Compare NAS Devices

22 ranked products · Two to 4 at a time · Updated 23 Sept 2026

Pick any two to four of the 22 ranked nas devices and read them side by side. This page opens on the board's top 3, Synology DiskStation DS225+, TerraMaster F4-424 Pro and Asustor Drivestor 4 Gen2 (AS1204T).

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NAS Devices compared side by side. Each column is one product, each row is one measure taken from the same research that built the board.
Measure	Synology Synology DiskStation DS225+	TerraMaster TerraMaster F4-424 Pro	Asustor Asustor Drivestor 4 Gen2 (AS1204T)	QNAP QNAP TS-233	UGREEN UGREEN NASync DH2300	Asustor Asustor Nimbustor 2 Gen2 (AS5402T)	UniFi UniFi UNAS Pro	QNAP QNAP TS-216G	Synology Synology DiskStation DS925+	UGREEN UGREEN NASync DH4300 Plus	UGREEN UGREEN DXP4800 Plus	UniFi UniFi UNAS 2	Asustor Asustor Drivestor 2 Gen2 (AS1202T)	Synology Synology DiskStation DS423+	TerraMaster TerraMaster F2-223	Synology Synology BeeStation	Synology Synology DiskStation DS224+	UnifyDrive UnifyDrive UT2	QNAP QNAP TS-464	Synology Synology DiskStation DS223	Synology Synology DS223j	Synology Synology DiskStation DS223j
Tier	S	S	A	A	B	B	C	C	C	C	C	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	F	F	F	F
Rank on this board	1 of 22	2 of 22	3 of 22	4 of 22	5 of 22	6 of 22	7 of 22	8 of 22	9 of 22	10 of 22	11 of 22	12 of 22	13 of 22	14 of 22	15 of 22	16 of 22	17 of 22	18 of 22	19 of 22	20 of 22	21 of 22	22 of 22
Ladder points	1108 LP	1033 LP	723 LP	706 LP	574 LP	505 LP	478 LP	470 LP	423 LP	419 LP	395 LP	360 LP	347 LP	254 LP	245 LP	244 LP	231 LP	227 LP	175 LP	169 LP	89 LP	58 LP
Our verdict	Wirecutter's current top pick and the best-supported firmware platform in the class. The safest device to own for a decade.	TechRadar's top choice for most users: "the TerraMaster F4-424 Pro is our top choice for most users. During tests, we found this model delivered fast, secure file transfer." Four bays, modern Intel-class silicon and 2.5 GbE give it hardware headroom that the budget Synology boxes lack, and TechRadar's testing verdict is emphatic. It sits below the Synology plus boxes here because TerraMaster's TOS firmware and support track record is shorter and less proven over the long haul.	The budget four-bay entry in Asustor's current Drivestor Gen2 line. It is included on hardware merit under this lens: Asustor's ADM platform is mature and actively maintained, the Gen2 enclosures are decently built for the entry tier, and Asustor's support reputation avoids both QNAP's security history and Synology's new restrictions. No page in the retrieved evidence names the AS1204T directly, so it carries no citation. It is ranked last among the picks partly for that thinner evidence base.	PCMag's top two-bay pick for most people: "the QNAP TS-233 (for a two-bay" solution), and Medium's 2026 budget guide names it "Best Compact." r/HomeNAS also recommends it alongside the DS224+ for beginners. It makes the board because two bays means RAID 1 redundancy is on the table, which matters enormously over years. It ranks near the bottom of the picks because the ARM-class processor and minimal memory limit how long it stays pleasant to own, and it carries QNAP's software reputation.	Ranks second as the specialist outlet’s number-one cheap NAS, delivering modern hardware at the lowest market tier.	Android Central includes the AS5402T in its 2026 best home NAS lineup. Asustor's ADM is a mature, frequently updated platform, the Nimbustor Gen2 hardware is well built with upgrade-friendly internals, and Asustor has avoided both QNAP's security incidents and Synology's drive-lock-in controversy. A genuinely strong long-term owner that more buyers should shortlist.	A real specialist endorsement from NASCompares, but consensus is narrower because it only makes sense inside the UniFi ecosystem.	Uncited by the retrieved pages, ranked on its position as QNAP's current entry two-bay with modern 2.5GbE networking, in the bracket the community consistently recommends QNAP for. A defensible budget pick, but it carries no retrieved expert verdict, so it sits below every endorsed model.	Macworld lists it as "versatile and expandable" in its 2026 NAS picks for Mac, and it is the top of Synology's mainstream plus line. Under this lens it is the strongest long-horizon hardware Synology sells to homes and small offices: better build, better networking, and the same class-leading firmware longevity. It ranks below the DS225+ only because it is more machine than most home buyers need, not because it is a worse owner.	Ranks eighth as a four-bay newcomer praised for hardware value and selected as the pick for most people.	The category's loudest marketing push on the thinnest longevity record, with soldered memory and an unproven update commitment. Buy the DS225+ or TS-464 instead.	Ranks sixth thanks to its integrated software that eases setup and its recognition on multiple value-of-the-year lists.	Ranks fifth as the most affordable credible two-bay from Asustor, extending the value formula of its larger sibling.	An aging 4-bay Plus caught between the brand backlash How-To Geek documents and Macworld's redirection to the DS925+, with TechRadar's F4-424 Pro outclassing it on hardware. Buy the F4-424 Pro or DS925+.	Medium's 2026 budget guide names it "Best for Performance" in the entry tier. Two bays, a capable Intel-class CPU and TerraMaster's improving TOS software make it a reasonable long-term owner, but the platform is aging and TerraMaster's firmware longevity and support reputation still trail Synology and Asustor, so it ranks ninth.	PCMag's top single-drive pick ("the Synology BeeStation (for a single-drive solution with a prepopulated hard drive)") and Android Central reviews the BeeStation 4TB, so beginners cross-shop it constantly. Under this lens it is a dead end: one drive means one failure loses everything, there is no second bay to add redundancy later, and it runs Synology's locked-down consumer appliance software rather than DSM, so it cannot grow with you. It is the most trap-like product in the category precisely because the marketing and the roundups push it hardest at first-time buyers. Buy the DS223j or DS224+ instead and get real redundancy.	Still a mainstream recommendation: r/HomeNAS advice for 2025/2026 buyers points newcomers at "entry-level 2-bay NAS units like the Synology DS224+ or QNAP TS-233 - they're compact, beginner-friendly." It is the previous generation of Wirecutter's pick and has since been superseded by the DS225+, which is the only reason it ranks sixth rather than first. Everything about its ownership experience - DSM updates, support, build - is proven over years.	TechRadar's actively recommended alternative in its current guide. Newer to the consensus than the leaders, but the specialist outlet explicitly steers readers to it.	QNAP's own positioning is a "compact 4-bay NAS with superior performance," supporting up to 72 TB storage and 4 TB M.2 SSD caching, and the hardware genuinely is the most expandable in this class with PCIe and multi-gigabit networking. It ranks mid-board because QNAP's software and security history is the weak link: community consensus is that "QNAP has better hardware, but their software is horrible to the point that a synology with half the specs runs faster." Buy it for the hardware, and stay on top of firmware.	The worst value on the board: more money than the DS223j for almost nothing, in a brand whose mid-range case XDA and How-To Geek both argue has collapsed. Save with the DS223j or stretch to the DS225+.	The cheapest Synology, and it shows: slow UI, poor multi-connection handling, and weak hardware under a good operating system. Buy the DS225+ or the Drivestor 4 Gen2 instead.	Medium calls it "Best for Beginners" and Android Central reviews it, so it is the default cheap-Synology suggestion everywhere. It should not be bought: one gigabyte of non-upgradeable memory makes DSM 7 sluggish the day you install it and worse every year after, and it is the kind of box owners replace rather than keep. The DS224+ or DS225+ is the Synology experience this lens actually endorses.
What reviewers rate	Longest-supported DSM operating system Strong warranty and support reputation Built to run quietly for a decade Conservative hardware design ensures reliability	Fast, secure file-transfer performance Four bays with modern Intel-class silicon 2.5 GbE connectivity provides future-proof bandwidth Hardware headroom exceeds budget Synology models	Mature ADM platform with active maintenance Decently built entry-tier enclosure Support reputation avoids QNAP security and Synology restrictions Four-bay enclosure at entry-level price	Recommended as budget two-bay pick Supports RAID 1 for redundancy Top two-bay pick for most people Compact and beginner-friendly design	Ranked number one among cheap NAS devices Modern hardware delivered at the lowest market tier Ranked the number one cheap NAS of the year in value awards Beats UniFi and Beelink entries on value	Mature, frequently updated ADM platform Well-built hardware with upgrade-friendly internals Avoids QNAP security incidents and Synology drive-lock-in Punchy hardware for the money	Included in NASCompares' budget-tier buying guide as a genuine option Sits in a specific part of the market above conventional desktop NAS Strong choice for buyers already in the UniFi ecosystem All-metal Pro chassis built for continuous duty	QNAP's current entry two-bay with modern 2.5GbE networking Sits in the bracket where community coverage consistently recommends QNAP PCMag scores it 4.0 out of 5, Excellent, calling it an excellent two-bay NAS with multi-gig connectivity Pairs two SATA bays with a 2.5GbE port, a 2GHz quad-core Arm CPU and 4GB of memory, with solid SMB throughput	Versatile and expandable design Class-leading firmware longevity The expandable step-up pick once you outgrow two bays The current Synology 4-bay Macworld singles out	Picked for most people by WIRED New-entrant offering strong hardware value in four-bay space 2.5 GbE connectivity Six-month long-term review shows strong reliability	Heavily marketed newcomer with strong hardware appeal The product Reddit cross-shopping threads push hardest against Synology Strong hardware for the money The go-to vendor for hardware value in small-business comparisons	Integrated software reduces setup friction Recognized on multiple value-of-the-year lists Second in the best cheap NAS of the year awards Refreshingly simple to use	Two-bay sibling of the AS1204T, which Medium named best overall in budget testing Same current-generation Drivestor Gen2 platform one bay down Clean interface with a solid feature set Gets the home NAS job done	Four bays of growth room in the Plus body DSM software longevity and Synology build quality Sits in the tier mainstream guides crown as headliners	Two bays with capable Intel-class CPU Good performance for entry-tier price Improving TOS software provides reasonable reliability	PCMag's top pick for most people Comes with a prepopulated hard drive for zero setup decisions True beginner-friendly simplicity Single-drive solution with prepopulated hard drive	Proven ownership experience with DSM updates and support Compact and beginner-friendly form factor Better hardware than the DS223j Mature firmware with huge install base	TechRadar flags it right after its top pick as worth checking out A genuine new-generation option the specialist outlet actively steers readers toward Flagged by TechRadar as worth checking out Integrated battery shields drives from power events	Compact 4-bay design with up to 72 TB capacity PCIe slots enable SSD caching for performance boost Multi-gigabit networking provides fast connectivity Highly expandable hardware	DSM software quality Good drive compatibility Solid 8/10 ownership rating Called the Toyota Camry of NAS devices: reliable and easy	Runs Synology's well-regarded DSM software with a strong update cadence Rated 8 out of 10 by Vivid Repairs for software quality and security update cadence Breadth of DSM features Good enough for basic backup duty per community users	Named Best for Beginners in Medium's budget NAS test Wins on software ease The cheapest Synology the current coverage still recommends Included among best home NAS picks
Where it falls short	Synology's recent push toward validated drives may limit drive choice Higher overall price relative to comparable hardware You pay a real premium for the DSM software Hardware is beatable on specs for the money	TOS firmware and support track record shorter than Synology's TerraMaster's TOS software ecosystem is less battle-tested than Synology's TerraMaster's warranty and support reputation is thinner than Synology's TOS software is weaker than Synology's DSM	Long-term support reputation trails Synology's Asustor's long-term support record is less proven than Synology's ADM is proven but less polished than Synology's DSM Software polish trails Synology's	ARM-class processor and minimal memory limit long-term performance Software reputation less favorable than Synology's QNAP's software is poor to the point that a Synology with half the specs runs faster ARM box with minimal memory is where those software weaknesses hurt most over years	Only a 1 GbE LAN port Two bays limit storage and expansion	Charges a slight premium over rivals	Thinner app ecosystem than Synology's DSM Narrower appeal and ecosystem lock-in A first-generation NAS platform Ecosystem lock-in to UniFi's software	Its 4GB of memory is not upgradeable	More machine than most home buyers need High cost for its performance level Lock-in tax from flagship pricing Premium justified largely by its price rather than the hardware	Limited app catalog No M.2 slots Four-bay price asks more of the value case than cheaper units	Only two years of firmware history, not a longevity record Soldered, non-upgradable memory shared with the industry shift NASCompares documents Unproven update commitment Younger, less mature software ecosystem than established rivals	Reports of SMB and network drops Highly unreliable performance Restarts do not resolve issues Ecosystem integration is merely adequate outside UniFi setups	A basic enclosure	Previous-generation 4-bay Plus that buyers still cross-shop Caught in the backlash against Synology's mid-range hardware value Current guides route 4-bay money to the DS925+ or the F4-424 Pro instead Outclassed by newer Synology and TerraMaster models	Platform aging and shorter firmware longevity Aging platform, previous-generation 2-bay Outperformed by newer TerraMaster F4-424 Pro	No redundancy Higher cost relative to storage capacity Limited to a single drive Single non-redundant drive offers poor storage value	Superseded by DS225+, making it less top-ranked Older CPU, less RAM and no 2.5 GbE compared to DS225+ Superseded model offers better specs for little extra cost Superseded by its direct successor, the DS225+	Owner review documents two dead brand-new SSDs and data loss Notebookcheck's hands-on coverage stops short of a storage-reliability endorsement Brand is too new for a proven longevity record	Software and security reputation considered weak Requires active firmware management Aging design, newer rivals have narrowed the value gap Marketing still leans on awards from 2023	Costs more than the DS223j for hardware that barely improves on it Lacks the Plus-tier software headroom that justifies the DS225+ Sits in a brand whose mid-range value case has collapsed Modest hardware, limited upgradeability	Extremely slow UI reported by users Does not handle simultaneous connections well Limited to ext4 Constant disk activity reported even when nothing is active	Only 1 GB RAM insufficient for 2026 NAS duties Outclassed by cheaper alternatives Extremely slow user interface Poor handling of simultaneous connections
Evidence behind it	25 sources across 22 outlets	13 sources across 10 outlets	4 sources across 3 outlets	6 sources across 5 outlets	25 sources across 24 outlets	1 source across 1 outlet Thin sourcing, read it as provisional	3 sources across 2 outlets	4 sources across 4 outlets	2 sources across 2 outlets	10 sources across 9 outlets	4 sources across 4 outlets	4 sources across 4 outlets	10 sources across 5 outlets	4 sources across 4 outlets	2 sources across 2 outlets	6 sources across 6 outlets	3 sources across 3 outlets	1 source across 1 outlet Thin sourcing, read it as provisional	3 sources across 2 outlets	1 source across 1 outlet Thin sourcing, read it as provisional	3 sources across 3 outlets	2 sources across 2 outlets
Flagged as one to avoid	Not flagged	Not flagged	Not flagged	1 of 12 research runs	1 of 3 research runs	Not flagged	Not flagged	Not flagged	5 of 12 research runs	Not flagged	3 of 6 research runs	1 of 3 research runs	Not flagged	3 of 4 research runs	1 of 2 research runs	4 of 12 research runs	5 of 9 research runs	1 of 3 research runs	5 of 10 research runs	2 of 5 research runs	2 of 7 research runs	3 of 5 research runs
Announced	Not recorded	Not recorded	Not recorded	Not recorded	Not recorded	Not recorded	Not recorded	Not recorded	Not recorded	Not recorded	Not recorded	Not recorded	Not recorded	Not recorded	Not recorded	Not recorded	Not recorded	Not recorded	Not recorded	Not recorded	Not recorded	Not recorded
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Every column is the same research that built the board. Nothing here is a specification sheet copied from a maker. Read how we rank for what a tier and a ladder point mean.