Skip to main content

Keep Supabase free plan projects alive with scheduled database pings

Workflow preview

Workflow preview
100%
Keep Supabase free plan projects alive with scheduled database pings preview
Open on n8n.io

1. Workflow Overview

Supabase Free Plan Keep Alive Prevents Supabase from pausing an inactive project by writing randomised pings to a database table on a recurring schedule. Overview The workflow runs every 4 days and...

Best for

  • DevOps automation workflows
  • intermediate n8n builders looking for reusable templates

Tools used

n8n-nodes-base.scheduletrigger, n8n-nodes-base.supabase, n8n-nodes-base.manualtrigger, n8n-nodes-base.code, n8n-nodes-base.splitinbatches, n8n-nodes-base.wait, n8n-nodes-base.stickynote

Source and attribution

This workflow is cataloged by N8N Workflows and links back to its original n8n.io source page by LukaszB.

Original n8n.io source

1.1 Workflow description

Title
Keep Supabase free plan projects alive with scheduled database pings
Workflow name
Keep Supabase free plan projects alive with scheduled database pings

Supabase Free Plan Keep-Alive

Prevents Supabase from pausing an inactive project by writing randomised pings to a database table on a recurring schedule.


Overview

The workflow runs every 4 days and performs 25 sequential database writes to the ping table in Supabase. Each write is separated by a random delay between 20 and 60 seconds to simulate organic activity rather than a mechanical burst.


Nodes

Schedule Trigger Fires every 4 days automatically. A manual trigger is also included for testing.

Code – Generate Items Creates an array of 25 identical items to drive the loop.

Loop Over Items Processes one item per iteration until all 25 are complete.

Code – Random Wait Assigns a random integer between 20 and 60 seconds to each item before the wait step.

Wait Pauses execution for the duration assigned in the previous step.

Create a Row Inserts a row into the ping table in Supabase with the current timestamp as created_at.


Setup

  1. Create a ping table in your Supabase project with a created_at column (timestamptz).
  2. Add your Supabase credentials to the Create a Row node.
  3. Activate the workflow to enable the schedule.

Customization

  • Change the trigger interval in Schedule Trigger if 4 days does not match your project's inactivity threshold.
  • Adjust the item count in the first code node to write more or fewer rows per run.
  • Modify the random range (currently 20–60 s) in the second code node to change the spacing between writes.

1.2 Logical Blocks

This catalog entry is organized from the workflow JSON. The node-level section below shows the executable blocks available for review before importing the template.

2. Block-by-Block Analysis

Block 1 - Schedule Trigger

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.scheduleTrigger - scheduleTrigger
Config choices
Version 1.3

Block 2 - Create a row

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.supabase - supabase
Config choices
Version 1

Block 3 - When clicking ‘Execute workflow’

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.manualTrigger - manualTrigger
Config choices
Version 1

Block 4 - Code in JavaScript

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.code - code
Config choices
Version 2

Block 5 - Loop Over Items

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.splitInBatches - splitInBatches
Config choices
Version 3

Block 6 - Code in JavaScript1

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.code - code
Config choices
Version 2

Block 7 - Wait

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.wait - wait
Config choices
Version 1.1

Block 8 - Sticky Note

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote - stickyNote
Config choices
Version 1

Block 9 - Sticky Note1

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote - stickyNote
Config choices
Version 1

Block 10 - Sticky Note2

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote - stickyNote
Config choices
Version 1

Block 11 - Sticky Note3

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote - stickyNote
Config choices
Version 1

3. Summary Table

Workflow Keep Supabase free plan projects alive with scheduled database pings
Complexity intermediate
Nodes 11
Categories DevOps
Author LukaszB
Published 05 Apr 2026

4. Reproducing the Workflow from Scratch

  1. 1. Download the workflow JSON

    Use the JSON export at /data/workflows/14745/14745.json as the source template for this automation.

  2. 2. Import the template into n8n

    Open n8n, import the downloaded JSON, and review each node before activating the workflow.

  3. 3. Configure credentials and variables

    Replace placeholder credentials, API keys, webhook URLs, account IDs, and environment-specific values with your own settings.

  4. 4. Test with sample data

    Run the workflow manually or in a staging workspace, inspect node output, and confirm downstream systems receive the expected data.

  5. 5. Activate and monitor

    Enable the workflow only after testing, then monitor executions, errors, and rate limits during the first production runs.

5. General Notes & Resources

Review imported nodes carefully before activation. This catalog entry is intended to help you inspect the workflow structure, understand required services, and find related templates faster.

Node names, credentials, schedules, webhook paths, and external service limits may need adjustment for your workspace.

Frequently asked questions

What does Keep Supabase free plan projects alive with scheduled database pings do?

Supabase Free Plan Keep Alive Prevents Supabase from pausing an inactive project by writing randomised pings to a database table on a recurring schedule. Overview The workflow runs every 4 days and...

What do I need before importing this workflow?

Review the workflow JSON, configure any required credentials in n8n, and test the automation in a safe workspace before using it in production.

Can I customize this workflow?

Yes. Use the block-by-block analysis and the downloadable JSON to inspect each node, then adjust credentials, prompts, schedules, filters, or destinations for your DevOps use case.