How n8n Saves Me $979 per Month

In 2022, I implemented a new property management system (PMS) and a new accounting platform within a few weeks of each other. Setting aside how ridiculous and exhausting that process was, I needed a way to connect them. Both had open APIs, which allowed me to eliminate the human element, but I didn’t want a custom, purpose-built connector.

A custom solution to connect these systems would be too costly, fragile, and fixed. I needed something that would be relatively affordable and adaptable. So, I sorted through various middleware platforms and settled on one that could do everything for $999 per month. It was terrific and everything I thought it would be.

Less than three years later, I started exploring n8n.

The system I built before discovering n8n would pull transactions from the PMS, transform and enrich the data to fit the accounting system, and post a revenue entry daily. After n8n, we can do all those things and more.

In addition to the standard extract-transform-load (ETL) process, I can integrate an intelligent analyst via an AI node to spot issues in the data and flag them. It can produce reports based on exceptions to bounded rules rather than just spitting out reams of data that will get missed. Best of all, it doesn’t take a highly technical teammate to build and monitor the workflows.

This is the evolution of business process software. n8n operates in a freemium model that will continue to improve as the project forks and competitive or complementary tools put pressure on the entire middleware space.

I found the best way to start with time and money constraints is to start with a virtual private server (VPS). I use Hostinger, which I love for its one-click installation workflow – for n8n and a bunch of other applications. The most basic (KVM1) is sufficient to get started, and at about $5/mo, it provides a tremendous bang for your buck.

I’ll share other enhancements in future posts about how I’m using this setup to integrate, automate, and add intelligence wherever I can.

What would you build first with a workflow automation platform?