- n8n version: 2.0.1
- Database (default: SQLite):
- n8n EXECUTIONS_PROCESS setting (default: own, main):
- Running n8n via (n8n cloud):
Hi n8n team and community,
I’m reaching out to clarify whether my business model is compliant with the Sustainable Use License before scaling my agency further.
My Business Model:
I run an automation consulting agency in Israel where I solve business problems for clients by building custom automation solutions:
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What I do: Clients come to me with business challenges (e.g., “I need to collect weekly feedback from coordinators via WhatsApp” or “I need to automate customer support responses”)
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How I solve it: I build custom n8n workflows on my n8n Cloud instance to solve their specific problem
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What clients receive: Only the end result/solution - automated WhatsApp messages, synced data, chatbot responses, etc.
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What clients DON’T have: No access to n8n, no visibility into the workflow, no ability to modify or view the automation
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My revenue model: I charge consulting/development fees for building and maintaining these solutions
All workflows run on my single n8n Cloud instance. I use my clients’ API credentials (WhatsApp Business API, Google Drive, etc.) within the workflows to deliver the automation.
The Core Question:
I’m finding seemingly contradictory language in the Sustainable Use License documentation and need clarification:
The license states:
“You may use or modify the software only for your own internal business purposes or for non-commercial or personal use.”
But it also explicitly says:
“That means you are now free to offer commercial consulting or support services (e.g. building n8n workflows) without the need for a separate license agreement with us.”
Specific Questions:
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Is my use case compliant? I’m using n8n as MY internal tool to deliver consulting services - clients are paying for the solution/outcome, not for n8n access or hosting.
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Does “internal business purposes” cover this? Since n8n is my internal business tool (like a developer using VS Code to write code for clients), does running workflows that solve client problems count as internal business use?
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What’s the difference between “consulting” (allowed) and “reselling n8n” (not allowed)? I want to understand where the line is. To clarify:
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I’m NOT: Giving clients access to n8n, white-labeling n8n, or selling “n8n-as-a-service”
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I AM: Using n8n to build solutions that I deliver to clients who never interact with n8n itself
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Scale considerations: Is there any limit on how many clients I can serve this way on a single n8n Cloud instance (5, 10, 20+ clients)?
Why I’m asking:
I want to ensure I’m building my business compliantly from the start. If my current model requires a different license or agreement, I’d like to know now before scaling further.
Thanks in advance!
1 Like
Hey @Joni_Uzan welcome to the n8n community, and with one n8n Cloud instance serving multiple external clients, using their credentials and running their automations, you’re almost certainly outside what the Sustainable Use License [SUL] allows. That setup is treated as “offering n8n as a service,” which requires a commercial/Embed agreement.
Key points
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SUL does allow selling consulting and workflow-building, as long as clients run n8n on their own instance.
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SUL does not allow you to host many clients’ automations/credentials on your n8n and sell the resulting service. That’s repeatedly confirmed in forum answers and the FAQ.
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The allowed pattern = client owns the instance, you build/maintain workflows on their environment.
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Your pattern = you host → you run many clients’ data/credentials → you deliver the automation, which falls under “commercial service built on n8n.”
What to do
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If you want to keep a single shared instance for many clients → talk to n8n about a commercial/Embed license.
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If you want to stay fully within SUL → each client needs their own n8n instance, and you act purely as a consultant.
I did write to n8n help center and got this message
Hi Joni,
Thank you for providing such a detailed explanation of your agency’s business model and for proactively seeking licensing clarity!
Based on the Sustainable Use License:
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Using n8n internally to deliver automation solutions—where clients only receive the outcomes and do not access, view, or modify n8n itself—is considered “internal business purposes” and is compliant with the Sustainable Use License. This is similar to using a development tool to build bespoke solutions for your clients.
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Providing consulting or automation services (building, maintaining, and running workflows for clients) is allowed as long as clients do not access your n8n instance directly.
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What is NOT allowed: reselling or white-labeling n8n, providing n8n-as-a-service, or giving clients direct access to n8n (these cases would require a commercial/enterprise license).
There are no specific restrictions on the number of clients you can serve from your single n8n Cloud instance, as long as your use remains internal.
To summarize: your described model is compliant as long as clients do not interact with your n8n instance. If you ever plan to allow access for clients directly or white-label n8n, please contact [email protected] to discuss alternative licensing options.
For edge-case validation or formal assurances, you may also reach out to [email protected].
Just to clear things up, I reached out to n8n support directly and got an official clarification: my use case is compliant under the Sustainable Use License, because I use n8n purely as an internal tool and clients never access it.
They confirmed:
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Using n8n internally to deliver automation outcomes is allowed
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Consulting + running workflows for clients is allowed
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What’s not allowed: giving clients access to n8n, reselling it, or white-labeling it
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No limit on how many clients I can serve, as long as usage stays internal
So my current setup is fine under SUL.
Sharing this here so others with similar questions have the official answer.