Hey everyone! I’ve been working with n8n for automating workflows and I’m getting frustrated with Google’s services. Setting up Gmail, Google Docs, and Google Sheets nodes requires creating new Google Cloud projects every time for OAuth stuff like client credentials. It’s really annoying.
I want to find completely free alternatives that don’t have any paid plans or premium features. Just pure open source tools that work well with n8n.
For email replacement, I need something self-hosted that supports IMAP and SMTP since n8n has built-in nodes for those protocols. For document editing like Google Docs, maybe something like Nextcloud or similar that lets you create and share files without depending on cloud services. For spreadsheet functionality, I’m thinking about tools like Baserow or other database solutions that can handle structured data.
I’ve heard good things about Nextcloud because it has its own n8n node and covers file management plus email. Baserow also looks promising as an Airtable clone with n8n integration. For email servers, Mail-in-a-Box seems like a solid self-hosted option.
What free tools have you actually used with n8n? Preferably something you can host yourself without any surprise costs down the road.
Been running a completely self-hosted stack for three years after ditching Google. My setup’s a bit different though. For email I use iRedMail on Debian - takes about an hour to set up but handles spam filtering and webmail automatically. The n8n IMAP triggers work perfectly and I’ve never had delivery problems if you follow their docs. For documents, CryptPad beats NextCloud for collaborative editing and has webhook support that plays nice with n8n. I actually just use LibreOffice Calc files on the filesystem and let n8n manipulate them directly. Sounds basic but it’s rock solid. The real winner is Outline for my knowledge base - has proper API endpoints so n8n can automatically create docs from workflow data. Total cost is just VPS hosting - around $15/month for a decent 4GB server. No hidden fees or premium upgrades. Initial setup took a weekend but it’s been maintenance-free since.
I’ve run a similar setup for two years - here’s what actually works. For email, I use Mailu instead of Mail-in-a-Box. It’s containerized, easier to maintain, and connects to n8n perfectly through standard IMAP/SMTP. Skip Nextcloud for document management. I tested it extensively and the performance sucked on my mid-range VPS, plus the API integration felt half-baked. I use OnlyOffice Document Server with simple file storage instead - way better for automated document generation through n8n. For spreadsheets, forget the fancy replacements. A proper PostgreSQL database with n8n’s database nodes crushes everything. Baserow looks nice but you’ll hit walls fast with complex workflows. I store structured data in Postgres and use Grafana for visualization. Much more reliable than automating spreadsheet operations. Warning: self-hosting email is a deliverability nightmare. Get your SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records right or your automated emails will land in spam.
I get the frustration with Google’s OAuth - been there with multiple client projects.
Here’s my actual production setup:
For email: I run Postfix/Dovecot on a VPS. 30 minutes to configure, works perfectly with n8n’s IMAP/SMTP nodes. No OAuth headaches.
For documents/spreadsheets: Tried Nextcloud but it’s clunky for automation. Baserow’s solid but limited vs a proper database.
Game changer for me was switching to Latenode instead of n8n. Connects directly to way more services without the OAuth mess. Plus native database operations built in - no separate spreadsheet tools needed.
My workflows pull data from self-hosted email, process through PostgreSQL, and auto-generate reports. Everything runs on my infrastructure with zero external dependencies.
Best part: Latenode handles connection complexity behind the scenes. No fighting API credentials or rate limits.
Keep your self-hosted approach but kill most integration pain. Check it out: https://latenode.com
Honestly, go with paperless-ngx for documents and NocoDB instead of Baserow. NocoDB’s API is way more reliable and won’t break on complex queries like Baserow does. For email, just use Docker Mailserver - it’s simpler than the other options here and you won’t have to mess with Debian configs.
I ditched this setup 8 months ago. Self-hosted solutions look amazing until you’re spending weekends fixing broken email delivery or figuring out why Nextcloud died again.
Tried Mailu + PostgreSQL + n8n. Works, but you’re constantly building custom integrations. Want to add a new service? Good luck writing API calls and handling auth from scratch.
Switched to Latenode instead of n8n and it fixed everything. Connects to tons of services without that OAuth mess you mentioned. Has database operations built-in too, so no need for separate spreadsheet tools.
Kept my email server but let Latenode handle the messy integrations. No more wrestling with Google Cloud console or writing webhooks for every tiny feature.
Automation’s way better now. Pull from any email provider, run data through multiple services, push results anywhere. All without babysitting a dozen self-hosted apps.
You’ll save weeks of setup and dodge the maintenance nightmare. Check it out: https://latenode.com
Been running this setup since 2019 - learned some painful lessons along the way. Mail-in-a-Box crushes the other options mentioned here. It handles DKIM/SPF automatically, which saved me from deliverability nightmare. Clean web interface and n8n connects fine through standard protocols. Skip the heavy document solutions. I use Etherpad for collaborative editing with n8n webhooks, plus Pandoc for format conversions. Way lighter than Nextcloud and faster for automation. Here’s the kicker - I ditched Baserow for plain SQLite databases with n8n’s database nodes. Sounds basic but it’s lightning fast and never breaks. Millions of records, zero database server overhead. Whole thing runs on a $12/month 2GB VPS. Start simple, add complexity only when you need it. Most people over-engineer this and end up babysitting solutions they barely use.