If you're thinking about setting up your own NAS server at home or in the office, you've probably come across hundreds of opinions and options. And no wonder: today there's a huge variety of operating systems designed specifically for this purpose. From solutions with large support communities to commercial platforms with constant updates and highly polished graphic environments.
In this article we are going to break down The most prominent operating systems for NAS, comparing their features, advantages, disadvantages, functionalities, and difficulty level, so you can choose the one that best suits your needs, knowledge, and the type of hardware you have available.
What is a NAS and why would you want one?
The term NAS means "Network Attached Storage", or network-attached storage. Basically, it's a device that houses hard drives and allows you to share data, files, multimedia, and services over your local network and even the internet. With a NAS, you can have your own private cloud, media server, backup center, web server, personal VPN, and even virtualize other operating systems.
Therefore, a NAS stops being a simple storage to become a multifunction system Fully adaptable to your desired use. And the operating system you use will be key to getting the most out of it.
Commercial operating systems for NAS
NAS manufacturers like QNAP, Synology, or ASUSTOR offer their own custom operating systems, optimized for their hardware and featuring an attractive, easy-to-use interface. They're ideal for those who They want a ready-to-use solution without getting complicated with complex installations or advanced configurations.
QTS and QuTS Hero: QNAP's offering
QNAP has two main operating systems: QTS extension, the most traditional system, based on Linux and using the EXT4 file system; and QTS hero, an advanced version that integrates ZFS as a file system to offer cutting-edge features such as deduplication, real-time compression, and nearly unlimited snapshots.
Both options have an intuitive graphical interface, many multimedia features, smartphone applications and a huge app store called App CenterThis ecosystem allows for everything from running Docker containers, virtual machines, DLNA media servers, VPN servers with WireGuard, to advanced features like tiered storage and SSD caches.
In addition, QNAP offers support for NVMe disk acceleration, password-protected volume encryption, and deep integration with services such as MariaDB, LDAP, FTP/FTPES, and SMB.
It is a complete, robust system with frequent updates, which places special emphasis on security and performance, both in home and business environments.
DSM: Synology's jewel
Another of the giants of the sector is Synology, which offers its system DiskStation Manager (DSM). This stands out for its extremely polished and user-friendly interface, perfect for beginner users. Despite its simplicity, it's one of the most powerful and stable systems on the market.
DSM offers compatibility with both EXT4 and Btrfs, the latter allowing snapshots to protect against ransomware or human error. It also includes collaboration tools such as Drive, Calendar, Office, and even video surveillance cameras.
In addition, Synology has strongly opted for a symbiosis between private cloud and cloud services external thanks to Synology Hybrid Share. Its mobile apps, such as DSfile, DS Audio, Synology Photos, and DS Get, allow you to manage files, music, photos, and downloads from anywhere.
An added benefit is that Synology updates its system frequently, fixing bugs and strengthening security. And thanks to XPEnology, it is possible to use DSM on unofficial hardware, even if it is not endorsed by Synology.
ADM: the ASUSTOR alternative
ASUSTOR also has a very competitive operating system called ADMThe latest version is ADM 4.0, which brings interface improvements, a modern dark mode, and optimized performance.
ADM is based on Linux with support for EXT4 and Btrfs. It includes updated support for OpenSSL, servers such as Apache, Nginx, FTP, Rsync, and stands out for its good integration with Apple Time Machine.
From App Central, you can install all kinds of additional services, such as video surveillance, Docker, virtualization, and a host of mobile apps including AiData, AiFoto, AiVideo, AiMusic, and more.
It's a solid choice for those looking for an alternative to QNAP and Synology without sacrificing a good user experience.
Open source operating systems for any hardware
If you have an old PC or have decided to build your own NAS from scratch, Open source operating systems for NAS are your best betThey are free, flexible, and highly configurable, although they do require a little more time and knowledge.
TrueNAS CORE and SCALE: power and ZFS
TrueNAS is possibly the best-known system in this category. Formerly called FreeNAS, its version CORE is based on FreeBSD, while SCALE is based on Debian Linux. Both versions use ZFS as a file system, enabling compression, deduplication, snapshots, encryption, and advanced volume management.
TrueNAS is compatible with a wide variety of hardware, supports services such as SMB, FTP, NFS, DLNA, SSH, OpenVPN, and allows you to launch virtual machines and containers using Jails or Docker in the case of SCALE.
CORE is more classic and stable, while SCALE offers better virtualization capabilities with KVM, Kubernetes, and a versatility highly sought after in professional environments.
Yes, it requires more knowledge, but its web interface is very complete, intuitive, and allows you to configure everything without going through the terminal. An ideal system for those looking for Reliability, performance and absolute control of your NAS.
UnRAID: modularity and ease
UnRAID is one of the most popular alternatives currently. It is Payment, but its licensing system is very reasonable. It is designed to be modular, flexible and easy to expand, ideal if you are going to add disks or want to have total control over how you use your NAS.
It supports virtualization with KVM, Docker containers, mixed storage with parity, and its graphical interface is intuitive and modern. Everything is managed from the browser, and thanks to its community, it has plugins and extensions for all types of use cases.
If you're looking for a stable platform with a reasonable learning curve and plenty of customization options, UnRAID is a great choice.
OpenMediaVault: Debian in power
OpenMediaVault (OMV) is a free system based on Debian with a web interface that makes server management easy. It is one of the most popular options for beginners thanks to its wide documentation and community support.
Includes Samba/CIFS servers, FTP, SFTP, Rsync, DLNA, BitTorrent client, and Docker support, software RAID, and email notifications.
OMV is completely free, frequently updated, and can be installed on UEFI architectures with custom ISO images or using Debian's NetInstall.
It is a powerful but simple solution, ideal if you are already working in the Linux environment and want a good base to build multiple services without overcomplicating things.
XigmaNAS: BSD veteran
XigmaNAS is the successor to NAS4Free and is based on FreeBSD. It offers support for NTFS, ZFS, and UFS, along with great flexibility in volume management, encryption, and network configuration (VLANs, Link Aggregation, etc.).
Its interface isn't the most modern, but it's functional. It supports services like Samba, FTP, SSH, NFS, AFP, Rsync, iSCSI, and more. It also allows you to create jails to install additional software in isolation.
It is not the best option for novice users, but it is robust and has years of development behind it. An excellent alternative for those coming from the BSD world.
Rockstor: Business Approach with Btrfs
Rockstor is a CentOS-based alternative, aimed at both home and business users. It uses the Btrfs file system, with similar functionality to ZFS but lower resource consumption.
allows to create private clouds on-premises, snapshots, compression, deduplication, and a clean, user-friendly web interface. It also offers an enterprise version with a hybrid approach: where private data is stored locally and other data in the cloud.
It's not the most well-known option, but it is one of the most solid for those looking for a professional-minded, open-source solution.
EasyNAS: Extreme Simplicity
EasyNAS is an OpenSUSE-based distribution designed specifically for offer maximum simplicity. Uses Btrfs and provides hassle-free web-based management.
Its focus is on beginner users who want something that works right out of the box, without many advanced options. Although it's limited in customization, it's perfect for your first NAS.
XPEnology and QuTScloud: Bringing Business to Your Hardware
XPEnology is an open source bootloader that allows you to install Synology DSM on standard hardwareIdeal for those who love Synology's interface but don't want to buy one of their devices.
QuTScloud, on the other hand, is QNAP's solution for deploying QTS in cloud environments such as Azure, AWS, or Google Cloud, as well as on virtual servers. It's paid and charges based on the number of processor cores.
Which NAS operating system is best for you?
The answer depends on your goals, knowledge, and the type of hardware you plan to use. If you're just starting out and looking for a simple, functional experience, a Synology NAS or a system like EasyNAS may be the ideal choice. If you're technically savvy and interested in security and performance, TrueNAS SCALE or CORE are excellent.
Are you interested in flexibility and multimedia gaming? Then UnRAID will give you everything you need with a streamlined interface. Do you prefer the Linux ecosystem? OpenMediaVault is unbeatable. And if you're a BSD fan, XigmaNAS or FreeBSD with TrueNAS CORE will be your best option.
There's more to life than commercial cloud storage. Today, building your own NAS and customizing it to your needs is easier and more accessible than ever, without sacrificing security, performance, or versatility.