Not available (cloud workflows only) |
| AI Builder | Add-on credits required | Built-in AI nodes (OpenAI, Anthropic, etc.) |
| Self-Hosting | Not available | Full control on your server |
| Source Code | Closed source | Open source (fair-code license) |
Where Power Automate Gets Expensive
Trade-offs to weigh before committing.
Per-User Licensing Is Expensive
At $15/user/mo paid yearly, a 10-person team pays $150/mo just for workflow automation. Attended and unattended Process bots are a separate $150/bot/mo on top, and standard connectors carry their own throttling limits.
Microsoft Ecosystem Lock-In
Power Automate works best with Microsoft 365 apps. Connecting to non-Microsoft services often requires Premium connectors, custom connectors, or workarounds.
Flow Run Limits
Even on paid plans, flows have daily run limits and API call throttling. High-volume automations hit these limits and fail silently.
Complex Licensing Tiers
Free, Per User, Per User with RPA, Per Flow, Pay-as-you-go - Microsoft's licensing model requires a spreadsheet to understand.
Why Self-Host with n8n?
What you get when you pick this stack.
One Price for Your Whole Team
$7/mo covers your entire n8n instance. Add 5, 10, or 50 users - the price stays the same.
Works with Any Stack
n8n connects to 400+ services regardless of vendor. Google Workspace, AWS, Slack, custom APIs - no premium connector upsells.
No Run Limits or Throttling
Your workflows run as fast as your server allows. No daily caps, no API throttling, no silent failures.
Built-In AI Capabilities
Connect to OpenAI, Anthropic, or local AI models directly. Build AI agents and chains without buying separate AI credits.
Real Cost Comparison
A 5-person team running 20 workflows with premium connectors.
- Power Automate Premium: $15/user x 5 = $75/mo, paid yearly
- Premium connectors: included in the per-user licence
- Desktop RPA bots: $150/bot/mo on top
- Microsoft 365 subscription: separate cost
- InstaPods Build plan: $7/mo flat
- n8n: free (fair-code, self-hosted)
- 2 vCPU, 2 GB RAM, 25 GB SSD
- Unlimited users, workflows and runs
Frequently Asked Questions
Where should I host n8n after leaving Power Automate?
On a server you control, and it only needs to be one server for the whole team. A $7/mo InstaPods Build pod gives you 2 vCPU, 2 GB RAM and 25 GB SSD with HTTPS, daily backups and the webhook URL configured at boot, so there is no Docker file to write and no reverse proxy to set up. A DIY VPS is a little cheaper and you administer it yourself. Every option is priced side by side in n8n hosting compared.
Does the price go up as the team grows?
No. n8n is licensed per instance, not per seat, so the bill is the pod. $7/mo flat on the Build plan covers three users or thirty. That is the whole arithmetic behind the switch: Power Automate Premium at $15/user/mo is $1,800/yr for ten people, against $84/yr for the pod they all share. Costs for every hosting route are in the cheapest n8n hosting roundup.
Can n8n replace Power Automate for Microsoft 365 workflows?
For cloud workflows connecting Microsoft apps to other services, yes. n8n has nodes for Microsoft Outlook, OneDrive, Teams, and Excel. What n8n can't replace is desktop RPA (automating Windows applications) - that's a Power Automate-specific feature.
Does n8n work with SharePoint and Teams?
n8n can connect to Microsoft Graph API, which covers SharePoint, Teams, OneDrive, and other Microsoft 365 services. You'll use the HTTP Request node with OAuth2 authentication.
Is n8n suitable for enterprise teams?
Yes. n8n has user management, role-based access, workflow sharing, and audit logging. Many companies run n8n in production for business-critical automations. Self-hosting gives you full compliance control.
What about desktop automation (RPA)?
n8n focuses on cloud workflow automation and doesn't include desktop RPA features. If you need to automate Windows desktop applications, Power Automate's Desktop Flows is the better tool for that specific use case.
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