← All guides · Updated 2026-09-26

A self-hosted Zapier alternative: run your automations on your own server

Why teams move automations to their own server, what to look for, and how to run W flow on your own machine with your own database and encryption key.

Cloud automation tools are convenient — until your customer data, API keys and every run log sit on someone else's servers, and your bill grows with every task. A self-hosted workflow tool runs on a machine you control. Here is what that means and how to do it with W flow.

Why self-host your automations?

• Data stays with you. Payloads, run logs and credentials never leave your server — important for personal data under the GDPR.
• Predictable cost. No per-task pricing; a small server handles thousands of runs a day.
• Reach internal systems. Databases, intranet APIs and files on your network, without opening them to the internet.
• No lock-in. Workflows are plain JSON you can export, version and move.

What to look for

• A visual editor your team can actually use, not just a config file.
• Encrypted credential storage and per-user separation.
• Webhooks, schedules and feed triggers that run without the editor open.
• Clear run logs and error messages — you are the support team now.
• Backups and an easy update path.

Option 1 — Start in the cloud, move later

You do not have to decide on day one. Create a free account at w-flow.tech, build and test your workflows in the hosted workspace, and move them to your own server when you are ready: Workflow settings → Export JSON, then import on the new install. Credentials are never exported, so you re-enter each key once on your server, where it is encrypted with your own key.

Option 2 — Run W flow on your own machine

With a Pro account, the welcome page offers a one-file installer for Windows, macOS and Linux:

1. Log in, open the welcome page and choose Self-hosted version.
2. Download the installer for your operating system and run it on the machine that should host W flow.
3. Answer the setup questions — where the copy lives and where workflows and credentials are stored.
4. Open the local address it shows. You now have your own W flow with its own database (SQLite by default, PostgreSQL optional) and its own encryption key.

For a server that runs around the clock, a small VPS with Docker works well; W flow ships a Dockerfile and a Caddy setup for automatic HTTPS.

Running it well

• Back up the data folder — it holds the database and the encryption key. Without the key, stored credentials cannot be read.
• Put it behind HTTPS before exposing webhooks to the internet.
• Keep the admin panel reachable only from your own network.