Update n8n on Hostinger?

You can update n8n on Hostinger by pulling the latest Docker image and restarting the n8n container. This guide shows how to update n8n on Hostinger using Docker on a Hostinger VPS. Follow the backup, pull, and restart steps below for a safe upgrade.

What You Need

A Hostinger VPS with SSH access.
Docker and docker-compose installed.
Your n8n project folder or docker-compose.yml.
Basic knowledge of the terminal.

Step-by-step: Update n8n on Hostinger with Docker

1. SSH to your VPS

Open a terminal and connect to the server.

ssh root@YOUR_SERVER_IP

2. Go to your n8n directory

Change to the folder that holds your docker-compose.yml.

cd ~/n8n

3. Backup your n8n data

Back up depending on your storage setup. If you mount .n8n to a host folder:

tar czf n8n_backup_$(date +%F).tar.gz ./.n8n

If you use a Docker volume named n8n_data:

docker run --rm -v n8n_data:/data -v $(pwd):/backup alpine sh -c "cd /data && tar czf /backup/n8n_data_$(date +%F).tar.gz ."

If you use Postgres for n8n, dump the database:

docker exec -t postgres_container pg_dumpall -c -U postgres > psql_backup_$(date +%F).sql

4. Pull the latest image

Fetch the newest n8n image using docker-compose.

docker-compose pull n8n
# or with modern Compose
# docker compose pull n8n

5. Restart with the new image

Recreate the container with the updated image.

docker-compose up -d --force-recreate --remove-orphans
# or
# docker compose up -d --force-recreate --remove-orphans

6. Check logs and confirm

Watch logs to confirm startup and migrations.

docker-compose logs -f n8n

Update

After the restart, confirm the n8n version in the UI footer or logs. If workflows break, restore the backup files or restore the database dump. Keep a changelog of version updates for troubleshooting.

Security

Limit exposure and secure access. Use HTTPS and a reverse proxy. Enable basic auth or OAuth if available. Use a firewall to restrict ports. Rotate credentials after major upgrades.

Example firewall commands (Ubuntu with UFW):

ufw allow OpenSSH
ufw allow 5678/tcp
ufw enable

Use environment variables for credentials and avoid committing secrets to the repo.

Done

Your n8n instance should now run the latest image on your Hostinger VPS. If you see errors, restore your backup and check the logs. Repeat these steps when new releases appear.

Written by Neil

Neil is a true n8n geek who lives and breathes workflow automation. He dives deep into nodes, triggers, webhooks, custom logic, and self-hosting setups, sharing everything he learns about n8n on AutomationCompare.com. As part of a broader team of automation specialists, Neil focuses purely on mastering n8n and helping others unlock its full potential.