Look beyond TrueNAS if you'd like a different filesystem, a different base operating system, or a box that arrives ready to go. Do-it-yourself NAS systems suit people bringing their own hardware and choosing their own parts, while branded NAS ranges suit buyers who'd rather have hardware and software supported by the same company from day one.
TrueNAS calls itself a high performance data platform delivered through turnkey self-healing storage appliances, and it lists a Community Edition so you can test drive it on your own kit. If you're a home-lab owner or small-office admin looking at other options, you're probably weighing one of three things: the filesystem, the operating system underneath, or whether you'd rather buy a box than build one.
Each of those questions has its own section below, so you can skip what doesn't apply. And if you've never run the Community Edition on spare hardware, do that first: it's a fair test of whether the problem is the software or the way it's set up.
Start with the filesystem, not the logo
The filesystem is the first thing to check. XigmaNAS's page says it includes ZFS. Rockstor, built on openSUSE, goes the Btrfs route, and its own page argues that Btrfs is filling the void ZFS left on Linux.
Why does that matter? Because your data lives in that filesystem. Moving from one to another isn't a settings change; it means copying everything off, rebuilding the pool and copying it all back. Ask each project how it handles snapshots and data checks, too.
So before you compare dashboards, apps or looks, decide which filesystem you want your data to sit on for the next five years. If you're not sure which one a project uses, ask before it goes on your shortlist.
All seven at a glance
| System | Base | Hardware |
|---|---|---|
| openmediavault | Debian | - |
| QNAP | - | QNAP's own |
| Rockstor | openSUSE, Btrfs | - |
| Synology DiskStation Manager | - | Synology's own |
| Unraid | - | Yours |
| XigmaNAS | FreeBSD, ZFS | - |
| ZimaOS | CasaOS | - |
A dash means that's a question to ask the maker before you buy.
Closest in spirit: FreeBSD and ZFS
If you like the ZFS approach and simply want a different project behind it, this is your starting point.
XigmaNAS
An open source NAS distribution based on FreeBSD, and its page says ZFS comes included. If ZFS is the part of your current setup you'd miss most, start your testing here, and compare how it handles the pool tasks you do every month.
Do-it-yourself NAS systems
These suit people who'd rather build than buy, and who already have a spare machine or a box of drives waiting for a job. If licensing is part of the question, our page on whether Linux is free to use covers the basics.
openmediavault
Built on Debian Linux, so if you already know Debian, the base will feel familiar. It's an open-source project, so the code is there to read.
Rockstor
Its page calls it a customisable Btrfs storage platform built on openSUSE. If Btrfs is your filesystem of choice, it's the obvious one to try first.
Unraid
Unraid says its OS lets you use the hardware you have to build the server you want. That's why it's the one marked 'Yours' in the table above.
ZimaOS
Billed by its maker as the next-generation NAS OS, powered by CasaOS. Ask which filesystem it uses before you commit.
Match the system to whoever looks after it
A NAS tends to outlive the enthusiasm of whoever set it up. Before you choose, picture the person who'll deal with a failed drive two years from now. If that's you and you enjoy it, a do-it-yourself system gives you the most say over every part. If it's a colleague or a partner who'd rather never see a settings page, a box with one company behind the hardware and the software is the kinder choice. Either way, write the recovery steps down on paper, keep them next to the box, and make sure someone besides you knows where the backups live.
Boxes where hardware and software come together
If you'd rather not pick parts, flash an installer and troubleshoot drivers, a branded NAS takes that off your hands. You trade some freedom for a single company standing behind the whole thing. That suits offices without a resident tinkerer, and households where the NAS simply needs to work so the family photos are safe. Building your own suits people who enjoy the hardware side and already own spare drives, and it's also the route most likely to eat a weekend when something doesn't behave.
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QNAP
QNAP sells storage for organisations of different sizes, with separate enterprise and business ranges. Pick the range that matches your setting before you compare models.
Synology DiskStation Manager
DiskStation Manager is the operating system that powers every Synology NAS. Buy the box and the software comes with it, so there's no separate install to plan.
Before you commit
Whatever system you choose, remember that spreading data across several drives protects you from a drive dying, not from you deleting the wrong folder, ransomware or a fire. A second copy somewhere else, ideally off site, is what saves you on a bad day, so plan it at the same time as the new box and test a restore before you need one.
Then think about the boring details. A NAS runs all day, so decide where it'll live, how loud it can be and whether the room gets warm in summer. Read release notes before each update, wait a few days to see whether others hit problems, and take a fresh backup first. And ask every project on your shortlist the same things: can I mix drive sizes, how do I run the extra apps I rely on, and what does recovery look like when a drive fails at 3am?
If what you really want is to run virtual machines with storage on the side, our Proxmox and TrueNAS comparison is the better read.
Moving your data without losing any of it
Storage moves are where people lose things. Follow this order and don't skip ahead.
- Make a full backup on separate hardware before anything else.
- Restore a sample from that backup to prove it works.
- Set up the new system on its own drives, not your current ones.
- Duplicate everything onto the new pool and check the totals match.
- Keep the old and new boxes running together for a fortnight.
- Only wipe the old drives once the new system has survived a reboot or two and a restore test.
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Frequently asked questions
Why isn't Proxmox on this list?
Proxmox is built for running virtual machines rather than as a NAS system first, so it answers a different question. It can still sit alongside a NAS if you run virtual machines.
Does TrueNAS offer round-the-clock support?
Its own description says its appliances come with expert around-the-clock support. Check whether that applies to the Community Edition before you rely on it.
Does Unraid run apps as well as storage?
Its own description covers self-hosted servers as well as network-attached storage, so it's pitched at more than file storage. Check its documentation for the apps you'd want to run.
Is openmediavault free?
Yes, openmediavault calls itself a free, open-source NAS solution. Put it on a spare machine with a couple of old drives and you can judge it before any of your real data goes near it.
Does QNAP make storage for home users?
Yes. Alongside its enterprise and business ranges, it has a Creators & Home Users line aimed at households and individual creators.
Which filesystem does Synology use?
Check the spec sheet for the model you're looking at before you buy.
