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Local n8n with Custom Domain Using Cloudflare Tunnel (Free & Secure)

Running local n8n with custom domain is ideal for development, but real-world automations often require webhooks and client access. Instead of temporary tunnels like ngrok, you can use Cloudflare Tunnel to expose your local n8n on a professional HTTPS subdomain, e.g., n8n.yourdomain.com.

This full guide covers macOS, Windows, and Linux, including setup, configuration, and optional security measures.

Why Use Cloudflare Tunnel?

Free HTTPS subdomain with a professional URL
Stable and reliable for webhooks and integrations
No firewall or port configuration required
Subdomain automatically created and managed
Works across macOS, Windows, and Linux

Prerequisites

A domain (e.g., yourdomain.com) added to Cloudflare
n8n running locally (http://localhost:5678)
macOS, Windows, or Linux machine

Note: You do not need to manually create a subdomain; Cloudflare Tunnel will handle it.

Step 1: Install Cloudflare Tunnel (cloudflared)

macOS

brew install cloudflare/cloudflare/cloudflared

Windows

Download the Windows version from Cloudflare official site, then add cloudflared.exe to your PATH.

Linux

# Debian/Ubuntu
wget https://github.com/cloudflare/cloudflared/releases/latest/download/cloudflared-linux-amd64.deb
sudo dpkg -i cloudflared-linux-amd64.deb

# RedHat/CentOS
wget https://github.com/cloudflare/cloudflared/releases/latest/download/cloudflared-linux-amd64.rpm
sudo rpm -i cloudflared-linux-amd64.rpm

Verify installation:

cloudflared --version

Step 2: Authenticate with Cloudflare

cloudflared tunnel login

A browser window will open. Log in to Cloudflare and authorize access for your domain.

Step 3: Create a Tunnel

cloudflared tunnel create n8n-tunnel

This generates:

Tunnel ID (<TUNNEL_ID> placeholder)
Credentials JSON file stored locally

Keep your real Tunnel ID and credentials file private.

Step 4: Create and Link the Subdomain

cloudflared tunnel route dns n8n-tunnel n8n.yourdomain.com

Cloudflare will automatically create a DNS record:

n8n → <TUNNEL_ID>.cfargotunnel.com (Proxied)

Step 5: Configure the Tunnel

Create the configuration file:

~/.cloudflared/config.yml  # macOS/Linux
C:\Users\<YOUR_USERNAME>\.cloudflared\config.yml  # Windows

Example configuration:

tunnel: <TUNNEL_ID>
credentials-file: /Users/<YOUR_USERNAME>/.cloudflared/<TUNNEL_ID>.json

ingress:
  - hostname: n8n.yourdomain.com
    service: http://localhost:5678
  - service: http_status:404

Adjust the credentials file path for your OS.

Step 6: Run the Tunnel

cloudflared tunnel run n8n-tunnel

Keep this terminal running. Your subdomain is now live and pointing to your local n8n.

Step 7: Configure n8n Environment Variables

Set environment variables so n8n generates correct public webhook URLs:

macOS/Linux (bash/zsh)

export N8N_HOST=n8n.yourdomain.com
export N8N_PROTOCOL=https
export WEBHOOK_URL=https://n8n.yourdomain.com
npx n8n

Windows (Command Prompt)

set N8N_HOST=n8n.yourdomain.com
set N8N_PROTOCOL=https
set WEBHOOK_URL=https://n8n.yourdomain.com
npx n8n

Step 8: Access n8n

Open your browser and visit:

https://n8n.yourdomain.com

Your local n8n is now accessible via a professional, secure subdomain.

Step 9: Optional Security Measures

Enable Basic Authentication

export N8N_BASIC_AUTH_ACTIVE=true
export N8N_BASIC_AUTH_USER=admin
export N8N_BASIC_AUTH_PASSWORD=strongpassword

On Windows, replace export with set.

Advanced Security

Use Cloudflare Zero Trust (Access) to restrict access by IP, email, or SSO.

Conclusion

Using Cloudflare Tunnel is a professional, secure way to expose a local n8n instance to the internet. It works across macOS, Windows, and Linux, provides stable HTTPS URLs, and is perfect for real-world automations and client testing.

With this setup, you have:

✔ Local n8n accessible anywhere
✔ Free, secure HTTPS subdomain
✔ Stable webhook URLs
✔ No firewall or port configuration required
✔ Cross-platform compatibility

Happy automating

Mosen.