# Offtopic: N8N changed the licence **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Created:** [March 24, 2022, 1:04pm UTC](https://forum.mautic.org/t/offtopic-n8n-changed-the-licence/23267 "2022-03-24T13:04:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![joeyk](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.mautic.org/joeyk/32/11164_2.png) [@joeyk](https://forum.mautic.org/u/joeyk)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2022, 1:05pm UTC](https://forum.mautic.org/t/offtopic-n8n-changed-the-licence/23267/1 "2022-03-24T13:05:00Z")
As of March 17th [n8n.io](http://n8n.io) changed it’s licencing agreement. You are only able to use n8n inhouse for your own good OR hosted by a client (on their own server) OR use n8n cloud and charge for consultancy fee You can’t even host it if you are not asking money for it. You can’t even connect a customer node to your own if there is a commercial relationship. Comments? ---
**Author:** ![mzagmajster](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.mautic.org/mzagmajster/32/687_2.png) [@mzagmajster](https://forum.mautic.org/u/mzagmajster)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2022, 3:13pm UTC](https://forum.mautic.org/t/offtopic-n8n-changed-the-licence/23267/2 "2022-03-24T15:13:09Z")
Have not used the platform myself (just read the license file on GH), but a couple of things come to mind: - write polite message to the company explaining the situation you are in because of changed license agreement and ask for advice - you ask a client to buy the server in their name and you put the n8n platform on the server (since its on client´s server - one can say its in house from client´s perspective) Anyway, just my humble opinion but I could be totally off here 🙂 . ---
**Author:** ![joeyk](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.mautic.org/joeyk/32/11164_2.png) [@joeyk](https://forum.mautic.org/u/joeyk)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2022, 3:31pm UTC](https://forum.mautic.org/t/offtopic-n8n-changed-the-licence/23267/3 "2022-03-24T15:31:14Z")
Yeah, I was thinking of the same. We are not hosting n8n, but I know, that many Mautic users are. Just giving heads up - they have to change the business modell. ---
**Author:** ![silavapi](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.mautic.org/silavapi/32/7424_2.png) [@silavapi](https://forum.mautic.org/u/silavapi)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2022, 3:33pm UTC](https://forum.mautic.org/t/offtopic-n8n-changed-the-licence/23267/4 "2022-03-24T15:33:54Z")
Thanks for flagging this up @joeyk I know a lot of folks in the community use it. Interesting that they went from Apache 2 with commons to their own license. I found this blog post to be a bit clearer in explaining what it all means: > **[Announcing the new Sustainable Use License](https://n8n.io/blog/announcing-new-sustainable-use-license/)** > > We changed our license from Apache 2.0 with Commons Clause to the new Sustainable Use License. Here’s why we did this and what it means for you, our users. Also these FAQs: > **[FAQ | n8n Docs](https://docs.n8n.io/reference/faq.html#license)** > > n8n is an extendable workflow automation tool that enables you to connect anything to everything via its open, fair-code model. The way it reads, you can distribute it free of charge to clients or have them commission n8n on their infrastructure (as was suggested above), and then charge consultancy fees to set it up and maintain/manage it, but you can’t charge them for example £x per month to have access to n8n. So, service agreement to support and maintain it sounds like it’s feasible? ---
**Author:** ![joeyk](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.mautic.org/joeyk/32/11164_2.png) [@joeyk](https://forum.mautic.org/u/joeyk)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2022, 3:55pm UTC](https://forum.mautic.org/t/offtopic-n8n-changed-the-licence/23267/5 "2022-03-24T15:55:16Z")
Thank you for your clarification @silavapi . Basically you can’t commercially host for third party, but you can host on the client’s servers. You can’t make a saas product from it in any way (besides the workarounds mentioned above). I think VC investors needs them to ramp up the cloud subscriber numbers 😃 ---
**Author:** ![silavapi](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.mautic.org/silavapi/32/7424_2.png) [@silavapi](https://forum.mautic.org/u/silavapi)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2022, 3:57pm UTC](https://forum.mautic.org/t/offtopic-n8n-changed-the-licence/23267/6 "2022-03-24T15:57:10Z")
Yeah, it should come with the caveat that I am no legal eagle, but that’s what I extrapolated from their blog / FAQ. Interesting to see how it shakes out! ---
**Author:** ![entrepositive](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.mautic.org/entrepositive/32/9645_2.png) [@entrepositive](https://forum.mautic.org/u/entrepositive)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2022, 3:02pm UTC](https://forum.mautic.org/t/offtopic-n8n-changed-the-licence/23267/7 "2022-03-30T15:02:46Z")
Very interesting, and thanks for sharing @joeyk - always got your finger on the pulse! For clients who want the “done for me” approach, would this setup be allowed? - server set up in client’s name - n8n (and Mautic, etc) hosted there - totally managed by us If so, which payment structures would be allowed? I’m assuming pricing based on volume of n8n usage is out. ---
**Author:** ![joeyk](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.mautic.org/joeyk/32/11164_2.png) [@joeyk](https://forum.mautic.org/u/joeyk)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2022, 1:58pm UTC](https://forum.mautic.org/t/offtopic-n8n-changed-the-licence/23267/8 "2022-03-31T13:58:23Z")
You can charge for consultation, not hosting. If your consultation fee is based on number of events, then why not. ---
**Author:** ![entrepositive](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.mautic.org/entrepositive/32/9645_2.png) [@entrepositive](https://forum.mautic.org/u/entrepositive)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2022, 5:13pm UTC](https://forum.mautic.org/t/offtopic-n8n-changed-the-licence/23267/9 "2022-03-31T17:13:53Z")
Definitely a peculiar concept. It sounds more like an billing detail than actual business process… Thanks for sharing Joey.