Which NAS OS is better, Synology or TrueNAS?

Synology

For businesses that need reliable data storage, backups, and secure file services, choosing the right NAS operating system (OS) is very important. Synology DiskStation Manager (DSM) and TrueNAS (which includes TrueNAS CORE and SCALE) are two of the best options in this area. Both are strong platforms, but they are made for different types of people and businesses.

This comparison shows IT managers, enterprise architects, and business owners the main differences between Synology and TrueNAS. This will help you choose the NAS OS that best meets your needs for infrastructure, cybersecurity, and data protection.

Getting to know Synology DSM

Synology’s DiskStation Manager (DSM) is a Linux-based operating system that only works with Synology NAS hardware. It offers a complete ecosystem that focuses on security, ease of use, and features that are ready for business.

Some of DSM’s best features are:

User interface that makes sense
Centralized apps for storing, backing up, and working together
A lot of great business features with very little administration work
Regular updates and patches for security

Synology DSM is perfect for businesses that need a ready-to-use NAS solution that works well with backup processes and enterprise authentication.

What is TrueNAS?

iXsystems made TrueNAS, an open-source NAS operating system. There are two main versions of it:

TrueNAS CORE is a free, powerful storage operating system based on FreeBSD.
TrueNAS SCALE is a Linux-based, containerized architecture that works with Kubernetes.

TrueNAS is known for being flexible and having advanced storage features, especially for businesses with specific needs or large storage deployments.

Ease of Deployment and Management is an important comparison criterion.

Synology DSM: IT teams can easily set up, manage, and grow NAS systems with DSM’s polished graphical interface and step-by-step setup. Built-in wizards help with setting up storage, scheduling snapshots, configuring the network, and making backup plans.

TrueNAS: TrueNAS has powerful controls, but you need to know a lot about administration to use them. The web interface is very complete, but to be successful with it, you need to know a lot about ZFS, networking, and container orchestration, especially on SCALE.

Winner: Synology for being easy to use; TrueNAS for being flexible.

File Systems and Storage Architecture

Synology DSM: DSM works with both Btrfs and EXT4. Btrfs gives you:

The ability to take snapshots and roll back
Self-healing data
Data protection that works well

These features work with Synology’s other products, making it easier to protect file services and virtual machine storage.

TrueNAS: TrueNAS uses ZFS, a very well-known file system that is known for:

Data integrity from start to finish
Advanced snapshotting
Replication and compression that work well
Checksums to stop data from being corrupted without anyone knowing

TrueNAS is a popular choice for businesses that need to have a lot of control over how reliable their storage is.

Winner: TrueNAS for its strong file system; Synology for how easy it is to use.

Ecosystem of Applications

Synology DSM: DSM comes with a lot of built-in apps for business storage, such as:

Synology Drive lets you sync and share files
Active Backup suite for backing up to one place
Replication of Snapshots
Tools for working together (Note Station, Synology Office)

These apps work well together and get updates often.

TrueNAS: TrueNAS SCALE works with Docker and Kubernetes, which makes it easy to deploy apps in different ways. This is great for workloads that use containers. But this method needs more DevOps knowledge and management.

Winner: Synology for built-in business apps; TrueNAS for the ability to use containers in different ways.

Data Protection and Backup

Synology DSM: DSM works with backup workflows, such as:

Replication in the same place and in different places
Scheduling snapshots
Backups for Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace are supported

This makes DSM a great choice for businesses that want safe, centralized backup targets.

TrueNAS: TrueNAS has strong replication and snapshot workflows, especially when used with ZFS pools. However, you may need to do more work to connect it to existing enterprise backup systems.

Winner: Synology for built-in backup support; TrueNAS for advanced controls over replication.

Safety and Compliance

Enterprise cybersecurity needs regular patching, access controls, and help with compliance.

Synology DSM: Synology puts security first with secure defaults, regular updates, two-factor authentication (2FA), and strong access controls. These features help businesses follow their rules and make things easier for administrators.

TrueNAS: TrueNAS has strong security features and gives you a lot of control, but you have to set it up manually to make it enterprise-grade hardening.

Winner: Synology because it has secure defaults and updates that are managed.

When Synology Is the Right Choice

For businesses that need:

Easier to set up NAS
Workflows for backup and storage that work together
Strong support from vendors and regular updates
Enterprise apps that don’t need DevOps help

Its unified ecosystem works well with plans for data protection, business continuity, and centralized management.

When TrueNAS Is a Good Idea

TrueNAS is a good choice for businesses that:

Need advanced control over the file system (ZFS)
Like open-source platforms better

Use workloads that are either containerized or made just for you.

Have people in-house who know how to manage the OS level

TrueNAS gives you flexibility, but it also makes things harder for administrators.

Things to think about for performance
The performance of both platforms in the real world depends on:
The hardware that runs the system (CPU, RAM, storage media)
Designing a network
Types of workloads (backup, file services, virtualization)

Synology’s built-in hardware and software stack usually gives consistent performance, especially for backup and multi-user file access. TrueNAS, on the other hand, lets experts fine-tune systems for specific use cases.

Choosing the Right Thing

When deciding between Synology DSM and TrueNAS, you should think about:

Knowledge of how to run a business
Needs for backup and data protection
Requirements for security and compliance
Expectations for long-term growth and support

Businesses that don’t have a full-time storage engineer will probably get more out of Synology’s cohesive platform. On the other hand, technical teams that know how to use ZFS may be able to make good use of TrueNAS’s features.

About the Technology of Epis

Epis Technology offers enterprise IT infrastructure, data protection, and Synology consulting services that help businesses choose, set up, and improve their NAS systems. Epis Technology makes sure that your NAS platform, whether it’s Synology or a custom solution, meets your business’s performance, reliability, and security goals. They do this by using their knowledge of scalable storage solutions, secure backup strategies (like Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace), and business continuity planning.