guide · #productivity · 15 min

Set Up n8n: Free Workflow Automation

Cech Tech Reviews

n8n is a free, self-hosted alternative to Zapier. Connect any app to any other app with visual workflows. Unlimited automations, no monthly fees.

1. 1

   Run n8n in Docker

   docker run -d \
     --name n8n \
     --restart unless-stopped \
     -p 5678:5678 \
     -v ~/n8n:/home/node/.n8n \
     -e TZ=America/Chicago  # Change to your timezone (e.g., America/New_York, Europe/London, Asia/Tokyo) \
     n8nio/n8n:latest

2. 2

   Access the editor

   Open /:5678. Create your admin account. You are dropped into the visual workflow editor.

3. 3

   Build your first workflow

   Click + to add nodes. Example: Schedule Trigger (runs every morning) > HTTP Request (fetch RSS feed) > Send Email (Gmail). Connect the nodes by dragging between them.

4. 4

   Connect your services

   n8n has 400+ built-in integrations: Gmail, Slack, Google Sheets, Notion, Discord, Stripe, GitHub, and more. Each one uses OAuth or API keys for authentication.

5. 5

   Add AI to your workflows

   The OpenAI and Anthropic nodes let you process data through AI mid-workflow. Example: Fetch customer feedback > Send to Claude for sentiment analysis > Post summary to Slack.