Hello everyone! I’m eager to get insights from this community.
I’ve been exploring several no-code and low-code databases for my n8n workflows, and I’m interested in what you all might be using. Here are a few I’ve tested out:
- NocoDB - a solid self-hosted solution that has worked well for me so far
- Airtable - user-friendly interface but might not be great with API limits in the free plan
- Google Sheets - very accessible but can become unwieldy with a lot of data
- CockroachDB - a strong SQL database, though it may be a bit much for smaller tasks
Each has its advantages and disadvantages regarding integration with n8n. Some databases work better for API connections and speed than others.
What is your current choice of database when using n8n? I’m really curious to learn about your experiences and reasons for your selection.
Additionally, if you’ve encountered any difficulties with specific databases in n8n, sharing your experiences could be invaluable!
Thanks for any tips!
I’ve been running n8n workflows for two years and Supabase is hands down my favorite database. It’s got the perfect mix of power and simplicity - built-in auth, real-time subscriptions, and it’s built on PostgreSQL so it handles pretty much any automation I throw at it. The REST API works great with n8n, and the free tier actually works for production (unlike Airtable). I tried NocoDB first but spent way too much time on maintenance instead of building workflows. Supabase just handles all the infrastructure headaches while still giving you real database features when you need them.
I’ve used Firebase Firestore for n8n workflows for the past year and it’s been my go-to. The real-time database is perfect when you need instant updates across your automation chains. What sold me was how simple the HTTP requests are - no complex auth setup like other solutions. The document structure makes it easy to store different data formats from various APIs without worrying about schemas. Performance’s been rock solid even with thousands of workflow runs monthly. Only downside is the learning curve if you’re used to SQL databases, but once you get NoSQL queries it clicks.
Been using Xano with n8n for almost three years - it’s my go-to now.
What makes Xano different is you get a real backend: database, APIs, and business logic bundled together. You can handle validation, transformations, and complex queries in Xano before n8n even sees the data.
I ditched Airtable after constantly hitting API limits. With Xano, I run thousands of calls without sweating rate limits or costs going crazy.
The visual query builder handles complex joins and filters well. Need custom endpoints? Just build them in their function stack instead of coding a separate backend.
It’s not free like some options, but for production stuff the reliability is worth it. Never had downtime kill my automations.