Does My Business Model Violate the n8n FairCode License?

Questions
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Hi everyone,

I’m working on a hobby project and I want to make sure I’m staying compliant with the n8n FairCode / Sustainable Use License. I’m currently self-hosting n8n and I have the following idea:

I have developed my own AI API service. I want to offer access to my self-hosted n8n instance as a “bonus” or a free addition for users who subscribe to my AI API service.

Here are the details:

  • I am not charging specifically for the n8n access; the subscription is for my own AI API service.

  • Upon subscription, I would send the user an invitation link to my self-hosted n8n instance so they can use my API more easily within their workflows.

  • This is currently a hobby project, not a registered company yet.

My question is: Does providing access to a self-hosted n8n instance to paying customers of a different service (as a bundle or bonus) violate the “no-commercial-reselling” clauses of the n8n license? Since I’m not selling n8n itself but rather using it as an interface for my own service, is this allowed?

I would appreciate any guidance or clarification on this.

Best regards.

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very goof point i made a search and i found that :
:prohibited: What is NOT Allowed (Violates the License)

  • White-labeling n8n: Rebranding n8n and selling it as your own product.

  • Reselling “n8n-as-a-Service”: Hosting n8n and charging clients a subscription fee to access the n8n interface or create their own workflows.

  • Direct Access: Giving clients direct access to your n8n instance, where they can view, modify, or run their own workflows.

  • Embedding in a Commercial SaaS: Using the free version as the backend for a SaaS product where the value is almost entirely dependent on n8n.

:white_check_mark: What IS Allowed (Compliant with the License)

  • Internal Business Use: Using self-hosted n8n to automate your own company’s internal processes.

  • Consulting/Agency Services: You can use n8n to build, run, and maintain workflows for clients, provided the client does not have direct access to the n8n interface.

  • Delivering Outcomes: You can sell the results of a workflow (e.g., a report, a database entry, a message sent via WhatsApp) rather than the tool itself.

  • Installing on Client Infrastructure: You can build a workflow and install it on a client’s own server (VPS).

Key Summary

The license restricts reselling the platform itself, not the services you provide using the platform. To use n8n for SaaS reselling or white-labeling, a paid Enterprise/Commercial license is required.

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