How to Deploy Your n8n Chatbot the Right Way

You've built a chatbot workflow in n8n. Maybe it's a customer support assistant, a lead capture bot, or an internal helpdesk. The workflow is ready. Now you need to put a chat interface in front of it so people can actually use it.

Most people at this stage look for the quickest way to get something embedded and move on. But there's one decision worth getting right before you do that, because it affects how secure your setup is, how much visibility you have into what's happening, and how much ongoing maintenance you'll be dealing with.

On n8nchatui.com, you get two deployment options. This guide explains both, shows you the key differences, and helps you pick the right one for your situation.

The Two Deployment Options

Option 1: Direct deployment (Standalone)

The chat widget lives in the browser and talks directly to your n8n webhook. There's nothing in between. You design the widget, paste in your webhook URL, copy the embed code, and you're live. Simple and fast.

Option 2: Proxy deployment (Managed)

A secure proxy sits between the chat widget and your n8n workflow. The widget never calls your n8n directly. Instead, messages go through the proxy, which forwards them to your n8n and returns the response. Your workflow stays private and you get a set of additional controls that aren't possible with a direct connection.

Both options give you the same visual editor and the same customization capabilities. The difference is entirely in how the widget communicates with your n8n backend.

Setting Them Up

The setup process is almost identical for both. You create a widget, customize the design to match your brand, connect your n8n webhook, and copy the embed code to your site. The whole process takes a few minutes either way.

The only meaningful difference during setup is that proxy deployment gives you an option to add authentication to the connection between the proxy and your n8n workflow. Optional, but recommended for any public-facing deployment.

Key Differences

Here's how the two options compare across the factors that matter most for a production deployment.

Backend Privacy

With direct deployment, your n8n webhook endpoint is part of the embed code. Anyone who opens the browser network tab can see it. For internal tools or private networks this is usually fine. For public websites, it means your workflow is reachable by anyone.

With proxy deployment, the embed code references the proxy endpoint, not your n8n webhook. Your actual workflow URL never leaves the server.

Security Controls

Direct deployment has no built-in security controls. Protecting your workflow from spam, restricting access by domain, or limiting usage by country all have to be handled manually on your end.

Proxy deployment includes three controls you can configure directly from the dashboard:

• Domain restriction — only your specified domains can load the widget
• Geofencing — limit visibility to users from specific countries
• Rate limiting — cap how many messages a user can send within a time window

Analytics

Direct deployment has no analytics. Proxy deployment includes a built-in analytics dashboard that gives you visibility into how your chatbot is being used, who your users are, and how your n8n workflow is performing. For a full breakdown, see our n8n chatbot analytics guide.

Centralized Management

With direct deployment, any change you make to your widget requires copying the updated embed code and replacing it on your site, for every page where the widget lives.

With proxy deployment, changes you make in the dashboard apply to your live widget instantly. You paste the embed code once and never touch it again.

How to Choose

Go with direct deployment if:

• You're building something internal, for yourself, or just testing things out
• Your n8n is already behind its own authentication or on a private network
• You want a simple setup with no ongoing costs

Go with proxy deployment if:

• You're putting this on a public-facing website with real users
• You want your n8n workflow to stay private
• You want visibility into how your chatbot is performing
• You're building for clients and need to manage multiple chatbots from one place

If you're still unsure: if the chatbot is going on a real public website, use proxy deployment. The security controls and analytics alone are worth it.

Switching Later

If you start with direct deployment and want to switch to proxy deployment later, you don't have to start from scratch. There's a convert option directly in the dashboard. Your design and customization settings carry over. The only thing you'll need to do is update the embed code on your site.

Wrapping Up

Both options get you a fully customizable chat interface connected to your n8n workflow in minutes. The choice comes down to how much control you need around that connection.

Direct deployment is fast, free, and straightforward. Proxy deployment adds security, visibility, and centralized management for any use case going in front of real users.

If you've decided to go with proxy deployment and want to set up authentication, geofencing, and rate limiting step by step, our n8n chatbot security guide covers the full process.