Choosing the “best” NAS (Network Attached Storage) solution depends heavily on your specific needs, technical expertise, budget, and priorities (like ease of use, data integrity, performance, or flexibility) but let’s assume you are a ‘tech’ person and can follow along!
In 2025, building your own NAS system is the a better option – Cloud storage is very 2024 with its high prices and risks.
After extensive testing we narrowed down some of the better NAS operating systems:
Unraid, TrueNAS SCALE, OpenMediaVault (OMV), Ubuntu Server, and HexOS.
TIP: No matter how secure your NAS is. Never expose it directly to the internet via mapped firewall ports. Use a VPN or reverse proxy to remotely connect or sync.
We have excluded a lot of other NAS operating systems that we tested as they did not pass our internal testing including once popular brands like Synology & Qnap who seem to be constantly hammered with security issues, political issues and remote access risks.
The only ready built system we can recommend is the Ubiquiti UNAS which is still in its early stages of release but it does offer a cost effective single solution with strong security and stability, however it is a single volume solution at this point with new features appearing readily.
A NAS is not about how many plugins you can add or how many docker containers it will run but more about how safe and effective it will be at keeping your data.
Here’s a comparison of the best NAS software solutions in 2025:
NAS Comparison Summary
| Feature | Unraid | TrueNAS SCALE | OpenMediaVault (OMV) | Ubuntu Server | HexOS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary Goal | Flexible NAS, Media Server, Apps/VMs | Robust NAS, Data Integrity, Apps/VMs | Easy NAS for Home/SOHO | General Purpose Server (configurable as NAS) | Extremely Simple NAS Setup |
| Ease of Use | Very High (GUI-focused, beginner-friendly) | Moderate (GUI, but ZFS requires learning) | High (Simple Web UI for NAS tasks) | Low (Requires Linux CLI expertise) | Very High (Designed for simplicity) |
| Base OS | Custom Linux | Debian Linux | Debian Linux | Ubuntu (Debian-based) Linux | Linux (Specific distribution unclear) |
| Primary Filesystem | XFS/Btrfs (Data), XFS/FAT32 (Cache) | ZFS | Ext4, Btrfs, XFS (ZFS via plugin) | Ext4, ZFS, Btrfs, etc. (User choice) | Likely Btrfs/Ext4 (Details scarce) |
| Data Integrity | Parity (Single/Dual), Btrfs checksums | Excellent (ZFS: checksums, scrub, RAIDZ) | Good (Depends on chosen FS/RAID) | Excellent (with ZFS/Btrfs setup) | Basic/Unknown (Likely relies on underlying FS) |
| Storage Flexibility | Excellent (Mix drive sizes/types easily) | Moderate (ZFS vdevs need matching drives) | Good (Standard Linux MDRAID/LVM) | Excellent (Complete control via CLI) | Good (Appears flexible, details scarce) |
| Performance | Good (Can be limited by single-drive reads/parity writes) | Very Good/Excellent (ZFS performance, esp. with RAM) | Good (Standard Linux performance) | Excellent (Tunable, depends on config) | Likely Good for basic use (Limited data) |
| Apps/Extensibility | Excellent (Large App Store, Docker, VMs) | Very Good (Official Apps, Docker/k3s, KVM VMs) | Good (Plugins, Docker via Portainer/Yacht) | Excellent (Vast Linux software ecosystem) | Limited (App store exists, but likely small) |
| Hardware Needs | Low-Moderate (Flexible) | Moderate-High (RAM crucial for ZFS) | Low-Moderate (Works on PI4/5) | Flexible (Depends on workload) | Likely Low-Moderate |
| Cost | Paid License (One-time, tiered) | Free & Open Source | Free & Open Source | Free & Open Source | Paid License (Assumed, details may vary) |
| Boot Media | USB Drive (License tied to GUID) | SSD/HDD/USB (SSD/HDD recommended, mirrorable) | SSD/HDD/USB (SSD/HDD recommended) | SSD/HDD/USB (SSD/HDD recommended) | SSD/HDD/USB (Likely) |
| Ideal User | Beginners, Home Labs, Media Servers, Flexibility Seekers | Users prioritizing data integrity, performance, advanced features | Home/SOHO users wanting a simple, stable NAS | Experienced Linux users wanting full control | Absolute beginners prioritizing ease of setup |
Detailed Breakdown:
- Unraid:
- Pros: Extremely user-friendly web interface. Unmatched flexibility in using drives of different sizes and adding storage incrementally. Excellent community app store makes installing Docker containers (Plex, Home Assistant, etc.) and VMs very easy. Energy efficient as it only spins up drives currently in use. Lower hardware requirements generally.
- Cons: Requires a paid license. Boots from a USB drive, which some view as a potential failure point (though licenses are easily transferrable). Its parity-based protection isn’t true RAID and can have slower write performance or read performance limited to a single disk’s speed for array files. Less emphasis on enterprise-level data integrity features compared to ZFS.
- Best For (2025): Home users, media enthusiasts (Plex servers), tinkerers running various applications/VMs, and those who value ease of use and storage flexibility above raw performance or ZFS features.
- TrueNAS SCALE:
- Pros: Built on robust Debian Linux. Uses ZFS, offering outstanding data integrity, snapshots, compression, replication, and performance (especially with sufficient RAM). Supports Docker containers (via Kubernetes) and robust KVM virtualization. Free and open source. Developed by iXsystems with optional enterprise support. Can boot from more reliable mirrored SSDs/HDDs. Generally better performance under heavy load than Unraid.
- Cons: Steeper learning curve, particularly understanding ZFS concepts (pools, vdevs, datasets). Higher hardware requirements, especially RAM (8GB minimum, 16GB+ recommended for ZFS). Less flexible for mixing drive sizes within a storage pool (vdev). App management, while powerful, can be more complex than Unraid’s approach for beginners. Some users report limitations with specific TrueNAS “Apps” versus running services in a VM.
- Best For : Users prioritizing data integrity and protection above all else. Those needing higher performance for demanding tasks. Users comfortable with Linux and willing to learn ZFS. Small businesses or advanced home users wanting enterprise-grade features.
- OpenMediaVault (OMV):
- Pros: Simple, clean web interface designed specifically for NAS functions. Based on stable Debian Linux. Easy to set up basic file shares (SMB, NFS). Lower hardware requirements. Free and open source. Good plugin system for extending functionality, and easily integrates with Docker (via Portainer plugin) for a vast app selection.
- Cons: Can feel less feature-rich out-of-the-box compared to Unraid or TrueNAS SCALE for advanced features like integrated virtualization (though possible via Debian base). Some users report occasional complexities with permissions or performance bottlenecks depending on configuration/plugins. Plugin development seems less emphasized now in favor of Docker for many functions. Overall can be a bit tricky!
- Best For : Users needing a straightforward, reliable NAS for file storage and basic services. Those comfortable with Debian Linux. A solid choice for lower-power hardware or users who prefer managing Docker containers via tools like Portainer.
- Ubuntu Server:
- Pros: Maximum flexibility and control. Access to the vast Ubuntu/Debian software repositories. Stable Long-Term Support (LTS) releases. Excellent support for ZFS, Btrfs, MDRAID, LVM, Docker, KVM, and virtually any Linux software. Strong community support and extensive documentation. Free and open source.
- Cons: Requires significant Linux command-line knowledge for setup, configuration, and maintenance. No dedicated NAS web UI by default (requires manual installation/configuration of tools like Cockpit, Webmin, or direct config file editing). Steeper learning curve than dedicated NAS OSes.
- Best For : Experienced Linux users who want complete control over their server and are comfortable managing everything via the command line or manually setting up management tools. Ideal for building highly customized solutions beyond just NAS functions.
- HexOS:
- Pros: Appears focused on extreme simplicity and ease of setup, potentially appealing to absolute beginners. Modern-looking UI based on user reports. Can recognize hardware easily.
- Cons: Relatively new and potentially less mature than established options as of early 2025. User reports suggest it may lack features, have bugs, or usability quirks. Smaller community and fewer available resources/apps compared to others. Long-term support and development trajectory are less certain. May require a paid license.
- Best For : Users for whom ease of initial setup is the absolute highest priority, and whose needs are very basic. Be prepared for a potentially less feature-rich or polished experience compared to more established systems.
Conclusion:
- For ease of use and flexibility with media/apps, Unraid is likely your best option.
- For maximum data integrity and robust features, TrueNAS SCALE is a top choice, provided you’re willing to learn ZFS and meet the hardware needs.
- For a simple, stable, free NAS on potentially lower-end hardware, OpenMediaVault is a great contender especially for Raspberry PI servers.
- For ultimate control and customization (if you have the Linux skills), Ubuntu Server offers limitless possibilities.
- HexOS might be considered if extreme setup simplicity outweighs feature maturity. It is currently new on the market but it is based on TrueNAS without the complexity and its proving to be a top bet for the next most popular NAS solution.
What Hardware for your NAS in 2025
Hardware recommendations for building your NAS.
TIP: If you plan on multi user fast access or having any additional apps/vms/dockers running – like Immich (Photo Storage with AI), Home Assistant (Voice AI active) or Plex (Transcoding) – then make sure you get something that is more powerful than a Raspberry PI or N100 that can handle the AI, transcoding and multi thread operations.
- CPU (Processor)
Low Power / Budget:
Intel N100 / N150 / N305 (Alder Lake-N): Excellent power efficiency (often 6W-15W TDP). Integrated Quick Sync GPU is fantastic for Plex/Jellyfin transcoding. Often found on dedicated Mini-ITX NAS motherboards (check AliExpress brands like Topton, CWWK, or ASRock Rack/Industrial models) with built-in 2.5GbE NICs and multiple SATA ports. Ideal For: Basic file storage, OMV, Unraid, light container use, low-power TrueNAS (check performance needs). Limited PCIe lanes might restrict expansion.
Look for something like the GMKtec G9 which is good but has some failings. Look at the YouTube review – Jeff Geerling ‘I fixed the perfect mini NAS‘.
Try the Raspberry PI 5 incl 4-way NVMe RAID as another budget option.
Also look into ZimaBoard 2 which is expandable, CWWK N355 motherboard or of course simply using a reliable mini PC with USB 3.2 Gen2 or USB 4 / Thunderbolt with an external RAID enclosure that supports either NVMe or SSD or HDD available on Amazon for £$100 to £$300 depending.
Intel Core i3 (e.g., i3-12100, i3-14100): Good balance of performance, low idle power, and strong Quick Sync. A solid budget choice for a capable NAS/media server.
Mid-Range / Balanced:
Do some research on the OPNNAS systems or the Zimaspace ZimaCube or go super budget with Raspberry PI 5 incl 4-way NVMe RAID.
Intel Core i5 (e.g., i5-12400, i5-13500, i5-14500): More cores/threads for better multitasking, running apps/VMs, alongside excellent Quick Sync. Great all-rounders.
AMD Ryzen 5 (e.g., 5600G/5700X – AM4, 7600 – AM5): Strong multi-core performance. The 5600G/5700X on an AM4 platform can be a budget-friendly path to potential ECC RAM support (see Motherboard/RAM). AM5 (Ryzen 7000/9000) offers newer features and generally supports ECC UDIMMs. Integrated graphics on ‘G’ models can handle some transcoding but aren’t usually as efficient as Intel Quick Sync for common formats.
Performance / ECC Focused:
Intel Xeon E-series (e.g., E-23xx): Designed for entry-level servers, officially supports ECC RAM on compatible motherboards (W-series or C-series chipsets). Often includes basic integrated graphics (check specific model).
AMD Ryzen PRO / Ryzen 7/9 (e.g., 5750G, 7700, 7900): PRO models officially support ECC. High core counts are great for demanding VMs and applications. Regular Ryzen 7/9 on compatible motherboards can often use ECC UDIMMs unofficially.
Used Server CPUs (Xeon Scalable, EPYC): Older generations can offer high core counts and guaranteed ECC support at lower prices, but often come with higher power consumption.
Key CPU Consideration: If you plan to use Plex or Jellyfin for video streaming and might need transcoding, an Intel CPU with Quick Sync (most non-‘F’ Core series, N-series) is usually the most power-efficient and effective solution.
- RAM (Memory)
Amount: 8GB is the absolute minimum (especially for TrueNAS/ZFS). 16GB is a comfortable starting point for most users. 32GB or more is recommended for heavy ZFS use, multiple VMs, or demanding applications. Note that even if you go for a very low end Raspberry PI, which will work on a 4GB setup just fine for simple tasks, the 8GB is a good option if possible.
ECC vs. Non-ECC:
ECC (Error Correcting Code): Highly recommended for maximum data integrity, especially if using ZFS (TrueNAS). Requires CPU and Motherboard support. Check compatibility carefully but usually ECC is really only needed for top end or enterprise solutions.
Non-ECC: Acceptable for many home/SME NAS builds (Unraid, OMV, Ubuntu unless using ZFS critically), particularly if you have a robust backup strategy. More affordable and widely compatible.
- Motherboard
Compatibility: Must match your CPU socket and RAM type (DDR4/DDR5).
Form Factor: Mini-ITX (compact), Micro-ATX (good balance), ATX (most expansion). Choose based on your case.
SATA Ports: Get as many as you need onboard (6 is common). Look for NAS-specific boards (often Mini-ITX) that integrate 4-8+ ports, sometimes via OCuLink or Mini-SAS connectors needing breakout cables. Otherwise, plan for an HBA card.
PCIe Slots: Crucial for adding HBAs, 10GbE NICs, or GPUs. Ensure enough slots of the required type (x4, x8, x16) and generation (PCIe 3.0/4.0).
M.2 Slots: For NVMe SSDs (OS boot, cache, apps). Check they don’t disable SATA ports you need.
Networking: 2.5GbE is a good baseline now. 10GbE (RJ45 or SFP+) is desirable for high performance.
ECC Support: Must be explicitly stated if required. Look for server chipsets (Intel W/C series) or specific models from ASRock Rack, Supermicro, or consumer boards known to work (often requires specific Ryzen CPUs).
IPMI/BMC: Essential for remote management (headless servers). Common on server boards (ASRock Rack, Supermicro).
- Storage – Hard Drives (HDDs)
Type: Use CMR (Conventional Magnetic Recording) drives designed for NAS use. Avoid SMR (Shingled Magnetic Recording) drives.
Recommended Series (CMR): WD Red Plus, WD Red Pro, Seagate IronWolf, Seagate IronWolf Pro, Toshiba N300 (Consumer NAS).
The Better Options: WD Gold (our favourite for very large arrays), WD Ultrastar, Seagate Exos (Enterprise).
We also like Western Digital because the SMART status is easy to read and helps to predict a failure earlier than Seagate.
Capacity: Balance cost per TB with density needs. Larger drives (16TB+) are common.
Note: The very high capacity drives over 8TB are often helium filled which makes them very difficult to data recover but lets hope you went with RAID 5 or 6 at least.
- Storage – Solid State Drives (SSDs)
OS Boot Drive: A small (500GB ideally) SATA or NVMe SSD is highly recommended for reliability and speed (except Unraid, which uses USB). Consider mirroring for redundancy (TrueNAS/Ubuntu).
Cache: NVMe drives are preferred.
Unraid: Mirrored NVMe cache pool (Btrfs/ZFS) for appdata, VMs, and write caching.
TrueNAS (ZFS): SLOG (sync writes, needs high endurance/low latency, e.g., Intel Optane or small enterprise NVMe) or L2ARC (read cache, needs lots of RAM, can use larger consumer NVMe).
Apps/VMs: Running demanding containers or VMs directly from an SSD dramatically improves performance.
NVMe: Samsung 990 Pro, WD Black SN850X, Crucial T705, Sabrent Rocket 5.
Enterprise SSD: Kioxia and Micron.
Avoid cheap brands like Kingston which have high failure rates.
TIP: Always make sure your NVMe has good cooling active or passive – monitor temperatures under 30min active transfer load and confirm.
Overall we prefer a NAS with SSD/NVMe simply because it is lightning fast and works well with 2.5/10GbE not susceptible to shock/bump damage. Its less storage but as a primary NAS its amazing. Get a second NAS with HDD for slower operations like backup or as a scratch drive.
TIP: Always go with RAID 5/6 at minimum but make sure that you have daily backups to another NAS or Cloud storage. If a SSD/NVMe fails in a single disk or JBOD setup – it is often impossible to recover the data. So always RAID but have a backup or two.
- NAS Case
Drive Bays: Key factor. Determine how many 3.5″ and 2.5″ drives you need now and for future expansion.
Popular Options:
Compact Cube: Fractal Design Node 304 (6x 3.5″), Jonsbo N1/N2/N3/N4 (Various Mini-ITX, 5-8 bays).
Mid-Tower: Fractal Design Define series (R5/R6/R7/Meshify 2 – good airflow and drive capacity).
Rackmount: Various depths and heights (e.g., 2U, 4U) for server racks.
Cooling: Ensure good airflow, especially over the drives. Check fan mounts and compatibility.
Hot-Swap: Convenient but often adds cost.
Also check the options of External RAID Enclosures that operate via USB 3.2 Gen 2 or USB 4 / Thunderbolt
- Power Supply Unit (PSU) and UPS options.
Wattage: A Mini NVMe Server can sip as little as 5w to 35w but bigger beasts using multiple HDD’s will need a decent 450W-650W power supply.
Efficiency: 80 Plus Bronze minimum; Gold or Platinum preferred for efficiency and reliability.
Brand: Seasonic, Corsair, Be Quiet!, EVGA, Cooler Master are reputable.
Form Factor: ATX standard, SFX/SFX-L for many compact ITX cases.
UPS: Forget traditional old school lead acid UPS solutions (Like APC). Get a modern Lithium pack that will last 5 to 10 years. Its cheaper and support more load over longer periods. Try the Anker SOLIX C800 or C1000 with UPS function. Always check any lithium pack like this to make sure it has UPS with 20ms or less.
TIP: Bigger power supplies survive power flickers better due to bigger capacitors. So if you are building big – go bigger.
- HBA (Host Bus Adapter) / SATA Expansion Card
If your motherboard lacks sufficient SATA ports.
Use an LSI-based HBA card flashed to IT Mode (Initiator Target). Avoid cheap SATA multiplier cards based on chips like ASM1166 or JMB5xx for ZFS/RAID due to potential reliability issues under heavy load.
Popular IT Mode HBAs: LSI 9207-8i / 9211-8i (6Gbps), LSI 9300-8i/16i / 9305-16i (12Gbps). Buy pre-flashed or flash yourself. Requires breakout cables (e.g., SFF-8087 or SFF-8643 to 4x SATA). Ensure adequate cooling.
- Network Interface Card (NIC)
1GbE Network Interface is a minimum but if onboard ports aren’t fast enough try upgrading to 2.5 or 10GbE via USB 3.2 Gen 2 or USB 4 or Thunderbolt 3/4 or via PCI slot.
- USB Drive (For Unraid Only)
Requirement: Unraid boots from USB. Use a reliable brand like SanDisk or Samsung (16GB-32GB is plenty).
Remember to check component compatibility and consider retailers in the UK like Scan, Overclockers UK, Ebuyer, and Amazon UK for pricing and availability.
What File System to Use on the NAS?
- ZFS: Best for enterprise (data integrity, snapshots, self-healing, RAID support).
- Btrfs: Great for Linux (snapshots, checksumming, RAID support) but very minor stability concerns.
- NTFS: Best for Windows, supports journaling, encryption, but limited outside Windows.
- ext4: Best for modern Linux—fast, stable, reliable, but lacks advanced features like ZFS.
- exFAT: Optimized for flash drives, widely supported but lacks security and journaling.
- ext3: Older Linux system, stable but outdated.
- FAT32: Highly compatible but outdated, 4GB file size limit, no security features.
TIP: The above list is in order of preference but ZFS and ext4 are the most commonly used.
TIP: Check the “Power Failure Safety” row to indicate how well each file system handles sudden power loss. Some use journaling or copy-on-write (COW) to prevent corruption, while others are more vulnerable.
| Feature | ZFS | Btrfs | NTFS | ext4 | exFAT | ext3 | FAT32 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full Name | Zettabyte File System | B-tree File System | New Technology File System | Fourth Extended File System | Extended File Allocation Table | Third Extended File System | File Allocation Table 32 |
| Developer | Sun Microsystems (Oracle) | Oracle, Linux community | Microsoft | Linux community | Microsoft | Linux community | Microsoft |
| Year Released | 2005 | 2009 | 1993 | 2008 | 2006 | 2001 | 1996 |
| Max File Size | 16 EB | 16 EB | 16 TB (theoretical) | 16 TB | 16 EB | 2 TB | 4 GB |
| Max Volume Size | 256 ZB | 16 EB | 8 PB | 1 EB | 128 PB | 16 TB | 2 TB |
| Journaling | Yes (Copy-on-Write) | Yes (Copy-on-Write) | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| Compression | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes (since Linux 5.15) | No | No | No |
| Encryption | Yes | No (Relies on LUKS) | Yes (BitLocker) | No | No (BitLocker possible) | No | No |
| Snapshot Support | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | No |
| Data Integrity | Strong (Checksumming) | Strong (Checksumming, Self-healing) | Basic (chkdsk) | Moderate (fsck, journaling) | No | Basic (fsck) | No |
| OS Compatibility | Linux, FreeBSD, Solaris | Linux | Windows, Linux (read-only) | Linux | Windows, macOS, Linux | Linux | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Use Case | Enterprise storage, RAID | Linux storage, snapshots, RAID | Windows OS, HDDs, SSDs | Modern Linux systems | Flash drives, external storage | Older Linux systems | Legacy systems, USB drives |
| Performance | High, scalable | High, but higher RAM usage | Fast but can fragment | Faster than ext3, good SSD support | Optimized for flash storage | Slower than ext4 | Low performance |
| Fault Tolerance | Excellent (RAID, self-healing) | Good (Copy-on-Write, RAID support) | Basic (chkdsk repair) | Moderate | No | Basic | None |
| TRIM Support | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Defragmentation Needed? | No (COW structure) | No (COW reduces fragmentation) | Occasionally | Rarely | No | Yes | Yes |
| Power Failure Safety | Very safe (Copy-on-Write, checksumming, self-healing) | Safe (Copy-on-Write, but stability concerns) | Moderate (Journaling helps, but corruption possible) | Moderate (Journaling, but fsck may be needed) | Unsafe (No journaling, risk of corruption) | Moderate (Journaling, but fsck needed) | Very unsafe (No journaling, high corruption risk) |
| Primary Weakness | High RAM & CPU usage | Stability issues in some cases | Windows-centric | Requires manual fsck in failures | No journaling, less secure | Slower performance | 4GB file limit, no security |
Power Failure Safety Ranking:
- ZFS – Very Safe (Copy-on-Write, checksumming, self-healing).
- Btrfs – Safe (Copy-on-Write helps, but stability issues can cause problems).
- NTFS – Moderate (Journaling helps prevent corruption but isn’t foolproof).
- ext4 – Moderate (Journaling helps, but manual recovery might be needed).
- ext3 – Moderate (Journaling, but fsck is required after crashes).
- exFAT – Unsafe (No journaling, corruption likely after power loss).
- FAT32 – Very Unsafe (No journaling, high chance of data loss).
TIP: Building in all the best safety features does not stop a ransomware attack encrypting mapped network storage drives. So always set snapshots, versioning and multiple backups with staggered timings so that you can step back a day, a week or month.
Hopefully this page will guide you to the ideal NAS solution for your home, office or even enterprise storage solution.
