My client was paying:
- Mailchimp: €299/month
- HubSpot: €890/month
- Zapier: €199/month
- Buffer: €120/month
- Hotjar: €79/month
- Various one-off tools: ~€400/month
Total: ~€1,987/month for marketing automation.
I replaced ALL of it with self-hosted n8n + a few free APIs. Total cost: €5/month for the VPS.
The Migration
Email Marketing (Mailchimp → n8n + Resend)
Resend gives you 3,000 free emails/month. Combined with n8n workflows for segmentation, drip sequences, and A/B testing, you get 90% of Mailchimp's functionality.
CRM (HubSpot → n8n + PostgreSQL)
A simple PostgreSQL database with n8n workflows for lead scoring, pipeline management, and automated follow-ups. Built custom dashboards with Next.js.
Automation (Zapier → n8n)
This one's obvious. n8n is self-hosted Zapier with more power and zero per-task costs.
Social Media (Buffer → n8n + API)
Direct API posting to Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram. Scheduled via n8n cron triggers.
Analytics (Hotjar → n8n + Plausible)
Plausible for privacy-friendly analytics (€9/month or self-hosted free). n8n for custom event tracking and alerting.
Results After 3 Months
- Cost reduction: €1,987 → €5/month (99.7% savings)
- Email deliverability: Actually improved (dedicated IP)
- Automation speed: Faster (no Zapier rate limits)
- Data ownership: 100% self-hosted, GDPR-compliant by default
- Customization: Unlimited (it's code, not a drag-and-drop tool)
The Catch
You need someone technical to set it up. That's where I come in.
Get the Workflows
I've packaged the exact workflows from this migration:
📦 n8n Workflow Templates Pack — All 10 core workflows, free to download
🚀 AI Automation Starter Kit (€29) — Workflows + setup guides + configuration templates
For EU businesses specifically, grab the GDPR Audit Checklist (€19) to make sure your new stack is compliant from day one.
Questions about the migration? Drop them in the comments. I'll answer everything.
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