The Best NAS Software in 2026
We researched NAS software from official websites, including pricing pages, plan tables, and product documentation. Rankings emphasize the core job of managing network-attached storage, value for money, and verified features such as pools, permissions, snapshots, apps, containers, and virtual machines for different deployment needs.
Our top picks
-
Top ranked
TrueNAS#1 of 219.2/10A free, full-featured ZFS NAS for labs, businesses, and enterprise environments.
Free plan
-
Runner-up
openmediavault#2 of 218.8/10A capable, extensible Linux NAS for self-hosters who want control over services and storage.
Open source
-
Top-ranked free plan
XigmaNAS#3 of 218.6/10A free ZFS NAS operating system with virtualization and extensive file services.
Free plan
Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.
The full ranking 21 tools, best first
-
Best forFree, full-featured ZFS NAS
A free, full-featured ZFS NAS for labs, businesses, and enterprise environments.
- App catalog
- Virtual machines
- Cloud sync
9.2/10★★★★★Visit TrueNAS -
Best forExtensible Linux NAS
A capable, extensible Linux NAS for self-hosters who want control over services and storage.
- App catalog
- Cloud sync
- Container support
8.8/10★★★★☆Visit openmediavault -
Best forFree ZFS NAS with virtualization
A free ZFS NAS operating system with virtualization and extensive file services.
- Virtual machines
- Container support
- Snapshots
8.6/10★★★★☆Visit XigmaNAS -
Best forVirtualization-focused shared storage
A virtualization-oriented shared-storage platform with broad protocol and hypervisor support.
- Storage pools
8.0/10★★★★☆Visit StarWind -
Best forHigh-availability ZFS storage
A high-availability ZFS storage platform with broad NAS, SAN, and virtualization support.
- Virtual machines
- Snapshots
- Storage pools
7.9/10★★★★☆Visit Open-E -
Best forLow-cost personal NAS
A low-cost NAS platform with storage, apps, VMs, cloud connections, and broad client support.
- App catalog
- Virtual machines
- Cloud sync
7.8/10★★★★☆Visit ZimaOS -
Best forSimple free file server
A free, open-source file server for straightforward self-hosted storage.
7.7/10★★★★☆Visit site -
Best forCreating Unraid installation media
A focused, free utility for preparing Unraid installation media.
7.5/10★★★★☆Visit Unraid -
Best forScale-out clustered storage
A free, open-source platform for clustered storage across iSCSI, SMB, NFS, and S3.
- Snapshots
- Storage pools
7.5/10★★★★☆Visit PetaSAN -
Best forCloud and enterprise file storage
A feature-rich virtual NAS for enterprise cloud, hybrid, and multi-cloud storage.
- Cloud sync
- Snapshots
- Storage pools
7.3/10★★★★☆Visit SoftNAS -
Best forMulti-appliance enterprise storage grids
QuantaStor suits enterprises that need unified NAS, SAN, object, and multi-appliance storage management.
- Container support
- Snapshots
- Storage pools
7.2/10★★★★☆Visit OSNEXUS -
Best forGuided NAS setup and management
HexOS simplifies NAS setup and management, but its paid, narrow platform limits its fit.
- App catalog
- Virtual machines
- Container support
7.1/10★★★★☆Visit HexOS -
Best forFree NAS with apps and VMs
A free, open-source NAS for storage, containers, virtual machines and self-hosted apps.
- App catalog
- Virtual machines
- Container support
6.9/10★★★☆☆Visit OpenNAS -
Best forOpen-source ZFS infrastructure
A capable open-source NAS for ZFS-focused operators who do not need VM support.
- Cloud sync
- Container support
- Snapshots
6.8/10★★★☆☆Visit DPlaneOS -
Best forZFS NAS and virtualization
A broad self-hosted NAS suite for ZFS storage, replication, sharing, and virtualization.
- Virtual machines
- Cloud sync
- Container support
6.7/10★★★☆☆Visit napp-it -
Best forBTRFS-focused Linux NAS
A BTRFS-focused Linux NAS for self-hosted storage and Docker-based applications.
- App catalog
- Container support
- Snapshots
6.6/10★★★☆☆Visit Rockstor -
Best forFree Linux ZFS or EXT4 NAS
A free, capable Linux NAS for storage, file sharing, Docker, and community apps.
- App catalog
- Container support
- Storage pools
6.4/10★★★☆☆Visit NovaNAS -
Best forDistributed cloud-native NAS
A broad self-hosted NAS with cloud sync and enterprise distributed scaling.
- App catalog
- Cloud sync
- Container support
6.3/10★★★☆☆Visit ZetaNAS -
Best forEnterprise storage infrastructure
Unified file and block storage with enterprise integrations, replication, and a 45-day trial.
- Virtual machines
- Cloud sync
- Snapshots
6.2/10★★★☆☆Visit NexentaStor -
Best forMicrosoft 365 and Workspace backup
A focused, license-free backup layer for Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace data.
5.9/10★★★☆☆Visit Synology -
Best forRestaurants managing ordering and kitchen operations
A broad restaurant operations suite, but not a fit for NAS storage management.
5.8/10★★★☆☆Visit KitchenAsty
No tools match those filters.
Compare at a glance
| # | Tool | Free plan | Paid from | Storage pools | User management | Snapshots | Container support | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | TrueNAS | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9.2 | |
| 2 | openmediavault | Free | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.8 | |
| 3 | XigmaNAS | Yes | Free | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.6 |
| 4 | StarWind SAN & NAS | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.0 | |||
| 5 | Open-E JovianDSS | No | $670 one-time | Yes | Yes | Yes | 7.9 | |
| 6 | ZimaOS | Yes | $29 one-time | Yes | Yes | Yes | 7.8 | |
| 7 | TurnKey File Server | Yes | Free | Yes | 7.7 | |||
| 8 | Unraid USB Creator | Yes | Free | 7.5 | ||||
| 9 | PetaSAN | Yes | Free | Yes | Yes | Yes | 7.5 | |
| 10 | SoftNAS | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | 7.3 | ||
| 11 | OSNEXUS QuantaStor | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 7.2 | |
| 12 | HexOS | No | $199 one-time | Yes | Yes | Yes | 7.1 | |
| 13 | OpenNAS | Yes | Free | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 6.9 |
| 14 | DPlaneOS | Yes | Free | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 6.8 |
| 15 | napp-it | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 6.7 | |
| 16 | Rockstor | Free | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 6.6 | |
| 17 | NovaNAS | Yes | Free | Yes | Yes | Yes | 6.4 | |
| 18 | ZetaNAS | Yes | $99/mo | Yes | Yes | Yes | 6.3 | |
| 19 | NexentaStor | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | 6.2 | ||
| 20 | Synology Active Backup for SaaS | Yes | Free | 5.9 | ||||
| 21 | KitchenAsty | Yes | Free | 5.8 |
Head-to-head All 28 comparisons →
- TrueNAS vs openmediavault
- TrueNAS vs XigmaNAS
- TrueNAS vs StarWind SAN & NAS
- TrueNAS vs Open-E JovianDSS
- TrueNAS vs ZimaOS
- TrueNAS vs TurnKey File Server
- TrueNAS vs Unraid USB Creator
- openmediavault vs XigmaNAS
- openmediavault vs StarWind SAN & NAS
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How we rank NAS software
Every tool on this page was researched by iTechGuides Editors from its official website — pricing pages, plan tables and product documentation. We rank on how well each one does this category's core job, what the free or entry plan includes, and where it falls short. Where we have enough verified facts, the score out of 10 is a rubric — job fit, value and how much we could verify — shown with its breakdown on every tool's page; a tool we have not verified enough to score yet shows its rank without a number. Scores are re-checked when a product changes its plans. Read the full editorial policy, or submit a tool we missed.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Last updated · How we research and update