Self Hosted n8n in Google Cloud Computing

n8n is a powerful, open-source workflow automation tool that allows you to connect various services and automate tasks with ease. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the process of setting up a self-hosted n8n instance on Google Cloud Platform’s (GCP) Free Tier, using Docker Compose for simplicity, and securing it with a Cloudflare Tunnel for SSL and domain redirection. This setup ensures you can run n8n securely without incurring costs, leveraging GCP’s always-free e2-micro instance and Cloudflare’s free tier.

Why Self-Host n8n on Google Cloud?

Self-hosting n8n gives you full control over your workflows and data, which is crucial for privacy and customization. Google Cloud’s Free Tier offers an e2-micro instance that’s perfect for lightweight applications like n8n, and Cloudflare Tunnels provide a secure way to expose your instance to the internet without opening ports on your server. This combination is cost-effective, secure, and scalable.

Prerequisites

A Google Cloud Platform account (sign up for free)
A domain managed by Cloudflare (free account)
Basic familiarity with SSH and command-line interfaces
A computer with SSH client (e.g., Terminal on macOS/Linux, PuTTY on Windows)

Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps to deploy n8n on GCP Free Tier and set up a Cloudflare Tunnel for secure access.

Step 1: Set Up Google Cloud VM Instance

Create a GCP Project
- Go to the Google Cloud Console.
- Click the project dropdown at the top, select New Project, and name it (e.g., n8n-project).
- Ensure billing is enabled (required for GCP, but we’ll stay within the free tier).
Create an e2-micro VM Instance
- Navigate to Compute Engine > VM Instances.
- Click Create Instance and configure:
  - Name: n8n-instance
  - Region: us-central1 (or any free-tier eligible region)
  - Zone: us-central1-a
  - Machine type: e2-micro (free tier eligible)
  - Boot disk: Ubuntu 22.04 LTS, 10 GB standard persistent disk
  - Firewall: Check Allow HTTP traffic and Allow HTTPS traffic
- Click Create to launch the VM.
Reserve a Static External IP
- Go to VPC Network > IP addresses.
- Click Reserve static address, name it n8n-static-ip, and select your region.
- Assign this IP to your VM under VM Instances > Edit > Network interfaces.

Step 2: Install Docker and Docker Compose

SSH into Your VM
- In the GCP Console, go to VM Instances, click SSH next to n8n-instance.

Update the System and Install Docker

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y
sudo apt install -y docker.io
sudo systemctl enable docker
sudo usermod -aG docker $USER
newgrp docker

Install Docker Compose

sudo curl -L "https://github.com/docker/compose/releases/latest/download/docker-compose-$(uname -s)-$(uname -m)" -o /usr/local/bin/docker-compose
sudo chmod +x /usr/local/bin/docker-compose
docker-compose --version

Step 3: Configure n8n with Docker Compose

Create a Docker Compose File

Create a directory and file:

mkdir ~/n8n
nano ~/n8n/docker-compose.yml

Paste the following configuration, replacing <your-external-ip> with your VM’s static IP:

version: "3"
services:
  n8n:
    image: n8nio/n8n:latest
    restart: always
    ports:
      - "5678:5678"
    environment:
      - N8N_BASIC_AUTH_ACTIVE=true
      - N8N_BASIC_AUTH_USER=admin
      - N8N_BASIC_AUTH_PASSWORD=admin@123
      - N8N_HOST=<your-external-ip>
      - N8N_PORT=5678
      - N8N_PROTOCOL=http
      - N8N_SECURE_COOKIE=false
    volumes:
      - n8n_data:/home/node/.n8n
volumes:
  n8n_data:

Save and exit (Ctrl+O, Enter, Ctrl+X).

Start n8n
```
cd ~/n8n
docker-compose up -d
```
Verify n8n is Running
- Open a browser and navigate to http://<your-external-ip>:5678.
- Log in with username admin and password admin@123.

Note: Change the default password immediately after logging in for security.

Step 4: Set Up Cloudflare Tunnel for SSL and Domain Redirect

Add Your Domain to Cloudflare
- Sign up for a free Cloudflare account at cloudflare.com.
- Go to Add Site, enter your domain (e.g., yourdomain.com), and follow the prompts.
- Update your domain’s nameservers to Cloudflare’s as instructed (this may take up to 24 hours to propagate).
Create a Cloudflare Tunnel
- In the Cloudflare dashboard, go to Zero Trust > Networks > Tunnels.
- Click Create a tunnel, name it (e.g., n8n-tunnel), and select Cloudflared.
- Follow the provided command to install cloudflared on your VM:
```
curl -L https://github.com/cloudflare/cloudflared/releases/latest/download/cloudflared-linux-amd64.deb -o cloudflared-linux-amd64.deb
sudo dpkg -i cloudflared-linux-amd64.deb
```
- Authenticate the tunnel:
```
cloudflared tunnel login
```
  - Copy the provided URL, open it in a browser, and select your domain to authorize.
- Create the tunnel:
```
cloudflared tunnel create n8n-tunnel
```
  - Note the generated Tunnel ID.

Configure the Tunnel

Create a configuration file:

mkdir ~/.cloudflared
nano ~/.cloudflared/config.yml

Paste, replacing <tunnel-id> with your Tunnel ID and <your-subdomain> with your desired subdomain (e.g., n8n.yourdomain.com):

tunnel: <tunnel-id>
credentials-file: /home/$USER/.cloudflared/<tunnel-id>.json
ingress:
  - hostname: <your-subdomain>
    service: http://localhost:5678
  - service: http_status:404

Save and exit.

Create a DNS record:

cloudflared tunnel route dns n8n-tunnel <your-subdomain>

Run the tunnel:
```
cloudflared tunnel run n8n-tunnel
```

Verify Access
- Visit https://<your-subdomain> in a browser.
- Log in to n8n using the same credentials.

Step 5: Secure and Optimize Your Setup

Update n8n Environment Variables

Edit docker-compose.yml to use your domain and HTTPS:

N8N_HOST=<your-subdomain>
N8N_PROTOCOL=https
N8N_SECURE_COOKIE=true

Restart n8n:

docker-compose down
docker-compose up -d

Enable Cloudflare Security Features
- In Cloudflare, go to SSL/TLS > Overview and set to Full.
- Enable Always Use HTTPS under SSL/TLS > Edge Certificates.
- Optionally, configure Web Application Firewall rules to restrict access.
Monitor GCP Usage
- Check Billing > Reports in GCP to ensure you’re within free tier limits (e2-micro, 30 GB disk, 1 GB egress/month).

Troubleshooting Tips

n8n not accessible: Check Docker logs (docker logs <container-id>) and ensure port 5678 is open.
Cloudflare Tunnel errors: Verify config.yml and DNS records in Cloudflare.
DNS propagation delays: Wait up to 24 hours or use a DNS checker like dnschecker.org.

Conclusion

By following this guide, you’ve set up a secure, self-hosted n8n instance on Google Cloud’s Free Tier, accessible via a custom domain with SSL through Cloudflare Tunnels. This setup is ideal for small-scale automation projects and can be scaled up if needed. Explore n8n’s nodes to automate your workflows and enhance productivity!

For more details, check the n8n Documentation or n8n Community Forum.

Have questions or run into issues? Leave a comment below or join the n8n community for support!

How to Set Up Self-Hosted n8n on Google Cloud Free Tier (2025 Guide)