How to Install n8n on a VPS Easily and Smoothly: Manual Setup or Coolify Installation

n8n (pronounced “n-eight-n”) is a powerful workflow automation tool that lets you connect apps and automate tasks visually. Hosting it yourself gives you full control over your data, scalability, and integrations.

In this guide, I’ll cover two ways to install n8n on a VPS:

• A manual setup for developers who prefer granular control

• A Coolify-based deployment for a modern, self-hosted platform-as-a-service (PaaS)

• Plus: how to configure a custom domain with HTTPS for both methods

You can watch my video tutorial on YouTube.

Option 1: Manual Installation of n8n on Contabo VPS

This approach is ideal if you want full control over your infrastructure.

Prerequisites

• Ubuntu or Debian-based server. I’ll be using Contabo VPS.

• Root or sudo access

• A domain name (e.g., n8n.yourdomain.com)

• Node.js v18 and npm

Step 1: Buy a VPS and a Domain

I’ll be using Contabo VPS and Namecheap domain.

If you don’t know how to setup Contabo VPS, check out this tutorial.

Step 2: Connect to Your Server

Use a free SSH client to connect to your server. I’ll be using Bitvise.

Step 3: Update Your Server

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

Step 4: Install Node.js and npm

curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_22.x | sudo bash -
sudo apt install -y nodejs

Step 5: Install n8n Globally

sudo npm install -g n8n

Step 6: Create a Dedicated User (Optional)

sudo adduser --disabled-password --gecos "" n8n
sudo su - n8n

Step 7: Run n8n Locally

n8n

Step 8: Use PM2 for Process Management

npm install -g pm2
pm2 start n8n
pm2 save
pm2 startup

Step 9: Set Environment Variables

You can set these in .bashrc or an .env file.

export N8N_BASIC_AUTH_ACTIVE=true
export N8N_BASIC_AUTH_USER=yourusername
export N8N_BASIC_AUTH_PASSWORD=yourpassword
export N8N_HOST=n8n.yourdomain.com
export N8N_PORT=5678
export WEBHOOK_URL=https://n8n.yourdomain.com/

Reload your shell:

source ~/.bashrc

Step 10: Point Your Domain to the Server

In your DNS provider’s dashboard (e.g., Namecheap, Cloudflare):

• Create an A record:
• Host: n8n
• Points to: Your server’s IP
• TTL: Automatic or 30 minutes

Step 11: Configure Nginx Reverse Proxy + HTTPS

sudo apt install nginx certbot python3-certbot-nginx -y

Install Nginx and Certbot:

sudo apt install nginx certbot python3-certbot-nginx -y

Create Nginx config file:

sudo nano /etc/nginx/sites-available/n8n

Paste in:

server {
listen 80;
server_name n8n.yourdomain.com;

location / {
proxy_pass http://localhost:5678;
proxy_set_header Host $host;
proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;
proxy_set_header Upgrade $http_upgrade;
proxy_set_header Connection 'upgrade';
proxy_http_version 1.1;
}
}

Enable and test:

sudo ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/n8n /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/
sudo nginx -t
sudo systemctl reload nginx

Set up HTTPS:

sudo certbot --nginx -d n8n.yourdomain.com

That’s it! Now your n8n is available at https://n8n.yourdomain.com.

Option 2: Deploying n8n with Coolify

What is Coolify?

Coolify is an open-source PaaS that makes it easy to self-host apps with Docker under the hood—but you don’t have to touch Docker directly.

What You’ll Love About Coolify

• Visual dashboard

• Built-in HTTPS

• Automatic reverse proxy

• No YAML or Docker commands needed

• 1-click app templates

Step 1: Set Up Your VPS and Install Docker

You can still use Contabo with this setup.

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

Step 2: Install Coolify

Run the Coolify setup script:

curl -fsSL https://cdn.coollabs.io/coolify/install.sh | bash

Visit http://your-server-ip:8000 to set up your admin account.

Step 3: Access Coolify Dashboard

Open http://your-server-ip:8000 in your browser.

Create an admin account when prompted.

You can also follow this guide for installing Coolify step-by-step, including accessing it with a domain.

Step 4: Add Your Domain

In your domain registrar:

• Create an A record:
• Host: n8n
• Points to: Your server’s IP
• TTL: Automatic or 30 minutes

If using Cloudflare, make sure proxy is off (DNS only) during setup.

Step 5: Deploy n8n

In this part, we will install n8n.

Then search for n8n.

Go to Configuration > General.

Under Services, click Settings.

Add your domain and click Deploy. If you have a lot of services running on Coolify, you can add a Name for you n8n.

Now your n8n is running.

Visit your domain to access your newly installed n8n.

Manual vs. Coolify Quick Install

Final Thoughts

Both installation paths lead to the same powerful n8n experience, but your choice depends on how hands-on you want to be:

• Choose manual setup if you want full control and don’t mind managing processes and Nginx.

• Choose Coolify Quick Install if you want speed, simplicity, and a modern web dashboard with SSL baked in.