Could someone please explain what is the common practice regarding payments from clients who purchase a workflow for their business (like for monthly maintenance)?
For example, if the workflow is hosted in my n8n account, should I ask the client for their credentials (OpenAI, Google Calendar etc), or should I purchase them by myself and then include the cost in invoice? And what about hosting - better, if everything goes from my account, or client host it on his system? What’s the best practice?
Also, what is the general pricing practice for monthly maintenance of workflows — for simple and complex setups (from-to range)?
What are the payment or licensing for n8n, if I host workflows for multiple clients in my n8n account - what and how much I need to pay, or do clients typically cover such expenses? What’s the common practice?
How should client data protection and privacy be handled, especially when workflows are processing their sensitive business data? Do I need to sign any contract with n8n, or between me and client? What is the common practice?
And finally - I’m planning to build a website, where clients based on their needs, can choose ready-made workflows. Has anyone already created something like that? Or maybe somebody has similar already public available workflow’s maintenance “sell’s project”?
I’m sorry for so many questions. They all are more or less related, and they are important to understand, how to start and what it the best practive so far. Thank you very much in advance
Hello @Privatcar_R,
the questions you ask can have a variety of answers also depends on how you manage projects with your customers.
However, I can tell you my thoughts on this.
to answer this question you should evaluate many things:
the customer’s security levels: for example, if n8n has to be installed self-hosted to have everything under control, obviously everything must pass through them. For safety and maintenance reasons it would be best, so you don’t have to deal with it yourself.
The credentials for OpenAI, Calendar etc. I recommend that you always pass them through their accounts, also here for a matter of security and responsibility of the services. The 360° management of everything certainly places you as a fundamental figure of the processes but, for a matter of transparency and ownership, all services should be the customer’s.
I can’t answer you about this, the fees are up to you. I would never allow myself to suggest your tariff.
Ask a question more about method than anything else.
I suggest you separate things better, every customer should have their n8n account which they have the freedom to access to see also what flows are installed. It is a matter of morality and ethics, the data flows are those of the customer; they should not be on your account.
If there are multiple workflows of multiple customers on the same account, this could really be a problem from a security point of view and increase the risks of human error.
Keep things separate: each customer has their own account with their workflow consumption and receipts. In my opinion, it’s always the best thing.
Obviously, then you have to evaluate whether the cost of the platform is borne by the customer or you pay for it. But you can very well control things on various accounts efficiently.
n8n is a technology, it cannot be responsible for the use that is made of it. Sign an NDA with your customer.
I only know the workflows available on n8n where you can filter the workflows according to your needs and install those that are already available free or pay for them.
Imo, be careful to build sites or businesses on this format because there are already browser extensions that build workflows for you through AI models.
What is really of value is not the flow, it is all the cultural change that automation flows through AI agents bring with them. But that’s my opinion.
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Thank you very much, Gallo, for sharing your experience and suggestions – it was very valuable. I completely agree with you that every client should have their own account. From my opinion, even for small projects. In such case, the responsibility for data protection is no longer on the AI agent developer. If the client wishes, he can always come to me and ask to sign an NDA.
Very interesting insights – thank you again. I hadn’t heard about browser-based workflow extensions before. So that’s something to consider and understand, what is the better way, how to present and sell this kind of service to clients.
The n8n AI agent on platform is just incredibly powerful. And the fact that it works in a non-English language is truly impressive. Thanks to everyone who developed it.
