Synology Photos vs Zoner Photo Studio X

Synology Photos9.1Visit Zoner Photo Studio X8.9Visit

Higher score Synology Photos #4 in Photo Management Software 9.1/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 0 of 5 features Try Synology Photos

vs

Zoner Photo Studio X #6 in Photo Management Software 8.9/10 7-day trial Free trial✓ 2 of 5 features Visit Zoner

• Synology Photos fits best

  NAS owners wanting a private photo library

• Zoner Photo Studio X fits best

  Windows users wanting editing plus organization

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Side by side

Feature	Synology Photos 9.1/10 Visit ↗	Zoner Photo Studio X 8.9/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.1	8.9
Ranking	#4 in Photo Management Software	#6 in Photo Management Software
Best for	NAS owners wanting a private photo library	Windows users wanting editing plus organization
Pricing model	Free	Paid
Starting price	Free	$59/yr
Free plan	✓ (best)	—
Free trial	—	7 days
Deployment	Self-hosted, Desktop, Mobile, Browser extension	Desktop, Cloud
Platforms	Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Chrome extension	Windows
Support	Live chat, Docs	Email, Phone, Live chat, Docs
Built for	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise	Solo, Small business, Mid-market
Features Synology Photos 0/5 · Zoner Photo Studio X 2/5
RAW photo support	Not checked yet	✓ (best)
Face recognition	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
AI-powered search	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Metadata tools	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Cloud sync	Not checked yet	✓ (best)
Specs
Primary platform	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Included storage	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Our review
Pros	Face recognition, metadata search, and conditional albums Folder-level permissions and password-protected share links Mobile backup, RAW support, and full-resolution photos	Combines RAW, layers, masks, batch editing, and AI tools Organizes photos by folders, dates, locations, keywords, and ratings Adds cloud backup, video editing, and print creation
Cons	Requires a Synology NAS and installed storage Recognition features depend on supported NAS models Desktop preview and compressed-video tools are separate	Available for Windows only No free plan; annual access starts at $59 Its broad feature set may exceed simple photo-organizing needs
Our verdict	Synology Photos is a self-hosted photo and video management application for Synology NAS devices running DiskStation Manager. It gives individuals a browser-based library for browsing, searching, organizing, sharing, and backing up media,… Read the review →	Zoner Photo Studio X is Windows software for importing, organizing, editing, sharing, printing, and managing photos and videos. It is aimed at photographers ranging from beginners to experienced users who want editing and cataloging in one… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Synology Photos — where it wins

  • Face recognition, metadata search, and conditional albums
  • Folder-level permissions and password-protected share links
  • Mobile backup, RAW support, and full-resolution photos

  Where it doesn't

  • Requires a Synology NAS and installed storage
  • Recognition features depend on supported NAS models
  • Desktop preview and compressed-video tools are separate

• Zoner Photo Studio X — where it wins

  • Combines RAW, layers, masks, batch editing, and AI tools
  • Organizes photos by folders, dates, locations, keywords, and ratings
  • Adds cloud backup, video editing, and print creation

  Where it doesn't

  • Available for Windows only
  • No free plan; annual access starts at $59
  • Its broad feature set may exceed simple photo-organizing needs

• Synology Photos9.1/10 · Free plan

  A free, deeply organized photo library for owners of Synology NAS devices.

  Try Synology PhotosFull verdict →
• Zoner Photo Studio X8.9/10 · 7-day trial

  A broad Windows photo suite for editing, organizing, backing up, and creating prints.

  Visit ZonerFull verdict →