# How to Deploy n8n for Free on Render

If you’ve tried running **n8n for free**, you might have faced the annoying **freezing issue**. Don’t worry this guide will show you how to deploy n8n **for free on Render**, fix the freezing problem using **CronJob**, and get your automation workflows running smoothly.

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## 📝 Step 1: Create a Free Account on Render

1. Go to [Render](http://render.com).
    
2. Sign up with your email or GitHub account.
    
3. Complete the **email verification**.
    

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## 📝 Step 2: Create a New Web Service

1. Once logged in, click on **Add New** then **Web Service**.
    
2. Choose the option to **Deploy an existing image**.
    
3. In the image field, paste this:
    

```bash
docker.n8n.io/n8nio/n8n
```

4. Click **Create**.
    

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## 📝 Step 3: Wait for Deployment

* Render will take **3–5 minutes** to set up your service.
    
* Once it’s ready, you’ll see a **deployed URL**, above the logs.
    

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## 📝 Step 4: Sign in to n8n

1. Open your **deployed n8n URL**.
    
2. Sign in with your credentials.
    
3. You’ll see a popup for the **free activation key**, select it to activate your n8n instance.
    

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## 📝 Step 5: Fix Freezing with CronJob

The free Render plan tends to **pause or freeze your n8n instance** after some idle time. To fix this, we’ll use **CronJob**.

1. Go to [CronJob](https://cron-job.org/en/).
    
2. Create a free account and log in.
    
3. Click **Add New CronJob**.
    
4. Paste your **n8n deployed URL** into the target field.
    
5. Hit **Test** → If the response is **200 OK**, you’re good to go.
    
6. Click **Save**.
    

Now CronJob will keep “pinging” your n8n service so it never freezes.

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## 📝 (Optional) Step 6: Add a Custom Domain

If you want a professional URL instead of Render’s default one:

* Go to Render settings.
    
* Add your own **custom domain**.
    

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## Conclusion

That’s it! You’ve successfully deployed **n8n for free on Render** and fixed the freezing problem using **CronJob**. Now you can start building your own powerful automation workflows without worrying about downtime.