If you want to use n8n community nodes, the version of n8n you run matters more than the plan you pay for. The free self-hosted Community edition can install any community node from npm, while n8n Cloud only offers community nodes that n8n has verified. (New to community nodes? Read What Are n8n Community Nodes? first.) This page compares the editions from that angle, using the official n8n documentation on plans and editions and community node installation.
Community nodes by edition
| Community edition (free, self-hosted) | Business / Enterprise (self-hosted) | n8n Cloud | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verified community nodes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Any community node from npm | Yes | Yes | No |
| Install from Settings > Community Nodes | Yes | Yes | No (nodes panel only) |
| Install with npm on the command line | Yes | Yes | No |
| Pull packages from a private npm registry | No, license required | License required, see n8n pricing | No |
| Who installs | Owner and admins | Owner and admins | Owner and admins |
The private registry row comes from the N8N_COMMUNITY_PACKAGES_REGISTRY setting, which n8n documents as “license required”. Everything else on the self-hosted side works on the free edition.
What the free Community edition is
n8n’s docs describe every self-hosted installation as the same underlying product. The Community edition is what n8n runs without a license key, and it includes almost the complete feature set. You can keep using it indefinitely.
The features it leaves out are team and enterprise features: custom variables, environments, external secrets, external storage for binary data, log streaming, multi-main mode, projects, SSO (SAML and LDAP), sharing of workflows and credentials, and version control with Git. Community nodes are not on that list. Queue mode is included, and n8n’s docs recommend installing community nodes from the command line when an instance runs in queue mode.
Registered Community edition
Registering the Community edition with an email address is free and gives you a license key that unlocks folders, debug in editor (copy and pin execution data) and custom execution data. It does not change anything about community nodes. To register an existing instance: open the three dots menu in the lower-left corner, go to Settings > Usage and plan, select Unlock, enter your email and select Send me a free license key.
n8n Cloud and community nodes
n8n Cloud is hosted by n8n, so you can’t install packages from npm yourself. You can install verified community nodes: search in the nodes panel, find the node under More from the community, and select Install. Unverified community nodes are not available on n8n Cloud; for those you need to self-host.
The Cloud console has two related switches under Instance settings: Verified community nodes turns the feature on or off, and Disable all community nodes stops installed community nodes from loading if the instance crashes and won’t start.
Verified nodes are a smaller set. To be verified, a package has to follow n8n’s verification guidelines, for example no run-time dependencies, one service per package and no access to environment variables or files. Read Verified vs Unverified n8n Community Nodes for the full comparison.
Which one should you run for community nodes?
- You need a node that isn’t verified: self-host. The free Community edition is enough.
- Every node you need is verified and you don’t want to manage a server: n8n Cloud works.
- You publish your own private nodes to a private npm registry: self-hosted with a license, or install them manually from the command line.
- You need SSO, projects, sharing or Git version control as well: that is a Business or Enterprise plan question, not a community node one. Check n8n’s pricing page, which n8n names as the source of truth for features per plan.
Installing community nodes on the Community edition
On a self-hosted instance an owner or admin goes to Settings > Community Nodes, selects Install, enters the npm package name and confirms the risk notice. With Docker, keep the n8n data folder on a volume (-v n8n_data:/home/node/.n8n) so installed nodes survive container updates. Our guide How to Install n8n Community Nodes covers every method, upgrades and troubleshooting.
Community nodes run with full access to the server and to your workflow data, so the free edition puts the choice of what to trust on you. On this site each node page shows weekly downloads, release history and links to npm and GitHub to help with that choice. Browse by service: WhatsApp, Telegram, MCP, OpenAI, Claude and Evolution API.
FAQ
Is the n8n Community edition free?
Yes. It is the self-hosted edition n8n runs without a license key, and you can use it indefinitely.
Can I use community nodes on the free Community edition?
Yes, both verified nodes and any community package from npm. Community nodes are not among the features the Community edition leaves out.
Does n8n Cloud support community nodes?
Only verified community nodes, installed from the nodes panel.
Do I need to register the Community edition to install community nodes?
No. Registering unlocks folders, debug in editor and custom execution data.
What can’t the Community edition do?
Per n8n’s docs: custom variables, environments, external secrets, external binary data storage, log streaming, multi-main mode, projects, SSO, sharing workflows and credentials, and Git version control.