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Self-Hosted vs Cloud Automation: Cost, Privacy, and Scaling in 2025
A clear comparison between self-hosted and cloud automation platforms so you can choose the right stack for your workflows.
Jan 10, 20258 min readUpdated Jan 10, 2025
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TL;DR
- Self-hosting wins on cost and control once you pass 5k executions.
- Cloud automation wins on convenience if you want zero infrastructure work.
- Most teams start cloud, then migrate when workflows scale.
When cloud still makes sense
If you are validating workflows and want a guided setup, cloud platforms keep things simple.
You trade control for speed, which is fine when automations are lightweight and internal.
- Fast onboarding with minimal configuration
- No server maintenance or security patches
- Great for small teams and early pilots
Why self-hosting wins long term
Once automation volume grows, self-hosted infrastructure is cheaper and more flexible.
You keep full access to data, logs, and integrations without limits.
- Predictable VPS costs with higher limits
- Custom domains, SSL, and private networking
- Full data ownership for compliance
Migration checklist
- Export your workflows and credentials.
- Stand up a VPS with Docker.
- Re-import workflows and validate triggers.
- Swap webhooks to the new domain and monitor.
Decision framework
Use cloud automation when you value speed and simplicity more than control.
Use self-hosting when you need scale, compliance, or deep customization.
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