Is My PC Good Enough for Running n8n?

[Wiliam_SEONG]

Hey everyone,

I’m thinking about running n8n on my PC and wanted to check if my specs are good enough. Here’s what I’m working with:

• CPU: Intel Core i5-1135G7
• RAM: 16GB
• Storage: 512GB SSD
• GPU: Intel Iris Xe Graphics

I plan to self-host n8n, maybe using Docker. Will this setup work smoothly, or should I expect performance issues? I won’t be doing anything too crazy, just some automation workflows and AI-related tasks.

Any advice would be super helpful! Thanks!

[n8n]

It looks like your topic is missing some important information. Could you provide the following if applicable.

• n8n version:
• Database (default: SQLite):
• n8n EXECUTIONS_PROCESS setting (default: own, main):
• Running n8n via (Docker, npm, n8n cloud, desktop app):
• Operating system:

[Daniel_Lamphere]

Yes that will suffice for an n8n install. You could easily get away with running it in a docker on that system.

[Yo_its_prakash]

At my initial stage i ran the n8ninstange in a literal 2GB 2vCPU instance, and AWS lightsail provides free 80 days of those VMS thats what n8n is required to run 8-15 active workflow - belive me they where not THAT Much laggy, Your system can carry a whole lot of workflows. just keep things in seprate docker container.

If my solution helped solve your query, please consider marking it as the answer! A like would make my day if you found it useful!

[solomon]

Hey @Wiliam_SEONG,

A more correct reply would be: it depends
From what you’ve said, your setup would be enough.

But you can also self-host using VPS with Free Tier.

Here are some scenarios:

Level 1 – Low Traffic Production

Ideal For: Small teams or low-frequency workflows.

• Specs:
  CPU: 2 vCPUs
  Memory: 4–8 GB RAM
  Storage: 20–40 GB SSD

Provides enough headroom for moderate concurrent workflow executions without overspending.

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Level 2 – Moderate Traffic Production

This is my current setup for managing small-to-medium marketing automations.

Ideal For: Growing operations with several concurrent workflows.

• Specs:
  CPU: 4 vCPUs
  Memory: 8–16 GB RAM
  Storage: 40–80 GB SSD (preferably with faster I/O)

More robust resources to handle increased demand and prevent slowdowns during peaks.

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Level 3 – High Traffic/Enterprise Production

Ideal For: High-volume, complex workflows with many concurrent executions.

• Specs:
  CPU: 8+ vCPUs
  Memory: 16+ GB RAM
  Storage: 80+ GB SSD, with provisions for scaling storage as needed

This level ensures high reliability, performance, and the ability to handle scaling challenges.

If my reply answers your question, please remember to mark it as a solution.

[Ventsislav_Minev]

Hey @Wiliam_SEONG !

I run my n8n on an old laptop with similar specs to yours and it handles personal automation and light AI tasks perfectly. I use Docker, limiting it to 4GB RAM, and it’s been smooth sailing.

You can check the official n8n documentation on minimal requirements here: Prerequisites | n8n Docs

Additional tips for self-hosting:

1. For scheduled automations, ensure your PC doesn’t sleep or shut down.
2. Back up your data to prevent loss due to machine/disk failure. I use the free version of Duplicati to back up to Google Drive. So far, I haven’t needed to restore, but it’s good to be prepared.
3. You might encounter issues using the n8n UI over HTTP. Setting up an HTTPS certificate is recommended. I used Caddy as a reverse proxy, but self-signed certificates are also an option: Configure n8n to use your own certificate authority | n8n Docs