DIY Workflow Automation: Trading Zapier for Self-Hosted n8n on a Budget VPS

This case study proves that workflow automation—typically locked behind Zapier's subscription model—can run reliably on cheap cloud infrastructure when self-hosted. The author's success managing four production workflows for ~$60/year (vs. $360-600 annually for Zapier) demonstrates the growing viability of self-hosting as developers gain better tools and infrastructure becomes commoditized. The hidden value isn't just cost savings—it's the operational flexibility and freedom from vendor lock-in that comes with owning your own stack.