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In n8n, rate pacing and execution concurrency solve different problems. Use HTTP Request batching to space requests a workflow sends to an API. Control how many production workflows run at once through your n8n Cloud plan, the self-hosted regular-mode concurrency setting, or queue-mode worker concurrency. Choose the control that matches your deployment before changing settings.
Choose the control for your n8n deployment
| Deployment or need | What the setting controls | Where to configure it |
|---|---|---|
| Self-hosted, regular mode | Production executions started by a webhook or trigger | N8N_CONCURRENCY_PRODUCTION_LIMIT |
| Self-hosted, queue mode | How many jobs each worker handles in parallel | n8n worker --concurrency=N |
| n8n Cloud | Production execution capacity for the plan | Set by plan; check the current plan details |
| HTTP Request node | Grouping of request items and delay between batches | HTTP Request node → Batching |
The first three options govern execution capacity, not a third-party service’s exact API quota. To slow outgoing calls from an integration, configure batching for the relevant HTTP Request node and compare it with the API provider’s documented limits.
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Limit production concurrency in self-hosted regular mode
In regular mode, n8n has no production concurrency cap by default. Set N8N_CONCURRENCY_PRODUCTION_LIMIT to a positive integer to cap the number of eligible production executions running at the same time. For example, this shell setting uses a limit of 20:
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A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11export N8N_CONCURRENCY_PRODUCTION_LIMIT=20Excess eligible executions wait in FIFO order until a slot is available. The setting applies to production executions started by webhook or trigger nodes; it does not apply to manual runs, sub-workflow runs, error executions, or CLI-started executions. n8n documents the environment variable’s default as -1, which disables this limit in regular mode. See n8n’s concurrency-control documentation and the execution environment-variable reference.
Set the variable in the environment used by your n8n process, then restart or redeploy as appropriate for your process manager. The deployment procedure depends on how you run n8n. One operational caveat: n8n says queued executions cannot be retried while they remain queued; cancelling or deleting one removes it.
Set per-worker concurrency in queue mode
Queue mode is a separate scaling architecture: a main n8n instance places work on a Redis queue, worker processes execute the workflows, and a database stores workflow and execution data. Set parallelism for each worker with the worker command’s --concurrency flag. For example:
n8n worker --concurrency=5The documented worker default is 10, and n8n recommends concurrency of 5 or higher. These are implementation guidance, not performance benchmarks; the suitable value depends on the workflows and available infrastructure. See n8n’s queue-mode documentation.
Worker concurrency is per worker. Adding workers increases total processing capacity, but also raises demand on the database connection pool. n8n warns that many workers configured with low concurrency can exhaust that pool, causing delays and failures. Queue mode is described by n8n as providing the best scalability, but it also has storage and infrastructure constraints:
- Redis and a database are part of the queue architecture.
- Filesystem binary-data storage is not supported in queue mode.
- n8n advises against SQLite for queue execution mode; a distributed queue setup over SQLite is unsupported.
Check concurrency capacity for n8n Cloud
n8n Cloud concurrency is determined by the plan. Executions beyond the plan’s capacity wait FIFO until capacity becomes available. Because the current documentation directs users to the pricing page for plan-specific limits, verify the quota for your plan rather than relying on a number that may have changed. n8n lists queue mode for Cloud Enterprise as available by contacting n8n. See the Cloud concurrency documentation.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Space outgoing API calls with HTTP Request batching
To pace requests from an HTTP Request node, open that node’s Batching option and configure Items per Batch and Batch Interval. The interval is entered in milliseconds. Batching groups items and adds a delay between batches, which can slow that node’s request stream; it is not an instance-wide execution limit.
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Choose values against the external API’s own quota, time window, and response behavior. Providers differ, so batching alone should not be treated as a guarantee that every quota will be met. n8n’s documentation identifies a separate “Handle rate limits” guide, but the material available here establishes the batching controls rather than precise retry or backoff steps. Do not assume a specific retry policy from the batching setting. See the HTTP Request node documentation and the listed rate-limit guide.
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Keep API pacing separate from execution capacity
- If the problem is too many workflows running simultaneously, use the concurrency control for your deployment.
- If the problem is too many requests from a particular integration, configure batching on its HTTP Request node and consult the API provider’s current limits.
- If the workload has outgrown regular-mode execution, assess queue mode as an architecture change, including Redis, database capacity, and binary-data storage requirements.
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